Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Left: Winston 'Bello' Bell displays a Rastafarian arm band during the launch of Angel G. Kelly's new CD, 'What God Wants You To Know', held at the Altamont Court Hotel, Altamont Crescent, last Friday.   Right: Angel G. Kelly performs during the launch of her new CD, 'What God Wants You To Know'. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

As much time was spent on the shift of venue for Friday's launch of Angel In Zion's debut gospel album as the 15-track What God Wants You To Know itself.

First slated to be launched at the church singer Angel Gordon Kelly attends in Miami, Florida, it was shifted to the conference room of the Altamont Court Hotel, New Kingston, for a hair-raising reason.

The deacons of the church did not wish the band of Rastafarian musicians, filled out by performers from a church in St. Mary for Friday's function, to play there. "The pastor wanted to work with me, but the deacons overruled," Kelly said, adding that they felt the need to protect the congregation. "I said OK, I will go to Jamaica where I am welcome, back a yard."

Kelly, who performed songs from the album as well as How Great Thou Art to end the launch, was the last person to address the matter directly, guest speaker Clyde McKenzie and the evening's host, Pastor Winston 'Bello' Bell, having a lot to say about the matter.

An act of ecumenism

Bell referred to the collaboration between a Christian singer and Rastafarian musicians as an act of ecumenism and "any pastor, any clergyman, any man of the cloth who fight against that is not someone who is moving the kingdom forward."

There were gasps and murmurs of surprise when Bell noted the irony of a church not wanting Rastafarians in the building, yet in some churches "they are willing to put up a white picture of Jesus who is the homosexual cousin of the person who painted it." Bell repeated the statement and added "I believe it is hypocrisy."

McKenzie, representing Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture Aloun N'dombet Assamba in his capacity as chairman of the Entertainment Advisory Board, said the situation indicated "there is still deep-seated resentment to some of the more modern approaches to the interpretation of gospel music."

"I don't think God condemns any genre of music to perdition," he said. "I don't think there is any one genre that commends itself to God more than any."

McKenzie said some of the greatest composers of hymns were some of the most diabolical figures in history and also that some hymns came out of less than spiritually-exalted circumstances, giving the example of God Moves In Mysterious Ways, written by William Cowper.

Suicide

He said the writer was contemplating suicide and took a carriage to go on a bridge over the River Thames and throw himself off. It was so foggy that he could not see the bridge and ended up back home. "We should not necessarily look at the source, sometimes, of the music, but rather concern ourselves with the message of the music," he said.

Kelly made the source of her music clear. "This is Paco. This is my blood brother," she said, indicating the dreadlocked bass guitar player. "And this is the man who led me into my destiny. I am a Christian, but I am saying none of them never help me fulfil this mission. See who do it ya," she said, indicating the musicians. She said that when there were serious problems "a little life start" when keyboard player Lloyd 'Obeah' Denton "grab him machine and come."

"I am not going to be on my way to the heavenly land and leaving one of them behind," Kelly said, to applause.