Freedom and love at Kaiso Blues

GARY CARDINEZ

THERE was a sort of freedom along with plenty love in Kaiso Blues Cafe last Wednesday when John John Francis hosted his Freedom and Love concert. The vibrations were more than just music; there was a sense of freedom as the singer performed songs from his heart on the eve of Emancipation.

Love flowed among members of the sold-out audience, who included many female fans and musicians such as Mavis John, Candice Alcantara, Ruth Osman, Bri Celestine, Inge Schuler, Marva Newton, Adan Hagley and Clifford Charles. Even David Rudder and Earl Biter Edwards were in the audience.

John John, as he is fondly called, received an overwhelming amount of love. He was the MC and from the moment he walked onstage he received thunderous applause.

Backed by a cast of great musicians like Michael Low Chew Tung (Ming, keyboards), Tony Paul (saxophone), Rodney Alexander (bass), Javed Juman (guitar) and Shaquille Noel (drums), John John gave a stellar performance.

He performed songs like Bob Marley’s Redemption Song to an African guitar beat with Javed Juman, local hit White Horse, which had the entire audience singing the chorus, and Marley’s Could You be Loved, as well as What’s Love Gotta Do, Real Love and Fragile all in his first session.

The audience was very surprised when John John introduced his first guest Ajibola. Before them was one of the better percussionists in the country at present. Ajibola said she had been in a different role on the night before she sang Mi Ko Lokunju and Cry of The Unknown. She then introduced a friend from Tobago and Ja Moi made his debut as he performed Modern Afrika. Ajibola closed off her session with a cover of the popular Toast by Koffee.

She then picked up the role of percussionist as the second guest artist, Vaughnette Bigford, came onstage. She performed Malika, Blaxx’s Gal Owner and Carl and Carol Jacobs’ We Wanna Live.

The audience was very surprised to hear Bigford’s version of Gal Owner, in a sort of neo-soul/jazz vein, arranged by Ming. This version allowed the audience to forget the Carnival jump-and-wave and take in the lyrics.

When Bigford was finished singing We Wanna Live, Carl Jacobs, owner of Kaiso Blues Cafe, jumped onstage and hugged and kissed her.

John John kicked off the second half of the show with Laventille, a song about the good and bad of Laventille. Another surprise came when the singer took to the keyboard as he sang his original song On My Way. This was followed by a very powerful version of Brother Valentino’s Stay Up Zimbabwe, which featured sweet music between the guitar and saxophone.

The audience begged for more but the singer just gave them his take on Sparrow’s Slave, which had them singing along. Probably Me was the next song but by now the audience was anxious for John John’s version of Patrice Roberts’ Like it Like That. This is a slow version, in which Ming changed the timing and John John delivered the lyrics as a ballad.

As the band played Angel John John introduced each member, including his two backup vocalists, Carla Gonzales and Gerelle Forbes, which brought the show to an end.