The title of the book explicitly says "Dancehall" but the "early warm" courtesy of legendary sound system Stone Love was more of a throwback to the earlier days when all genres freely contended, with selections from the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Stylistics, the Dells and in international version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry". Taking place just ahead of Reggae Month (significant for the birthdays of both Marley and reggae Crown Prince Dennis Brown, the event took on added gravitas.
That and other famous reggae lines, would become something of a motif for the launch of "Dancehall: From Slave Ship To Ghetto" a new tome from University of the West Indies (UWI) Cultural Studies Lecturer Dr Sonja Stanley-Niaah, held Monday evening at the Rex Nettleford Hall on the campus.
Emcee Cordel Green, no stranger to the inner workings of Jamaican music, expertly guided the proceedings, even getting in a little deejaying himself, with the aid of the Stone Love selector, Wya. he als ogentle ribbed many of the attendees, including a "tardy with explanation" keynote speaker, Culture Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange.
One by one, Niaah's academic colleagues weighed in on the significance and meaning of the book and offered their congratulations and reflections on the author's progress through the scholarly ranks. the entertainment field was represented by "Action" singer Nadine Sutherland, herself presently a Student in the Cultural Studies programme and Jerome Hamilton, promoter, manager and chief exec of Headline Entertainment. Artiste-promoter Patrick 'Tony Rebel" Barrett was also in attendance, as was Stone Love progenitor Winston "Father Pow" Powell. (aka Wee Pow).
There was dancing from L'Acadco and and victuals from UWi's Pages Cafe. And of course, there was the book, and the author's own assessment. Niaah offered her acknowledgements after opening with a quasi-poetic piece defining herself in the contexts of the book and its multi-faceted subject, presenting herself as both clinical observer and unequivocal champion of the urban phenomenon which she chronicles.
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