Missing from Roots @ 40 last Saturday were past Charlie’s Roots members the late Junior Wharwood, vocalists Chris “Tambu” Herbert, Adrian Philbert, Kerwin Trotman, KV Charles, Debbie Selvon and Wendy Prescott, and guitarist Tony Voisin, but most of the old crew were Under the Trees, at The Normandie when the Pelham Goddard-led aggregation marked its milestone anniversary.
The event was attended by a large crowd of loyal Roots fans and supporters, including members of the band’s old support base Frontline, and “old” masqueraders of Peter Minshall’s band.
When this milestone event was announced, I initially assumed that the celebration would be just that: a celebration of the roots of the world’s first exclusive soca aggregation, something of a reunion and memoriam to its visionaries like the late Ellis Chow Lin On, Rawlston Charles and Pelham Goddard.
I was therefore somewhat surprised upon entry to the open-air venue to see most of the patrons seated.
I thought there would be a buzz; the energy that established Charlie’s Roots as the premiere soca band, a band which weathered, and survived jeers and derision, thrown missiles even, as the fete crowd of that era objected to and protested this band of intrepid, innovative musicians who relentlessly played soca music exclusively in the ’70s and ’80s.
As Saturday night’s programme opened, a few patrons vacated their chairs to occupy the space in front stage, but not with the gay abandon that fans displayed in days of old at Atlantis and Upper Level discos, as vocalists Moricia Cagan and Nigel O’Connor proceeded to ignite the stage with covers of hits by Tambu, Calypso Rose and Blue Boy, all artistes for whom Goddard arranged.
Their set included Journey, Yes Darlin, Action is Tight, Her Majesty, Come Leh We Jam, More Tempo, Party, Swing, Soca Baptist and Ethel.
The trio of Roger Roberts, Wendell Manwarren and Stanton Kewley, aka 3Canal, took the tempo higher with a high energy performance, enticing even more patrons to venture stage side. Opening with Last Carnival, 3Canal performed Good Morning, Good News and Talk Yuh Talk, each selection having vocal accompaniment from enthusiastic patrons.
For its finale, Manwarren requested Goddard to give their signature hit single—Blue—“the original slow, sweet Charlie’s Roots sound.” Goddard and band obliged and patrons responded with fervour.
US-domiciled Roger George, a replacement to Tambu when the three-time Road March champion abandoned Roots and the soca stage for the gospel, cranked up the temperature by rendering Tambu’s three Road March-winning selections—This Party Is It, Free Up, No No We Eh Going Home—again, songs arranged by Goddard.
The main serving on the night came just after 10 o’clock in the form of David Rudder. As even more patrons surged forward, there was now almost no space in front the stage and rows of empty chairs in their wake bore testimony that the patrons were heeding Rudder’s admonition of the ’80s: “Make your chair your enemy.”
It was also testimony that this son of Belmont, the 1986 calypso triple-crown champion, had lost none of his appeal or stage dynamism. Maybe it was impaired hearing on my part but Rudder did sound a little hoarse in some songs.
Rudder exhumed his archives for this special performance and fans loved him even more. Opening with Permission to mash up the place, his set included Trini Prance, Calypso Music, Bahia Girl, The Hammer, Jump Up, Bacchanal Lady, Madness, Dus’ in Dey Face, Panama and Calabash. Rudder seemed to thoroughly enjoy his performance as much as the wet, perspiring, cavorting patrons did.
His performance was briefly interrupted by a power surge hiccup, but patrons didn’t skip a step as they proceeded to sing the lyrics of Panama, in a cappella, with gusto. They also were rich in voice as they also sang most of Rudder’s songs, especially The Hammer and Bacchanal Lady.
Last Saturday night was one of nostalgia and much fun beneath the canopy of green foliage that is Under the Trees in St Ann’s. There is word that the organising committee is planning a reprise of the programme.
Hopefully this time they will include some of the other masterpieces Goddard arranged, especially those sung by the late Cecil Hume (Maestro) like Savage, Gold and Fiery. For those wishing to get another dose of Rudder, go to Under the Trees on February 3, at 8 pm.