The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: Legends honoured at JAVAA anniversary show

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Roy Rayon gets vocally intense at JAVAA's anniversary held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on July 11. Looking on is Frankie Campbell of Fab 5. - Colin Hamilton

Most of the Jamaican music legends who were honoured at Gardens of The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, on Friday night were not there for their induction into the Jamaican Music Hall of Fame.

And it was understandable, as all were there from the beginning of the Jamaican music industry, but for those especially who made it to the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates' (JAVAA) fifth anniversary concert and inaugural Hall of Fame induction, the applause from the large audience was loud and long.

The induction, with lively banter from Fae Ellington who read the information on each person, came at the end of the concert's first segment. Entitled Their Music Lives On, homage was paid to Jamaican performers who have passed on, with mostly a pair of songs from their catalogues, the Unique Vision and Fabulous 5 Incorporated bands supporting the performers on either half of the programme.

So there was huge applause for the large, well-turned-out audience for Dr Olive Lewin, Ras Mandito descending the steps from the stage to present her with her award. And Ernest Ranglin went up those steps to accept his award from another guitarist, Dwight Pinkney.

Perhaps, though, one of the most touching moments was a 'Winston to Winston' handing over, as Winston 'King Stitt' Sparks accepted the late Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd's award from Winston 'Merritone' Blake.

The other inductees were, the Alpha Boys School (with special mention of Sister Mary Ignatius Davies), Louise Bennett-Coverley, Joseph Vere Johns (whose talent show turned out many of Jamaica's early music stars), Derrick Morgan, Arthur 'Duke' Reid, The Skatalites, Lord Flea, The Wailers (whose biography was the longest) and Oswald 'Count Ossie' Williams.

Before and after the induction there was, of course, music. Lots of music, the second segment especially packing a punch with songs from Garnett Silk performed by his brother Aaron Silk (a wayward sprinkler sending a section of the audience scampering during Zion in a Vision).

The younger generation made a good connection with the older, Lymie Murray's delivery of Tenement Yard in Jacob Miller's 'bionic voice' style hitting home and the following Chapter A Day taking the house down. Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt stood front and centre, high on heels and passionate in voice to hit home with You Look Like Love and Love Forever, a remake of the latter on her album due in September.

14-year-old Lion

And Andrew Cassanova was outstanding as deejay Scotty in the night's best vocal impersonation, 'forwarding' and 'payakaing' to the delight of the audience. Fourteen-year-old Javaro did a good young Delroy Wilson's Lion of Judah, coming up to the end of a long night, a few persons making their exit long before Errol Dunkley wrapped up the Delroy Wilson segment and the concert with Your Love is Amazing, the climax falling short of its potential.

Drummer Count Ossie was honoured by his son and Clancy Eccles Jr paid tribute to his father.

Other performers whose music made the 'Their Music Lives On' playlist were Dennis Brown (George Nooks taking the house down with Your Love's Got A Hold On Me), Slim Smith (the dual falsettos of Lloyd Parkes and Bunny Brown going on a bit too long), the Blues Busters (Ras Mandito and Bagga Case a wonderful pair to 'Behold'), Don Drummond (Calvin 'Bubbles' Cameron), Agustus Pablo (Robbie Lyn stirring some 'Java' on the melodica), Bob Marley (twice, Roy Rayon on vocals in the first segment and Pinkney on guitar in the second) and Phyllis Dillon with a double down the stretch from Angella Stewart and Mary Isaacs.

MCs Patrick Lafayette and Junior Sinclair added substance to song by giving some biographical data on the persons whose music was being performed.