THOUSANDS of Jamaicans and hundreds of foreigners descended on Emancipation Park in Kingston to celebrate the life and work of the legend, Bob Marley, last week Tuesday, as the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports and Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum hosted the second staging of a concert to mark the birthday of the reggae icon.
Many local and international artistes paid tribute in song and words to the man who took reggae music global on the same night that the movie about his life was premiered in Los Angeles, California.
Among the performers was Esco Ley, who opened with “Concrete Jungle”, a song written about the place where Bob Marley lived in Trench Town in West Kingston, which to this day is still referred to as “Jungle”.
Last year’s Festival song award winner, Slash had a well-delivered set, which included a cover of Beres Hammond’s “Rockaway” and the Bob Marley and the Wailers song “Rastaman Chant”, which had the crowd out of their seats as they sang along to the song of freedom.
A number of visitors to the island were in attendance when French singer David Parot graced the stage under the watchful gaze of the French Ambassador to Jamaica, Olivier Guyonvarch, to perform “Zion Train” and “One Love”, while the crowd enjoyed local delicacies such as gizzadas and peanut cakes, for those who had a sweet tooth, and the world-famous Jamaican jerk chicken.
The international part of the show continued with a performance from Mexican singer Jah Fabio, who was dressed in a mesh merino shirt and a button-down shirt with one button in place at the top, in the style of the 1980s Jamaican dancehall performers.
Nadine Sutherland introduced herself with her much-loved song “Baby Face” before crooning Bob’s “Is This Love”, which got those seated in the audience to their feet and those with ‘one love’ flags waving them in the cool night air as they sang along.
The love songs continued with “Turn your lights down low” before the 40-year veteran of dancehall music told the audience to “Simma Down” and closed with her hit, “Action”.
Minister Olivia Grange graced the stage to add to her recorded message that was earlier played on big screens at the venue, the message of love and tolerance.
Jahmiel, Warrior King, and Munga Honorable all delivered fine performances before Andrew Tosh, son of the legend Peter Tosh, the penultimate act, performed a short set including Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up”, then his father’s song “Johnny B Goode”.
The Messenger, Luciano, closed what was a perfect celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday, starting with the global hit, “Your World and Mine” then “Small Axe”, “Glory Be” and many more of his hits as he preached togetherness and peace. (Jamaica Observer)
