Artistes ‘buss di place and nuh watch nuh face’ at Junior Tucker’s album launch
Published:Monday | September 30, 2024 | 12:07 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
The event last Saturday night at Swallowfield Chapel was advertised as an album launch and birthday celebration, but with a line-up featuring the likes of Junior Tucker, Papa San, Carlene Davis and Paul Blake it had no choice but to take on big stage-show vibes.
Reggae gospel singer Junior Tucker, the one who boldly declares that he can “tek the ‘S’ offa Satan chest and the B off a Satan belly”, closed the show in inimitable style and fashion skilfully riding iconic “riddims” such as the Taxi as he took the full house on a memorable journey. That was intentional because the name of his just-released album is Journey ... The Best of Junior Tucker.
The man of the hour took charge of he stage at 9:28 p.m., with one question, “Swallowfield massive, are you ready?” They were, having been prepared by Minister Carlene Davis, who always gets full marks for her deeply spiritual and high-energy performances; and Minista Paul Blake, who was giving one of his rare performances in Jamaica.
Blake opened with Give Peace a Chance and told the audience, “If you believe that the world needs peace right now hold the hand of the person beside you.” The former Bloodfire Posse member was in his element and showed his dancehall/reggae roots with uptempo selections, which had the people on their feet, and was even able to keep them there when he did a brand new song, Jehovah O. But when it was time to close he changed gears.
“This is unusual for me because I love to jump and praise but I want to close with worship,” he shared and delivered Too Faithful to Fail Me, I Exalt Thee and others.
An intermission followed and it was after that that Junior Tucker made his presence felt and his fans were ready to dance, sing, shout hallelujahs, praise the Lord and pass any musical test he threw at them. He was unstoppable, taking them down the lane into the “real ole time Jamaican bottle torch country church” digging out choruses long forgotten and they loved it.
What they loved too was when he teased with ‘gosplefied’ dancehall intros like “ Tell dem already mi haffi tell dem again ... that Jesus Christ a di Saviour,” and “S how mi oonu hand all di original bona-fide Christian”.
When it seemed as if things just couldn’t get any better, at 10:10 p.m. enter another powerhouse in the form of Papa San. Swallowfield Chapel “no good again”, as dancehall fans would say, or in Papa San’s own words, it was time to “buss di place and nuh watch nuh face”.
“Gimme pass mek mi praise mi Lord,” San sang and that started a chain reaction that turn the chapel upside down again, and it was next level excitement as he and Junior Tucker performed together onstage.
It was minutes to 11 p.m. when Papa San exited and Junior Tucker took control again to bring the curtains down on a memorable journey. Emcee for the evening was Nadine Blair from Love 101 FM.