Moses Davis, JaRIA Orchestra create reggae-classical fusion at Jamaica Rum Festival

WESTERN BUREAU:

When the Jamaica Rum Festival producers envisioned something fresh, ground-breaking, and distinctly Jamaican, they turned to Moses ‘Beenie Man’ Davis and the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) renowned orchestra. The result? An unforgettable performance by Moses Davis – the iconic ‘Doctor’, delivering a musical prescription, supported by a 17-member strong orchestra.

Davis did not write the script, JARIA’s chairman and musical maestro Ewan Simpson did and, on Thursday night, the star performer showcased why rum and reggae make a perfect blend, as the crowd at the rum festival danced in the mud, intoxicated by sheer exhilaration. A partnership with the organisers of Reggae Sumfest, the combination was well received, but not convincing enough for Davis, whose declaration even before opening his larynx to sing one note was, “I have never worked with an orchestra before, never”, as he launched into verses to crowd favourite, “Woman if you tired a yuh man (boyfriend) let him go” then smoothly transitioning into Tell Me.

Adorned in full white, Davis stood in the Catherine Hall venue and gave a scintillating rendition of himself. With an impressive catalogue, he, at times, seemed unsure if he was delivering the way Beenie Man would, as he repeated that this was his first time with an orchestra.

But he needed not have worried. These were his fans who had waited until 11:30 p.m. for Beenie Man to make a splash on stage. They never cared what name he was using. At least the women in the audience had accepted his proposal of Be Mine.

Simpson had done an excellent job with the orchestration. “A suh music fi sound,” shouted a woman in the crowd. “They have added authenticity to it.”

In fact, the performance was a testament to Beenie Man’s versatility and the timeless appeal of reggae music. As the night progressed, the synergy between Beenie Man and the orchestra grew, creating an unforgettable experience for all in attendance.

“The blend of classical instrumentation with reggae rhythm brought a new dimension to Beenie Man’s hits, making the performance not just a concert, but a celebration of Jamaican musical heritage,” shared Simpson, who wears many hats, including the role of drummer with the band.

Delving deeper, he described the unique collaboration as one which highlighted the versatility and richness of Jamaican music. Simpson spoke of a fusion of styles and the collaboration being a bold experiment.

“Known for his freestyle prowess, performing alongside a disciplined orchestra, playing from a meticulously arranged score, was an entirely different experience for him,” Simpson explained. “He likes to feed off his audience, change his mind, drop something in here, proper freestyle there, and it was a lot more difficult to do that with musicians playing from a pre-set arranged score.”

But Thursday night was just one aspect of the performance, crafting it required a delicate balance of flexibility and discipline. Simpson, along with arrangers like Djenee Greaves and keyboard player Brinton Haughton, created arrangements that aimed to maintain Beenie Man’s authenticity while adhering to the structure of orchestral performance.

The orchestra included unique instruments like the marimba and steelpan, adding an earthy Jamaican sound to the mix.

Despite the lack of a sound check and other production hurdles, the performance showcased what is possible in Jamaican music. “We wanted people to get a feel of what is possible in Jamaica,” Simpson said. “We can present our own wisdom, our own musicians with an interesting sound palette.”

With the orchestra being highlighted, Beenie Man gave ‘short man’ on the guitar and the bassist their individual solos. The transition into the rum-themed Rum and Red Bull was apropos to the name of the event. Mixing I’m Ok was a perfect representation of a drink with a chaser.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com