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ANTHONY B with Junior Jazz
June 18, 1997
SOB's
New York City
Anthony
B is considered to be one of reggae's rising young stars by many fans and
people in the industry, but I never really thought he was so special. I
saw him perform last summer at the Culturama show at Randalls Island and
I was somewhat bored. I find his new album solid but not stirring, and the
only song of his that I really love is "Raid the Barn." So I have
to admit that I approached his recent NYC show with few expectations.I arrived at SOB's with my partners Lem and E-Ski at 11:00 pm, andt here was already a line down the block: a very good sign for reggae. When we finally got inside, the club was packed as I had never seen it before, and there was a definite electricity pulsing through the crowd. The opening act, Junior Jazz, was already halfway through his set. Junior Jazz is a very talented singer/guitarist whose new album should be coming out around this time. I've seen him perform a few times over the past two years,and he is continually improving. We came in as he was performing his hit "Live and Let Live", a positive Luciano-like tune over the "Swing Easy" riddim. His cover of "Redemption Song" was a little over-the-top for my tastes; I'd always rather hear Bob's version. He closed his set with an original tune, "Ease Up", over Steel Pulse's "Steppin Out" riddim, and Junior definitely left the crowd pumped up for the main attraction.
After
a short wait Anthony B took the stage, and within one minute, my opinion
of him was completely changed. I really had a feeling that I was about to
see an amazing performance. Indeed, for the hour or so that Anthony B was
on stage, the huge crowd was completely mesmerized, and the young dee-jay
perfomed with a maturity and professionalism far beyond his years. Backed
by the Agent Band (basically City Heat plus Junior Jazz) with backing vocals
by Bunny Brissette, Kim Miller, and Junior, the sound was strong and rootical
to the maximum. Anthony started with "So Many Things", the title
track from his new album, and it sounded so many times better than the recorded
version, as did most of his material. The hits "Fire Pon Rome"
and "Raid the Barn" were big-time crowd pleasers, and at points,
the singers stopped singing and the audience carried the tune. Other stand-outs
were Tracy Chapman's "Cold Feet" and "Bun Down Sodom"
over the ever-wicked "Baltimore" riddim. Most of the songs were
over rootsy riddims, and I'm hoping this continues to signal a return to
roots in the dancehall.Aside from the music, Anthony B captivated the audience with between-the-songs commentary on a variety of subjects ranging from immigration to the Jamaican economy to the state of the dancehall. He also put on quite a show with his stage antics, jumping around like a man possessed and then suddenly stopping and staring at the audience for a full minute. He showed that he is serious about putting on a good and meaningful performance, and this effort was easy to appreciate. If you have a chance to check out Anthony B any time soon, I highly suggest that you do so, because it may be difficult to score tickets once he becomes mega-huge, a situation that is certainly soon come.
By Michael G.
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::
Sanchez :: Sugar Minott Dec 3, 2002 New York City ::
Jr Kelly ::
Frankie Paul ::
Sugar
Minott ::
The Meditations
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