By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Marley
WESTERN BUREAU:
BOB WAS on the turntable, the bonfire blazed, crackled and settled, and Yvad's guitar and voice warmed on another chilly Tuesday night at Weekenz Bistro and Bar.
Generally, the poetry was not the hottest, hippest, latest or greatest, but the audience showed each reader respect and there were standout moments among the serving of verse at the Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, nightspot.
In addition, there was a good addition in the handing out of information on Martha Brae, the first of four Black persons who will be, so featured during February, Black History Month, at the weekly word gatherings.
The audience showed most appreciation to two young women on the opposite ends of the night's line-up, in running order and theme. Solar Ray was the second poet to present her material and Marsha Hall the penultimate, the former concentrating on soul-searching and the latter focussing on social issues.
Interestingly, the night's hostess Connie Bell introduced each by linking their geneses to the venue. Solar Ray started with Searching from her red diary, the poem locating the soul in different body parts:
Soul is in the throat
It chokes on words we swal-
low...
The soul is in the waist
It moves to the beat of giving
life...
The second poem, not yet titled or finished, announced that "this sound is not for you" to start off with. When Solar Ray ended to good applause Mutabaruka, who played Bob Marley originals and cover versions all night, rocked the gathering with Wyclef Jean's interpretation of No Woman No Cry.
Marsha Hall actually punctuated Yvad's acoustic guitar backed performance, coming up after the singer/songwriter had done Justice from his upcoming album and left the audience asking for more. She tailored a poetic commentary on Black self-depreciation to fit the venue, starting with Standing here in Weekenz/trying to imancipate I mind... and continuing to speak of the "brothers suffering from their inferiority complex/arming themselves with the token browning on display...
She moved on to Copyright on Rasta, which 'dissed' and dismissed those who pirate the trappings of Rastafarianism, ending with no more pirating of the Rastaman".
The night's poetry was begun by Ashanti, who started with No Peace, No Love, which asked in part "how can we have peace when no love is shown to the youths". Using the pitch of his voice and pacing himself to good effect, Ashanti moved on to Woman Before Time, which chastised the young girls in such a rush to grow up that before yu know, dem cyaan see dem big toe... However, he also criticised the men who sleep with young girls, as well as the parents who do not provide adequate supervision.
He ended his final poem, Miss and Mr. System, with a poetic acknowledgement of the night's selector's influence, saying Mr. eacher, thanks for the teachings/Mutabaruka also, thanks for the teachings.
The music went into the original One Love, with the remake of Turn Your Lights Down Low in between Solar Ray and Kirk Brown. His first piece mixed sensuality with reflection, remarking on how nature's tongue wets Earth's lips, but ending with the approach to just roll with the punches/and live and let live.
Fight To The Death took an aggressive approach to life, as I learnt the lessons Ali taught me/right to left, left to right/if we fight to the death, what's left to fight?
Denial looked at death and Critic snubbed the voices of negativity. A long Rapture expressed fascination with an unresponsive woman and he ended with the short Inspired.
Mutabaruka followed with the acoustic Lauren Hill remake of So Much Things To Say, before Queen sang a remarkably beautiful and lengthy piece from the Mother continent.
A foreign language version of Redemption Song was interspersed between Queen and Jah Children, working without one member and their regular guitarist, Stephen filling in well. The two poets' voices cascaded and flowed as they displayed a "mind plug into Rasta socket", the next poem describing the writing inspiration with pocket bruck, belly hurt me, owe nuff people money. However, it concluded that everything is alright, because all we poems copyright.
Jah Children followed up with a critical look at the dancehall scene (sexes divide the dance floor... the Marshall and the Bounty form an alliance) and they cut to and ended with Pon De Street.
It was 11:30 when a guitarist /singer preceded Yvad on stage with Redemption Song and a song of is own, before making way for the man who speaks softly, sings strongly and writes a decent song.
He opened with the familiar We Need Love, then moved to Free The World and other material from his upcoming album. He had a crack at Marley's Soul Rebel and, after Marsha Hall's performance, came back to sing for the Unwanted Children.
The audience jammed to Crisis and Running Away before Sage wrapped up the performances for the night with an energetic showing, commenting that "there is no day like a Tuesday", as well as informing the gathering that "I am Sage."
Bob was set loose upon the remnants of the audience and arms, legs, locks and spirits were tossed too an fro to Concrete Jungle and Blackman Redemption, as Marley pounded inside Weekenz in the 'earlies' of yesterday morning.
