By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
U ROY
WESTERN BUREAU:
IN ITS fourth staging on Wednesday, the weekly 'Improv' series at Weekenz Bistro and Bar on Constant Spring Road in St. Andrew delivered live music in a lively, yet professional, atmosphere.
With the four-member Gumption Band on the stand, the teacher U Roy exquisitely capped off a night which saw Genie Slick and Ginjah, the latter from the Harmony House camp, being allowed room to show his considerable talents, as well as cameos by Lady Saw and Richie Stephens.
The last two were invited to the stage by Colin 'Iley Dread' Levy, who also shared his stage time - the most extensive of the night - with Chrisinti and Ginjah, who filled in for Norris Man on Clean Up.
It was a male-female duo of L'Union which started Improv rolling on a harmonious note - a holy note, even, as the woman of the pair delivered My God Is Truly Amazing. They turned to face each other as they moved into lovers rock, dancing in step and hugging at the end of the song, their predominantly white clothing fusing.
My Apologies asked the ladies to 'please reconsider' after their partner had made an error, the pair then exchanging lines on their closing Love For You as the backing band, Gumption, dropped it dub style.
Genie Slick asked for the 'Coolie Dance' rhythm twice to start off, explaining the world's 'money problem' in deejay style the first time around and then advising "stay away from negative people/an' par with positive people" on the second outing. Disco style rhythms had the considerable audience, especially for a mid-week event, clapping along as Slick went sultry to follow what "your doctor says" and dropping dance moves all across the stage in the process.
She finished on a pure roots reggae groove, declaring I Am Woman and balancing the gender equation by calling for woman power and man power.
Colin 'Iley Dread' Levy opened the second segment of the musical performances with the reggae and Rastafari standard Picture On The Wall. Chalice's Good To Be There preceded an introduction of Chrishinti and Ginjah again for Clean Up and the cameos continued with Lisa from L'Union uniting with Iley Dread in song.
There was a seamless transition from Sam Cooke's Wonderful World into If I Had The World - and the audience responded enthusiastically as they did when Lady Saw stepped out for their rendition of Walk And Don't Look Back. She extended a hand to Iley Dread on the line 'if you just put your hand in mine', then draping an arm across his shoulders and asking the audience "should I trust this Rastaman" as she hit her deejay lines.
Iley Dread requested that Richie Stephens do a song, the singer performing to a receptive audience.
U Roy, his trademark hat nattily perched on his natty dreads, said he was there for one reason, to strengthen Iley Dread, who returned for them both to do Trying Man. However, it was when U Roy dropped the immortal introduction "this station/rule the nation/with version" that the howls of delight went up to the night sky, the lawns of Weekenz were used as a ballroom floor and one child of about 10 shook the shawl draped across her shoulders with her skanking.
U Roy had to 'wheel' on the version to Queen Majesty. "Dem ya tune is from the old school and me is from the old school. Same way me a gi it to yu, like how yu know it fi go," U Roy said, proceeding to do just that, flashes of sheet lightning brightening the sky.
If there was excitement previously, there was a conflagration when the teacher rode the rub a dub of Gumption.
One more song was demanded of U Roy, who consistently reminded all that it was Iley Dread's show, for which he did Wear You To The Ball, complete with the famous 'chick a bow'.
