Multiple awards for Rebel Salute at 30 years

Celebrating 30 years of Rebel Salute didn’t require any special performances by the exponents of good reggae music on Friday night’s line-up because, quite frankly, they’ve been doing it collectively, for three decades and more.

So, Friday night at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove at Richmond Estate in St Ann, there was no wait for any special activity to mark the occasion. All that was needed was for the artistes to do their job. And they did it pretty well on the night.

Anthony B, Sanchez, Mikey Spice, and Third World led the performances on a night when the entire line-up did well.

Yet there were more than just performances. The promoter of the festival, Patrick ‘Tony Rebel’ Barrett was presented with several awards in recognition of the milestone the event has reached and his contribution to reggae music as a whole.

Awards came from the city of Miramar in Florida, in the form of a citation which was presented by Vice Mayor Alexandra Davis; a French and Jamaican flag pin, which the French Ambassador to Jamaica, Olivier Guyonvarch, pinned on Rebel’s jacket, and the Rastafari Mansion and Organizations (RMO) which presented him with a plaque and a bag of assorted herbs. “Of all the awards over the years, I appreci-love this (more) because it comes from Rasta,” Rebel said of the RMO plaque that he received.

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner, Tony Rebel said Rebel Salute is built on four pillars: family, education, culture and edutainment. He spoke glowingly about the event, expressing disbelief at its growth. “The experience has grown into something that is just very much amazing. I didn’t know that this would happen or that it would reach this far but I give thanks. The people cause me to go ahead and deal with it every years so here I am at 30 years,” said Rebel.

The promoter’s ‘30 for 30’ concept over two nights, worked well on the first night, with all artistes delivering impressive performances. The early performers ensured there was no weak beginning to the event as the two women on the roster, London-based SeSe Foster and crooner Sevana, who delivered “inna dancehall style”, showed they belonged on the show with creditable performances. So, too, did Samory-I, who brought on Chi Ching Ching for a brief stint to perform their collaboration Life is Amazing.

The veteran Tappa Zukie told the audience he has recorded 16 albums but in Jamaica they only play one of his songs. That song, his 1978 chart-topper, Oh Lord!, was the first song that brought the audience to its feet.

Lone Ranger, the iconic Studio One artiste from the ‘70s, followed and delighted the audience during his 15 minutes on stage, delivering four of his biggest hits, Barnabas Collins, Love Bump, Rosemarie, and Lovelorn.

Benjy Myaz’s second Rebel Salute performance went over quite well. After opening with the inspiring Thank You Lord, the audience warmed to his overall performance, topped by his two biggest hits, Time, and Higher.

There’s something about Leroy Gibbons. One knows his repertoire on any given show will include Four Season Lover, Missing You, Lover’s Question, Cupid, and Magic Moment, yet one never gets tired of hearing them. In fact, the experience seems to get better over the years. On Rebel Salute 2024, Gibbons, in a pink jacket and pink shirt, gave his usual awesome performance.

Dressed in short white pants and a white jacket to match, Richie Stephens, celebrating his 40th year in the music business, followed. “I am truly blessed,” he said and sang a medley of gospel choruses to round off his set that included hits such as Winner; Trying to Get to You, Salt of the Earth; Pot of Gold, which is a tribute to his mother; and his latest recording, Statue of a Fool, among others. He hailed Tony Rebel on the festival’s three decades in existence, and also recognised reggae star Cocoa Tea who is ill.

After a band change, Tony Rebel performed for around 50 minutes, the longest he has ever performed on his own show. He said the ‘30 for 30’ concept meant a reduced artiste line-up resulting in a longer stage time for each act. Singing more than he usually does, Rebel invited his children on stage during his performance and even had his son Abatau making a guest appearance. He also invited Bunny Wailers’ son Naki on stage, to sing a portion of Dreamland before departing.

There was no way he could perform without giving the audience some of his biggest hits such as Sweet Jamaica, Teach the Children, Nazerite Vow, Fresh Vegetable, Just Friends, Chatty Chatty, Know Jah, Armour, and If Jah. “I love you, you’re my biggest sponsor,” Rebel told the audience. “You’re the ones who made this possible for 30 years; put your hands together for yourselves.” He then sang Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, dedicating it to the patrons.

The Third World band celebrated 50 years last year. “We’re giving you 50 years in 45 minutes,” was how lead singer AJ Brown put it at the onset. Since AJ joined the band, after the passing of former lead singer, Bunny Rugs a decade ago, he has brought a new dimension to the group. Audiences across the world show their appreciation of this, especially in their response to AJ’s brilliant rendition of Time to Say Goodbye (Con te Partirò). The Rebel Salute audience loved it just as well and responded accordingly.

The audience was treated to some of the band’s best recordings over the half-a-century. AJ’s patriotic black, green, and gold outfit stood out as he led the audience through the likes of Dreamland, Reggae Ambassador, Now That We Found Love, Forbidden Love, Sense of Purpose, Try Jah Love, and Always Around. One of band’s founding members, Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore led a guitar tribute to late reggae singer, Pluto Shervington, who passed in Florida on Friday. The band later invited French singer David Cairol, along with Kumar, on stage to sing a Bob Marley number.

Having recorded almost 500 singles, including dozens of hits, over the course of his 37-year musical career, Sanchez isn’t short of material. Starting sometime after three on Saturday morning, the smooth, soulful singer sang 23 songs in his slot, some songs getting no more than a verse and chorus. The upside for the patrons was that for over half-an-hour they couldn’t stop singing and dancing to Sanchez!

Had they heard it, Betty Everett and Jerry Butler would have, more than likely, given thumbs up to the reggae version of their 1964 hit, Let it Be Me, performed by Glen Washington and his wife Jackie Whyte. It was the highlight of Washington’s set which also included Rise and Shine, One of These Days, Kindness for Weakness, among others, before he invited Whyte on stage for the duet.

Mikey Spice saved his best song for last. His reggae cover of Neil Diamond’s 1971 classic, I Am...I Said, which was released a decade ago, expanded his fan base. A great deal of them were no doubt at Rebel Salute as he closed his set with that track, to a huge round of applause. He delivered other crowd favourites leading up to the grand finale, including Practice What You Preach, and Grab Yu Lass. Spice had opened his set by leading the audience into worship with a few several gospel selections.

And in a performance that brought back memories of when reggae music was a weapon used to fight against injustice and other social ills of society, Anthony B closed the first night of Rebel Salute 2024 in militant style. Drawing from his catalogue of hits dating back to the ‘90s, the Trelawny-born artiste showed that he has lost none of his fire, despite not being as active locally as he was a decade or two ago, freely chanting Fire Pon Rome, a song that was banned from airplay back then because of its message.

His half-an-hour performance also included favourites such as Raid the Barn, Hurt the Heart, One Thing and Damage, and he threw in an updated version of John Lennon’s Imagine, asking the audience to imagine a world without Facebook, TikTok, iPhones etc, questioning if they could live without such luxuries.

The performer also advocated for peace. “We fed up ah di violence and crime,” Anthony B said. He appealed to all who believed in peace to help him change the current situation in Jamaica. “Mi naw preach no crime an’ violence. We nuh waa no gun inna dancehall,” he said.

He told The Sunday Gleaner after his performance that he was feeling “wonderful” and “honoured”. “It’s amazing. I give thanks and salute to the Rebel. I’m happy to be a part of it for the 30th celebrating reggae music in a conscious form. You know we don’t have a lot of that so we have hold to this,” said Anthony B.

Additional reporting by Shanel Lemmie.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com