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There is something magical that happens when Luciano takes the stage. He could be a minister addressing his congregation, or a lion tamer entering the animal ring. Silence overcomes the crowd, waiting on his every word, longing to hear words of inspiration and unity. The pressure is great for Luciano to keep a positive attitude day in and day out, but there’s never any doubt that he’s guided by a higher force. His unrelenting faith comes through in his music, and sure enough, his music lives up to its reputation leaving his fans a little lighter and a lot brighter as they go out into the world. Luciano, Mikey General, saxophonist Dean Fraser, and the Jah Messenjah Band graced the Slim’s Nightclub stage in San Francisco on Sunday, August 17, 2003, the birthday of UNIA founder Marcus Mosiah Garvey. It was an important day for the crew on the twenty-second date of their 38-date tour, not only because of Marcus Garvey’s birthday, but because it had been a year and a half since they had played in San Francisco, where they have a powerfully strong fan-base. Slim’s was packed. By the evening’s end, the show was a confirmed sellout. Manager Copeland Forbes was the MC for the night, something which he has done for years. He introduced world-renowned saxophonist, Dean Fraser, who has been working with Luciano since his debut album, “Where There Is Life,” in 1995. Prior to the show, I was clued-in that Fraser performs a wonderful rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” with which I agreed. The saxophone to Fraser is like an extra appendage, the instrument looks so comfortable around his neck that it seems it belongs there permanently. He is also adept at moving between soprano and alto saxes—not an easy feat, as the embouchure must be much tighter for the soprano—and he gets a rich, full sound out of both instruments. Mikey General, who is currently promoting his album “Exalt Jah,” was up next. He looked happier and healthier than I’ve ever seen him, which must be attributed to his recent domino pastime! In all seriousness, Mikey’s tenor voice was strong and confident and he ruled the place with the title-track, “Exalt Jah” and righteous anthem, “Sinners.” Until recently, Mikey had been in Luciano’s shadow, but he is really coming into his own, both with his voice, his stage presence, and his offstage manner. He is always gracious, friendly and professional, which I find refreshing and admirable. Mikey paved the way for the Messenjah himself, who was in top form. As I watched Luciano’s face light up, I thought about how cleansing and therapeutic it must be to sing uplifting tunes all of the time. For example, the lyrics, “Even though they try to push me aside, I'll never give up my pride,” is an empowering mantra not just to uplift the audience, but a deep affirmation of the singer’s own purpose and worth. So many times you hear singers say, “The music keeps me sane,” and perhaps this is what they’re talking about. Luciano tore through new and old classics, bouncing and dancing around the stage with every ounce of energy in his body. The band was incredibly tight, although at times they were so strong it was hard to hear Luciano’s voice. When I mentioned how impressed I was with the band, stable mate and singer Milton Blake who is currently in Jamaica responded, “They’ve been working really hard—they’ve been in rehearsal every single day.” The band did a version of “Messenger” to a new beat and performed songs from every Luciano era—from CDs “Where There Is Life” to his latest release “Serve Jah.” When it was time for the song “One Way Ticket,” Luciano invited two dancers on stage, both dressed in orange African attire. They were the most colorful part of the show as the three backup singers and the band wore black, Mikey General wore white, and Luciano wore beige quasi-military garb. A surprise guest, the Jamaican Minister of Industry & Tourism Honorable Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, was in the house. She was invited the night before to speak at the Jamaica Association of Northern California’s celebration of the 41st anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, “When I heard Luciano was in town tonight, I couldn’t miss it!” she told the crowd. When Luciano gave her the spotlight, she thanked the JANC and encouraged everyone in the audience to visit Jamaica because of all it had to offer. Luciano offered no comment to her solicitation, and treated her warmly.
A blazing rendition of “Serve Jah,” the title track of his most recent VP Records’ release, was the best showcase of the band’s talents. The band sounded full, together, and completely on point. I knew it was a successful night when I looked around and saw the Jamaican elders, who normally stand in the back and cautiously bob their heads, dancing and smiling with abandon! Luciano sang a medley of his older tunes like “It’s Me Again Jah,” “Who Could It Be” and many others that rang familiar to everyone in the crowd. One of the highlights for me was when Luciano paid tribute to the late Inner Circle vocalist, Jacob Miller. Miller had such a distinct sound and was highly underrated during his lifetime, that it was nice to see Luciano pay respect to the great talent by emulating his sound. To this day, the Jacob Miller Songbook, “Chapter A Day” is still one of my all-time favorite discs, and includes a remix of “Forward Jah Jah Children” where Luciano sings in tandem with the recorded Miller vocals. Perhaps the biggest forward came with the first few notes of Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It,” a song Luciano has been doing in concert for a couple of years. Any ganja-themed song gets a rousing response from the Slim’s crowd, which at this point was enveloped in a thick cloud of smoke. One of Luciano’s skills is his ability to identify top talent. A couple of years ago, he severed ties with the Firehouse Crew and the gifted female backing vocalists, the Daffodils. He has found equal talent in the voices of Sisters Rochelle, Sharron, and Yvonne. Luciano sang a duet with Sister Rochelle, “the tiny woman with the huge voice!” Her low singing voice was strong and soulful; she then burst out with her deejay stylings as well! The comparison to Tanya Stephens came quickly to mind. Bassey Jah Lloyd also got a solo opportunity, and showed the crowd that the energy definitely comes from the bottom.
Luciano shifted gears from Tosh to Marley and performed a solo version of “Redemption Song” with his guitar—a tape collector’s dream. The song brought the concert full circle from Dean Fraser’s earlier emotional rendition. I thought it was the show’s closing, but Luci brought the band back for an encore set of rousing rhythms and a very climactic finale.
Luciano has grown from the “new kid on the block” into a solid, modern roots reggae statesman. One thing I know for sure is that I went home feeling much better than when I walked into Slim’s. I was refreshed, rejuvenated, and the music had reconnected me with the spiritual world. I draw great comfort knowing that the Messenjah will always be there to teach me about roots and culture, “and tell the massive fi remember Jah.” That’s all we a deal with, Iyah!
Many thanks to Mikey, Jeanette, John, and Tracey for their constant support.
Please see Jahworks.org related content:
http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/luciano.html http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/m_general.html http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/luci_mikey_2001.html http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/luci_messanjah.htm http://www.jahworks.org/music/features/grammy02.htm http://www.jahworks.org/music/features/slideshow/luciano_sw.html
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