Mel Cooke, Star Writer

Patrons enjoy the vibes at the Cool Runnings party, at Mas Camp, Oxford Road, New Kingston, on Saturday. - Winston Sill photos

On a pre-payday Saturday, the Cool Runnings retro music session at Mas Camp, Oxford Road, New Kingston, did not attract a large audience, although eventually there were sufficient people to make a party of it.

And, although, as host Amber (who at points annoyed an audience which did not understand that her chatter was meant to cover up selector changes, but at others interrupting the music when it was working up to something special) pointed out, there were 10 selectors, it was one pair which turned the night around.

It was the 'Kool' and 'FAME-ous' team of Crazy Chris and Kurt Riley, respectively.

Going past midnight, ZJ Capone switched from disco to the laugh of Admiral Bailey and Tink Me Did Done. It was strictly '80s dancehall to the end of his set with one lady lifting a pointed shoe as instructed in Duck. There was a run of Shabba, including Hard and Stiff and Dem Bow to get the audience rocking, but when the party seemed ready to really take off with Supercat's Ghetto Red Hot, Super Kong interrupted the song to say that his mother grew up the 'Wild Apache'.

Silver pants

ZJ Elektra opened with Johnny Kemp rejoicing "Just got paid, Friday night", one lady in glistening silver pants rocking enthusiastically to Head to Toe. But, although Pump Up The Jam and Too Legit To Quit got some members of the audience moving, the uptempo beats went on far too long and it was a welcome change to General Echo's Arlene.

Batty Rider sent some female posteriors skyward with one woman in a short white dress showing more moon than the half-full one in the sky above Mas Camp.

"Turntable dem fi carry," one man complained as Amber explained that an extended music break was caused by technical difficulties. But when Chris took the microphone and said in a deep, melodious voice, "It's all good, we are here and we are here to play," all was forgiven and forgotten.

They went uptempo immediately and the ladies duly proved that "my lady loves to dance", surging forward to the middle of Mas Camp after ignoring Amber's earlier urgings to move up. They chortled, "Oh what a night" and celebrated Staying Alive, Chris dropping timely microphone patter as Riley dropped the beats.

I Will Survive got a tremendous reception, but it was Like a Virgin that brought Cool Runnings to a new level of warmth. A smooth mix brought up the soca of Tiny Winey, some large ladies making a 'biggy winey' of it. But when Amber interrupted Dollar Wine, there were groans of despair.

Wining time

Still, the duo quickly picked up the pace again, many singing "I love soca" as that segment ended. The rockers of Tempted to Touch hit home, Buju's Black Woman got a restart and Putting Up Resistance sent hands and voices to the sky. Then it was wining time, Bounty deriding the women who get So So Sex and Shabba informing them that if a man want it him haffi pay dung pon it. Coca Cola Bottle Shape led into Lady Saw informing Spragga that "a ... me love" and Mas Camp erupted. Their time was up but more was demanded and the pair duly gave the women Position.

When Amber asked the ladies if they were feeling horny, there was a resounding 'yes'.

Coppershot did well by changing the pace, bottles duly raised to the hard-working people and one man raising a pink high-heeled shoe. Guilty, Homely Girl and Lady In Red were preceded by brief introductions, legs flying with Jitterbug and Footloose. My Boy Lollipop had the arms swinging and they soon went rockers with the Dead and Alive version of Ring the Alarm with Tenor Saw and Buju.

Admiral Bailey's God Pickney was the 'tun yu roll' high point of their set, which closed with Eagle and the Hawk.

Renaissance was greeted with cheers, but the disco of Dancing Queen and Rock the Boat did not hit home and the dancing movement slowed, some going for a different kind of movement, towards the exit, which The STAR joined.

These women get down at the Cool Runnings party.