Review: Lee 'Scratch' Perry @ Glee Club
Lee 'Scratch' Perry
Sunday 28th October 2012
Glee Club, Cardiff Bay
76-year-old Lee 'Scratch' Perry provided plenty of funny business at the Glee Club last night as S?n brought one of the most influential and important roots artists to Tiger Bay. Founder of the legendary Black Art studio in Kingston and producer of two of the best roots albums of all time, his own Super Ape and The Congos' Heart Of The Congos, Perry has reggae in his blood. In his long career, has worked with artists from Bob Marley to The Beastie Boys and Max Romeo to George Clinton; he is also a Grammy award winner and was listed in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. And with his reputation as a passionate and playful performer ringing true, he defies age with a cheeky grin.
Support came from Cardiff outfit Dub Party, a nine piece that fuse reggae beats with touches of soul, hip-hop and jazz. Led by an MC and a vocalist, the suited and booted collective impressed - smooth brass, bass and keys were well controlled and filled the venue without overwhelming it. "Here's a weird cover," announced the friendly front man, but The Commodores' classic Brick House has never sounded so good. Often found busking in the city centre (Saturday afternoon, outside The Owain Glyndwr is where it's at) their chilled vibes warmed up the evening.
Resident DJ Don Leisure continued to deliver sweet sounds to the ever-swelling gathering before Lee's band The Upsetters plugged in to a play an instrumental intro. The bass player stopped mid flow to ask for a moment's silence for the recent "tragedies" in Cardiff; a fitting local touch from the touring Jamaicans which was well observed.
Soon enough, Lee himself was heard singing offstage and having teased us with a few curtain twitches eventually greeted us with one of many sermon-like, slurred rhymes. "I will kill bad luck for you... I conquer bad luck, I conquer unluck... I conquer chicken, I conquer duck... Look into my eyes, yes, jus' fe now don't fret..." With his distinctive dyed-red hair and beard, a startlingly red jacket and a magpie crown of assorted shiny bits, Perry warbled his way into a magically tireless hour and a half performance. His distinctive voice shone with life and he conducted the room from sway to skank and back again. "I dub you a princess," he giggled, inviting one young woman onstage to dance and he had soon led the crowd in a lighter raise, whipped open an umbrella to accompany Rainy Nights Dub and stuck on a yellow wig beneath his glittering headwear. On Chase The Devil, he denounced "de politician, de malnutrition" whilst the tracks Jungle and Party Time reeled out reggae at its richest. "Love yourselves, love your mind," he chanted; a religious lesson soon followed before he asked for another "dub daughter" to step onstage.
As the crowd demanded an encore, promptly given, I smiled at the wonder of the night. We'd been enchanted by the vitality of a man well lived, a man with a legacy already well felt. A bloody great end to the week.
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IMAGE: pieter.morlion
1 Comment – Postiwch sylw
twilight
Rhoddwyd sylw 43 mis yn ôl - 31st October 2012 - 10:09am
good