Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Mikey General in performance at the 'First Sundays Unchained' concert, held at Life of Jamaica auditorium, New Kingston on Sunday. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
LUCIANO BROUGHT his immense talent to a smaller, indoor venue for a huge cause on Sunday night, as the headliner on 'First Sundays Unchained'.
The Destiny Promotions-
produced monthly series, back after a brief break, supports a rehabilitation programme for inmates at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, the South Camp Road Correctional Centre and the Fort Augusta prison.
With the Katalys Krew, which supported all the artistes on the night, in addition to doing some of their own material, in very good form, Luciano was a study in controlled intensity, his voice strong, but not overpowering in the enclosed space. And, with a well-tailored black jacket, 'Jah Army' stitched to the left breast, over a camouflage inner shirt and similar multi-coloured pants tucked into black boots, the singer himself was in good
visual form.
DANCING
In a set that began with Give Praise and culminated in Lord Give Me Strength to a decent sized audience, Luciano was a hit with each song, from Dennis Brown's The World Is Troubled, to This One Is For The Leaders, the slower Sweep Over My Soul being especially moving. He interspersed a few Psalms without interrupting the music, called up his sons, Alpha and Negus, to dance on Come Away and, at one point, danced halfway down the aisle between the chairs.
Also, near the end of his
extensive, but not overly-
extended performance, Luciano went on his knees and prayed on It's Me Again Jah. He literally prayed, asking the almighty to "restore the morality of our country" and saying "only you can save us from and free the sin and degradation of humanity."
The movement of the cordless microphone away and from his mouth to achieve a fade effect was precise, his dancing, at times delicate and at others powerful, and high-stepping as his hair flashed.
Luciano's performance was the carrot in a vegetable stew of music, which included an
energetic showing from Jah Messenjah, labelmate Mikey General. He wove Marley's 'One Drop' into his own call on the power of the Most High Jah, the drummer in the Katalys Krew getting the ringing drum beat correct. Miss Taylor Boy and Unseen Blessing were anchored by Fast and Furious, a
combination with DJ Radic
and the Katalys Krew which, he said, went to number one in Sweden.
General also did Richie Spice's Earth A Run Red to tremendous response.
The earlier segment of 'Unchained' was an interesting blend of Christian and Rastafarian-oriented music, with Katalys' dual lead singers and all-female harmony support vocalist trio being recalled to do Open Your Eyes. This was after a strong showing of gospel music on heavy reggae basslines, with the lead DJ delivering
measured lyrics which, among other prayers, asked "pray fi di woman whe sex fi income/Jesus will provide yu no haffi lie dung."
Culture Man called on Jah throughout his performance,
during which he sat on the edge of the raised stage as he burnt fire from 42nd Street to meat. Milton Blake informed that People Need Jah to end his set, in which he asked those who can help others to Show Some Love.
Babatunde and St. Matthew started off the night with Freddy Gums adding a poem on the state of music called Verbal Diarrhoea and a song to the mix.
It was not a matter of music and fun only, as Kevin Wallen of Destiny Promotions said that there were about nine people in the audience who had already gone through the rehabilitation programme. "I don't expect to see them on the inside again," he said.
