MEL COOKE, Freelance Writer
The legendary Burning Spear in performance at Rebel Salute 2006 held at Port Kaiser, St Elizabeth on Saturday. - PHOTO BY HERBERT MCKENIS
The Burning Spear and Inner Circle, exponents of roots reggae music who have not performed in Jamaica in some time, did so in contrasting fashions on Saturday night.
They performed consecutively at Tru-Juice Rebel Salute 2006, held at the Port Kaiser Sports Complex, St. Elizabeth, on Saturday night into Sunday morning. The response to Burning Spear varied from stand, watch, listen then clap for the lesser known material to whoops for standards, with many people dancing along to Inner Circle's string of songs recorded by the late Jacob 'Killer' Miller.
A 20-minute band change and a stirring recorded introduction by Cordel Green, who added bouncing steps live and direct, heralded the arrival of Spear, the headline performer at this year's festival, at 1:46 a.m. There was an extended musical introduction by the band then Spear, without fanfare, walked out on stage, looking downwards. He opened with Try Again from his 2005 Grammy nominated album Our Music.
In a pattern that was repeated throughout his 70-minute performance, after extended vocals Spear put the red, green and gold strips wrapped cordless microphone into the right front pocket of his blue jeans, walked over to the pair of congas set up to his right and played. The congas rattled with and through the rest of the band in an extended dub section, another feature of Spear's performance which was repeated.
There were a few sharp, laughing 'has' in Pick Up The Pieces and the first words of Call On You were lost as the microphone was accidentally switched off. Spear shuffled backwards to the music, then forward again. The audience sent up the first real cheers at the end of the song.
And there were cheers also as Spear sang "fret not my brothers" to start of Rocking Time, during which he intoned "you rock" repeatedly. Again there were cheers, the same going for Zion I Awake.
It intensified on Foggy Road, which ended to the strongest applause thus far. On Christopher Columbus, Spear repeated 'he's a liad' and 'ol pirate'. "So it is taught us about Christopher Columbus. Did they teach us about Marcus Garvey? We need a subject in school on Marcus Garvey. The voice of the people should be heard like never before," he said as part of an extended speech. The lights went during Door Peep and Spear kept on singing, chanting "go dung, go dung, go dung" as the band changed the beat to a pounding one drop.
Ol Marcus Garvey roused the audience, Spear going into extended chants of 'Mr. Garvey', then tucking away the microphone and playing the congas.
His voice rose as he said "tell me you want some more. Talk to me loud and clear. Tell me you want some more!" They did, but no encore was allowed.
INNER CIRCLE
After a 21 minute band change Inner Circle was up, Tenement Yard being pulled on the first line. Ian Lewis on bass was very active on stage, coming up beside the youthful lead singer to put a hand in the air and sing part of Tenement Yard unamplified on the restart. When he dropped the bass it was heavy.
Frankie Paul's Kushumpeng was put in to good effect. A mix led into Tiad Fe Lick Weed A Bush, which was also appreciated by the audience. "Somebody give me a flag," the lead singer said. He got one and he held it high as he greeted all in the name of the Most High before dropping Forward Ever (and Backward Never), 'wheeling' up on "songs of culture". His jacket came off for the musical observation "Jah would never give the power to a bald head man, to judge a Rasta man."
After Forward Jah Jah Children he said "in 1980 on Hope Road in Kingston, one of reggae's greatest shining stars was ripped from the earth. Jacob 'Killer' Miller died in a freak accident and just like that he was gone from us. But tonight we livicate this show to Jacob Miller."
And with that Inner Circle went slow with Chapter A Day, following with Chezidek's Leave The Trees which is on the same rhythm.
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