Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
( L - R ) Buju Banton, Tony Rebel - file
Before the official presentation of the details of Western Consciousness 2008, slated for Saturday, April 26, at the Llandilo Cultural Centre in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, video footage of past concerts were shown at the Talk of the Town Restaurant, The Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston.
Among the performers were Tony Rebel, Culture, Mutabaruka, John Holt and Beenie Man as Ras Moses.
And when Worrel King of King of Kings announced this year's line-up on Wednesday night, he made special reference to the previous time Beenie Man was booked on the show as Ras Moses and stuck to his cultural mode.
He will be on the 20th anniversary staging of the concert, along with others who have had previous outstanding showings at Western Consciousness, including Buju Banton, Anthony B, Tony Rebel, Richie Spice and Bushman. In another segment, King said some of those who were there at the start will also be performing, including Edi Fitzroy, Mykal Roze, Brigadier Jerry and Josey Wales. And then there are the relative newcomers who have been doing well, such as Etana, Turbulence, Queen Ifrica, I-Wayne, Chuck Fendah and Nesbeth.
Also on the extensive line-up are Teflon, Iyahblaze, Carol Gonzales, Lymie Murray Black Judah and Heather Cummings.
"It is the first time wee are presenting so many artistes in one night. We are actually giving the people what they wanted, for this is what they have been requesting," King said.
Big sponsorship
Before the main event, for which Juciful is the headline sponsor, a number of pre-shows will be staged among the stops on April 12 in Mandeville, Manchester, April 23 at Weekenz in Kingston and an official rolling into Westmoreland the day before Western Consciousness 2008. And after the 20th anniversary concert, there will be an after party, put on in conjunction with House of Leeds.
King went into the history of the concert at the launch, hosted in large part by Denise 'Isis' Miller, noting that Paul Aiken, Adugo Ade, Micheal James and himself were at the initial retreat in Portland where Western Consciousness was conceived. "This evening, me feel like me buss," he said.
And he noted "we could have got more much more help from corporate Jamaica, but we still give thanks for the small amount that we have got and are still getting. We did not buss through big sponsorship. We buss through our knowledge of what we were doing, our commitment to this music".
The launch was held on what would have been Garnet Silk's birthday and his 17-year-old son, Fabian Smith, performed in his father's honour, though not his style, as he leaned towards rap in My Life, done in conjunction with the Sounds Against Negative Expressions (SANE) band, which had earlier opened the proceedings with Heathen and Baltimore.
Before the night's honourees were officially recognised, Cordel Green noted that "this is a programme that is always forward-thinking". He said that in the past, persons such as John Holt and Lee 'Scratch' Perry had been honoured by Western Consciousness and on Wednesday evening, the honours went to two persons who are far from being household names. Miss Pearly was honoured for her bathroom sanitation services provided at many major concerts, and Soljie was recognised for his three decades of audio technician and security services.
And before King presented the line-up, he remembered the 16th anniversary staging and said "now that we are here for the 20th, I am not wondering if we will be here for the 25th. We will be here for the 25th".
Fabian Smith, son of late Reggae star Garnet Silk. - file
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