By Vinette K. Pryce
ROOTS & CULTURE – The 13th Annual Reggaesoca Music Awards competed with a marathon dancehall reggae outdoor concert and a multitude of Memorial Weekend offerings in South Florida in order to honor achievers in 26 categories of reggae and soca music.
The Saturday evening, black-tie affair provided an eclectic contrast to the Sunday, outdoor, casual concert that featured some of the titans of dancehall.
Dressed to impress, patrons walked the red-carpet to the Broward Performing Arts Center where veterans and newcomers representing reggae and soca delivered stellar performances to validate their worth.
Appearance by reggae favorites Ernie Smith, Fanton Mojah, Richie Spice, Ce’Cile, Kymani Marley, Culture’s Joseph Hill, Ernie Ranglin, Mark Shine, Anthony Cruz, Kulcha Don, Carlene Davis, Tommy Cowan, and Honorebel alternating with soca’s Singing Sandra, Allison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, and Elvis White marked the 2006th HiClass Promotions presentation.
“Due to the hurricanes in our area, and other obstacles, this year’s awards seemed especially difficult to pull off but thanks to sponsors, friends and a dedicated support team, the 13th annual awards is now history,” founder Winsome Charlton said after the united “One Love” closing.
Hosted by Charles Hyatt and Fae Ellington, the much anticipated tribute to Caribbean music kicked off promptly at 8 p.m. with a promise of an unforgettable staging.A tropical themed backdrop, decorated the set to provide an even more colorful four-hour presentation that the rainbow parade of artists. Actress Leonie Forbes described the evening this way:
“You know when your glad bag burst?” She beamed a wide-mouthed smile that punctuated her Jamaican reference to feeling ecstatic. “Imagine Ernie (Ranglin) playing, Ernie (Smith) singing and now Charlie (Hyatt) giving me this….” Showing off the lucite, award that distinguished her as the first, female recipient of the Louise Bennett Award of Distinction the respected actress seemed humbled by superlative performers she witnessed. She thanked Charlton and the “wider community of Jamaicans – those who have held fast to their roots and culture.”
LIVELY UP YOURSELF – Another specialty honor recognized the legendary guitarist Ernie Ranglin. Named for his lifetime achievement and an unrivalled repertoire of jazz/reggae compositions, Ranglin proved a crowd-pleaser with the diverse crowd. His wife Joan, a son and two granddaughters celebrated the legend. Ranglin seemed tunned when he was also named winner in the best instrumentalist category. Ranglin sampled his version of Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself” to truly excite the crowd. Other outstanding honorees to achieve lifetime or legendary awards included Joseph Hill of Culture, Singing Sandra, Charles Hyatt and a posthumous tribute dedicated the music of Barbados-born Jackie Opel. Smith was presented the vintage award.
LOVE IS – Although all the performers received cheers and applause from south Florida residents, seemingly the mention of a few names consistently drew huge approvals. Presenters announcing categories including the names Damian Marley, Jah Cure, Macka Diamond, or Richie Spice heard personal choice bellowed as deserved winners. Fortunately, those names proved winners in categories they were nominated. Spice seemed to revel in his adulation. Through a performance delivering “Earth A Run Red” patrons and guests showered the singer with endearing commentary.
HALF-WAY-TREE – Anthony Cruz added commentary to his performance of a track named “Half-Way-Tree.” Explaining that his mother met his father in the Kingston/St. Andrew crossing Cruz sang a song devoted to explaining the junction.
With responsive chorusing of the title, Cruz detailed reasons for his composition. Although Damian Marley previously recorded a Grammy-winning CD devoted to the landmark, Cruz’ version echoed “when you want meet an uptown girl…Half-Way-Tree.”
READY FI DIS – Dancehall producer, writer, deejay Cecile gets high praises for lifting the bar highest in performing the music she loves. In additional to delivering the usual performance expected at ceremonies, Ce’Cile signaled the Unique Vision band to lower their rhythm in order that she could be clearly heard throughout the facility. Instead of promoting the outdoor concert she was billed the following day, the “Glory To Glorianna” film she recently debuted or an up-coming project, the deejay railed against crime against children. She seemed passionate about children she said are unprotected from criminals. Using the opportunity to amplify a call to help save the children, Ce’Cile reminded overseas residents of the case where a little girl named Shemeika was victimized. She said women are not safe in the island. Ce’Cile’s performance also helped patriots understand the complexity of the issues. Her lyrics punctuated a vexed pre-amble. Afterwards she said she had been moved by the recent rape of a 10-year-old girl. Ce’Cile explained that the abuser rejected the mother of the youth, choosing instead to rape the innocent child in the mother’s presence.
Ce’Cile was a standout. Young, vibrant, elegant and eloquent in her explanation, Ce’Cile deferred from the usual rhetoric and empty responses from artists. She was hailed by Barbados’ soca sensation, Edwin Yearwood of the group Krosfyah. He said he had worked with the deejay and found her to be professional.
Ce’Cile scored a triple threat by accepting an award declaring Macka Diamond winner.
“We share the same booking agent…so on behalf of Macka Diamond, I accept this award.”
Ce’Cile had made a similar gesture in Lady Saw’s absence. She stepped up showing sisterly allegiance to Saw who beat her in a category she was nominated.
Ce’Cile displays all the signs of a leader and a credible spokesperson for her culture, and country. Also stepping go the microphone to provide clarity, Fanton Mojah took time out to explain the meaning of the word “dread” to presenter Kulcha Don. In introducing Mojah, as winner of the best new artist category, a talkative Don described Fanton Mojah as winner of the best new artist category, a talkative Don described Fanton Mojah by naming him a dread. It was like a teacher schooling a pupil.
“Say Ras-ta,” Mojah told an apparently clueless Kulcha Don.
Spirited and smiling, the tutored deejay although embarrassed accepted the teaching by repeating the preferred reference for a member of the Rastafarian community.
“Dread do dreadful things,” Mojah explained. “I am a Rasta.”
DEAR DAD – Kymani Marley probably sent another “Dear Dad” letter to his father Robert Nesta Marley when he accepted two awards for his little brother, Damian. Excited by the same amount of wins his brother garnered earlier this year at the Grammy celebrations, Kymani raced to the stage to claim the rewards his brothers – Damian and Stephen toiled to release with the multiple winning “Welcome To Jamrock.”
The young winner was unable to attend the awards due to prior agreement to headline the outdoor concert the following day. He missed the Caribbean community’s response to the music industry’s acknowledged annual ceremony, the Reggaesoca Music Awards also referred to as Dis A Fi Wi Grammy.
SEXY WAIST -- The British Virgin Islands won its very first Reggaesoca Music Award when Virgin Gorda’s soca group, Elvis White won the best new artist category in Florida. Toro, Shakira and the singer the group is named for – Elvis White, shouted “yes” with excitement after their band’s name was announced winners for the year. The trio, along with two dancers had performed their “Sexy Waist” single, which has been gaining momentum since the release of their debut CD, “Promise.”
New to the circuit, the group toured the east coast, mid-west, south west and southern states, opening for K-Ci & Jo-Jo, Keith Sweat and Frankie Beverly & Maze. In New York, Oprah Winfrey’s best friend Gayle King followed instructions given by the group on how to dance to Elvis White’s “Sexy Waist.”
“Right…left…back…front,” King gyrated with a theatre-full of patrons who had never previously seen or heard Elvis white, the group.
Since that time, the group has performed in the Miami carnival and most recently during Trinidad & Tobago’s pre-Lenten celebrations.
The trio took turns thanking absent band members, South Florida voters, and Hi Class Promotions organizers.
They seemed ecstatic over their first major Caribbean award.
THE ISRAELITES -- The evening prior to the 13th annual Reggaesoca Music Awards, artists arriving for the gala mingled with media, sponsors and friends inside a 9th floor setting at the El Palacio Hotel. Overlooking the Calder Race Course, they shared thoughts of the passing of the singer Beatles’ musician Paul McCartney hailed by his first name in a song titled “Obladi Oblada.”
“Desmond Dekker came in second at the 1967 Festival contest when we (The Jamaicans) won with “Baba Boom.” Tommy Cowan explained. “His song was “Unity.”
“During the ‘90’s I saw him in New York and he was full of energy and style.”
His wife, gospel singer Carlene Davis interjected saying:“He is one of a kind. There is no one like him. No one can even imitate him…like Ken Boothe. Desmond Dekker is unique.”
Guitarist and Reggaesoca Music’s lifetime achievement recipient Ernie Ranglin said:
“He recorded on Beverley’s so we were in different camps, but I followed his work and knew that he was good.”
Ranglin’s arrangement of the first hit for Island Records -- Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop” in 1964 had preceded Dekker’s crossover success in 1968. However, while Small’s hit was perceived as a pop-flavored, dance track, Dekker’s “Israelites” was regarded as raw, Jamaican music.
“I wish I had worked with him more,” Culture’s Joseph Hill said in Florida. “I just wish I did.”
Winsome Charlton, the founder of the awards had a unique relationship with the singer/songwriter.
“I will tell you a quick story about Desmond. When I arrived in London to work at BBC radio in the late 60’s, there was absolutely no Caribbean music on the play list for regular rotation -- Not even “Day-Oh” by Harry Belafonte. Well, that did not sit well with me.
Arriving from Jamaica I already knew there were a lot of local hits that listeners would love to hear. So I convinced the music director to try a song called “The Israelites.” Needless to say, you know that song by Desmond Dekker & The Aces made history as the very first Caribbean song to make it to the UK TOP 10. The song made history and also made Desmond Dekker a household name throughout the world. We will all miss Desmond Dekker.”
Desmond Dekker performed his final concert at Leeds University on the same date Bob Marley died -- May 11.
This is how South Florida reggae music lovers voted:
Best female Vocalist – Tanya Stephens
Reggae Group – Morgan Heritage
Reggae Male Vocalist – Jah Cure
Reggae female DJ – Macka Diamond
Reggae Male DJ – Beenie Man
Reggae Cultural Artist – Richie Spice
Reggae Combination Song – “Too Bloody”—Buju Banton and Anthony Cruz
Reggae Instrumental Album – “Surfin’ – Ernie Ranglin
Reggaeton Song Of The Year – “Gasolina” – Daddy Yankee
Reggae Song – “Welcome To Jamrock” – Damian “Junior Gong” Marley
Reggae album – “Freedom Blues” – Jah Cure; “Coming In Tough” by Freddie McGregor
Reggae Dancehall Album – “Welcome To Jamrock”
Reggae New artist – Fanton Mojah
Reggae Album (Various Artists) – “Drop Leaf”
Reggae Producer -- Joe Frazier
Dub Poet – DYCR
Gospel/Inspirational – Carlene Davis -- “Rock Me Jesus”
Reggae Record Label – VP Records
Soca song – “Roll It” Allison Hinds
Soca album – “Always & Forever” Burning Flames
Soca Album (combination) – “Soca Zone 5th Spin” VP Records
Soca New Artiste—Elvis White
Soca Combination – Edwin Yearwood & Bunji Garlin “All Aboard”
Soca Female Artiste – Allison Hinds
Soca Group – Krosfyah
Soca Male Artiste – Rupee
Soca Producer – Edwin Howell
