The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: Public gets close look at Festival Song finalists

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Launch of JCDC Festival Song comeptition. Nathaniel Stewart photos

The finalists in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Festival Song Competition 2008 were at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, in the flesh and on big screen on Tuesday evening.

However, the public will get a closer look at the finalists (narrowed from 50 songs submitted) as a number of 'road blocker' shows will be held across the island.

The first comes hard on the heels of Tuesday's official launch of the contest, entitled 'What a Festival Bam Bam', and will be held on Saturday, June 14, at Junction Square, St Elizabeth, followed by the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium on Thursday, June 19.

The road blocker series goes to Lieba Esso Tiger Mart in May Pen, Clarendon, on Friday, June 20, and will be in Christiana, Manchester, the following day.

The June shows end at Fantasy Beach, Priory, St Ann, on Sunday, June 29, with Portland getting its live and direct taste at the Port Antonio Square on Saturday, July 5.

The series ends at the National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, on Saturday, July 12. All shows start at 8 p.m., except for the St Ann edition which begins at 10 a.m.

The public will have a hand in determining the winner of the $1 million top prize through text-in voting.

The Astronauts, whose entry is Mento Man, and Danny Brasko and Iya Simba, who are pinning their hopes on Festival Time Again showed two faces of this year's contest as they performed at the launch.

The former were dressed in traditional garb and straw hats, while the latter looked more like performers on a stage show.

A start for many

Director of Culture Sydney Bartley had pointed out earlier in the launch that in the early days of the contest it served as a platform for many who went on to become standouts in Jamaican popular culture, among them Toots and the Maytals, Eric Donaldson, Stanley Beckford and Desmond Dekker.

In addition, it was also a forum for emerging songwriters and singers to hone and benefit from their craft.

As such, the contest has reverted to its original name, moving away from the 'Popular Song Contest' tag it had worn for some years.

Bartley said, "in an effort to recapture and recreate the feelings, passion and patriotism, the JCDC has decided to reintroduce the Festival Song Competition."

Therefore, the search is on, Bartley said, for a "new and original song that is reflective of the spirit of the Jamaican people", while the launch's host, Vernon Derby, said at the end that "we unda pressure - but we going to have fun".

So while the plan is for Jamaicans to have a 'bam bam', the slogan also indicates a return to the very earliest days of the competition, when Toots and the Maytals won with a song of that name in 1966.

The other finalists are Roy Rayon with Rise and Shine, Lynford McIntosh with Country Life, Michael Rutherford with Old Time Festival, DJ Speng with Sweet Jamaica, Versatile with We Need Love, Clevon Edwards Jamaica Little But We Tallawah, Zetto with Naw Lef Jamaica and Monty Montgomery with My Jamaica.

One of this year's finalists performing at the launch of the JCDC Festival Song comeptition at the Pegasus on Tuesday.

Finalists in the JCDC festival song comeptition.