By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
TIMELESS MUSIC put the age barrier to rest, if only for a few hours, at 'Just Cheers' in St. Ann's Bay on Saturday night.
Nubile nubbins and sedate seniors found mutual musical ground in Derrick Morgan, Alton Ellis, The Clarendonians, Lord Creator and Roy Richards, while an ageless Fabulous Five Incorporated wove a musical tapestry to fit the lawn of the St. Ann venue perfectly.
It was not a bumper crowd which tuned in to 'Memories', which was emceed by an often singing Bob Clarke, but more than enough to create a party atmosphere. With persons who were teenagers when Derrick Morgan's Forward March was first released and those who are that age gathering at Just Cheers, there was an interesting mix of dance styles.
There was as much fancy footwork as there was wicked 'wining'.
The party people showed their patience when a powercut snapped Fabulous Five's groove as they were warming up the crowd nicely. With Happy Go Lucky Girl, Night Nurse and Feel Like Crying, among numerous other selections, the disco kept the crowd if not happy, at least appeased, as the Jamaica Public Service Company crew took a while to come in from Ocho Rios.
One man, who was taking no chances, clutched a chair under an arm.
With a half moon rising to give a ghostly glow to the venue and the intermittent flash of headlights as cars sped by on the nearby AGR Byfield Highway, there were cheers when the lights came on at 12:40 a.m.
Roy Richards was first up, harmonica in hand, wraparound dark glasses over his impaired eyes, brown jacket buttoned over half-way tie and a voice that came from double his diminutive stature when required. Roy Richards opened without words, blowing a tune on his harmonica, before he moved into Everything I Own. The audience started rocking along, but it got even better when he got into the classic These Arms of Mine.
A combination of harmonica blowing - a couple times with his nose and singing soothed the audience, then Richards moved to the '60s.
Lord Creator was a delightful riot. Bob Clarke said that when he called the gentleman to do the show, he had said that he was in retirement but would do just one more performance. Lord Creator went out like a meteor, blazing music and humour across the St. Ann night to end a five-decade career. He was dressed for a debut, not a departure, with a black hat topping off a wicked light blue suit carried off by a black undershirt.
Evening News and Kingston Town were excellently delivered, one of his granddaughters getting a skank out of and a hug from Bob Clarke as Lord Creator crooned 'I met her in a place meant for two'. His still strong Trinidadian accent lilting with humour, Lord Creator declared: "Is 41 year I in this country. I get 10 Jamaican pickney. I get nuff Jamaican grandchildren. I have a nice Jamaican wife. I don't know how much jacket I get."
A slow number took Just Cheers on a view with 'look through the window and you will see what I see', Lord Creator removing his hat to show a full shock of grey. Remember Who preceded Man To Man, and a sonorous vision that said 'it looks like the end of the world'. On an encore, the audience roared as Creator wagged a cautionary 'oh little girl you have me in a rage'. The audience roared and Creator pulled up.
The Clarendonians were brief and good. When I Call You Up and I Can't Be Without Her paved the way for a Blues Busters' tribute double and Rude Boy Gone A Jail. They wrapped up with You Can't Be Happy, leaving the audience in a dancing mood.
Bob Clarke dared to suggest a five-minute break and the idea was quickly and loudly shot down. This had Derrick Morgan hitting the stage at 2:30 a.m. and it was pandemonium.
Resting his imposing frame on his walking stick, the exquisitely clad Morgan said: "Introducing myself as your ace from space." When he hit the familiar refrain of 'I am the Conqueror', Just Cheers simply exploded. He moved into Forward March and the jam was officially on. He told the ladies "You should be ashamed (to hurt a good-hearted man)" and then did Miss Lippy Miss Lou.
He did Dance With Me and the reggae-style jam Greedy Girl. In My Heart whipped Just Cheers into a frenzy and Don't Call Me Daddy made the audience ask for another 'pull up'. Mr. Morgan obliged.
Rudies In Court cooled down the pace and Standing With A Broken Heart took it to a waltz. First Taste of Love brought out a foretaste of the screams for Save The Last Dance For Me even as the microphone misbehaved.
"Put on yu dancing shoes. I taking you down in memory lane," Derrick Morgan warned, telling Fab Five to 'gimme de chord inna C'. Those who did not put on the shoes made them out of the dirt, as Fab Five laid down the ska groove and he was off with Hey Fat Man. Many songs and fifteen minutes later he lit a Blazing Fire and Just Cheers exploded into a final flinging of the feet.
A cooling down of the pace was in order and Alton Ellis was just the man to do so. Mr. Ellis began with Start All Over Again. You Make Me So Very Happy led into More Reasons Than One, followed up by I'm Still In Love. Accompanied by his back-up singer Ajin, he did Breaking Up (Is Hard To Do) and, the audience thinning a bit at the back, rocked steady along to I'm Just A Guy. A snatch of I Take You There was tossed into Girl I've Got A Date, with a nod given to departed boxer Bunny Grant on Dance Crasher.
Couples entwined on Willow Tree and The Gleaner left at 4:05 a.m. as Alton Ellis had the remaining audience obeying his command to 'do rocksteady'.
The strains of Muriel escorted many a satiated vintage music lover off into the moonlit St. Ann's Bay night.
