Stephen Marley - Winston Sill

By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

On Saturday night Stephen Marley led Julian, Damian and Ky-Mani onstage with Smile Jamaica, the song for which the closing concert of a week of celebrations for the Tuff Gong's 62nd birthday was named, as a quartet of his sons paid homage to their father in his birthplace.

However, in the chilly hills of Nine Miles, St. Ann, where the breath of those in the large crowd who turned out for the musical marathon mingled with the evidence of many enjoying the natural mystic of Marley's beloved Kaya, Coming In From The Cold may have been a more appropriate choice when it ended at 5 a.m.

And with Sizzla and Bounty Killer combining for an uncompromising dancehall closure, many hours after the Live Wyya band had started off the night with Peter Tosh's Jah Guide, it was a lyrical 'bullet' or two, which zeroed-in in the end, the Marley's set laden with songs from their Dear Dad and Bunny Wailer's lengthy honouring of the Wailing Wailers hitting the tribute bullseye.

It was Spragga Benz, though, who outlined the dancehall connection with Marley. "De Gong was de tuffes' Gong. If Gong was a gangster, him would sing,"

Spragga said, switching to dancehall mode with Didn't Have To Bus My Gun Today. He reminded all that the elder Marley sang Bad Card, going back to his deejay songs by cautioning Rude Bwoy Living A No Fun Ting.

He brought on Teflon, who had the audience firmly on his One Way and later, Spragga made it obvious that he was restraining himself because of Bob's mother's presence. "We nah do dung deh. Mama Booker deh ya," he said.

In the earlier going, after Javaughn came in with D. Brown fashion Lymie Murray had delivered a slow version of Who the Cap Fits, Chezideck had pleaded leave ganja trees and Etana had taken a seat to play the guitar along with her clear voice protesting against matters of the Nuclear kind, Little Hero ended a strong set on home ground with Prayer Time. Lutan Fyah declared "yu face no fi siddung inna", to strong agreement and Cocoa Tea delivered a steaming mug of songs, from Rastaman Chant through to Good Life and Tune In, the audience cheering at many a sip and demanding seconds.

Concrete jungle

Then came the dancehall Assassin opening with matters of a more Concrete Jungle nature as he observed A Gully Suttin, getting the audience to reminisce chorale style on the Big Jill A Oil, closing an extended showing with Eediat Ting Dat. Wayne Marshall kept a smile on the faces of the Jamaicans and many foreigners present with his word play, declaring Me Nah Go Uranus, describing himself as Cocky and making the females scream, if not come. Marshall switched gears with Overcome, closing on a high with "ah forgot dem".

Jessau Jendau cut and clear with sword and lyrics, the three members of the Royal African Soldiers delivered poetry, History Man doing the same with Bob Marley Story in between Bunny Wailer and the Marleys.

There was an eruption when Bounty Killer intoned 'Lord have mercy' as Jr. Gong deejayed Khaki Suit and their was a belly roar when he stepped onstage, Bounty promising "me jus me de special appearance, me come back for the full appearance".

And he did, performing to tracks as he took the audience back to Benz and Bimmer and up to Bulletproof Skin, Sizzla putting in A Big Long Gun and the squeals going up as Lady Saw demanded "a whe some gal a study roun' ere", as Smile Jamaica ended on a dancehall note.