The colors of summer
Reggae Japansplash 2002
By Gardner Robinson
The stadium was awash in reds, greens and yellows and, as if on cue, the sun burst out from behind morning clouds while reggae rhythms filled the air. On Saturday, August 24th, Japan’s premiere reggae bash returned to Japan after a one year hiatus and was warmly greeted by a raucous crowd at the Yomiuri Land outdoor amphitheater. The reggae festival first appeared in 1985, arguably making it the first major outdoor music festival in Japan, and over the years has welcomed some of reggaes brightest and upcoming stars to Japan.
This year’s guests included roots legend Marcia Griffiths, one of the original I-Threes (the famous backup singers for Bob Marley and the Wailers), and Beres Hammond, perhaps Jamaica's greatest active singer/songwriter, as well as other talented reggae stars from Jamaica and Japan. The lineup may not have had as many big names as past Japansplash shows, but great music and rasta vibes filled the air to the delight of an enthusiastic capacity crowd.
The show started as the Harmony House Band warmed up the crowd and kicked off the afternoon. They were followed by the Caribbean rhythms of Sadiki and a dynamic performance of one of Jamaica’s up-and-coming artists, Ginja. The Harmony House Singers appeared next and performed a selection of reggae greats to the delight of the boisterous audience that responded with approving cheers.
The ladies set the stage for once-child-prodigy Kashief Lindo, whose father wrote and produced some of reggae’s most popular songs, and who grew up in recording studios surrounded by some of Jamaica's legendary artists. Dancehall regular Admiral Bailey kept the groove going with a strong set leading into the intermission.
A glance across the stadium and it was easy to see that the crowd was having a great time - fully enjoying the irie riddems. Bare-chested guys and bikini topped girls were the norm rather than the exception and water canons were routinely fired through the crowd to provide a much needed cooling off in the mid-day heat. Some guests chose the shade of trees that lined the upper reaches of the venue, but it was no less festive as friends old and new celebrated their collective passion for reggae music.
Having been to countless music festivals in Japan (including that big one that started near Fuji), and possessing a healthy appreciation for reggae, Japansplash had the best crowd and the best atmosphere bar none.
The second set appropriately began with Japanese reggae singer Nahki. Nahki was a driving force in bringing Japansplash back to Japan and the crowd showed their firm support. He has spent a lot of time in both New York and Jamaica developing his skills, and it seems to have paid off as he got the crowd going.
After Nakhi came the first of the old-school performances. The Wailing Souls rose out of the same Kingston ghetto as reggae greats Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff. Having recorded on Marley’s Tuff Gong label the group has been pumping out great music since the sixties. The dynamic duo of Winston 'Pipe' Matthews and Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald rocked the house with an energetic performance and soulful vocals.
The Souls finally stepped aside and made way for “the Queen of Reggae�. Simply put, Marcia Griffiths is reggae royalty. Having started her illustrious career in the 60's at the legendary Studio One, and reaching the top of the music world with Bob Marley, she has been making beautiful music on her own for years and has an endless list of hits.
How many of you have had one too many shots of jagermeister and found yourself on the dance floor doing the electric slide? (You can thank Marcia for that.) The Queen’s grace and presence was evident as soon as she stepped on stage and the audience seemed to sense that they were witnessing someone who was a living piece of music history, and who undoubtedly could still get her groove on.
Following Marcia Griffiths is no small task, but one of the few people that can pull it off is Beres Hammond. The mastermind behind the Harmony House label, Hammond is one of the most revered entertainers in reggae today. Donning his trademark black cap, Hammond reached deep down for each song and poured his love out to an appreciative crowd that was still a frenzied mass of energy well after darkness set in.
Griffiths came back out for a warm and soulful duet with her old friend, which highlighted a powerful evening set. The finale featured the return of the rest of the artists for one last collective croon, and to put the finishing touches on a great day of music. The crowd inevitably left wanting more, and for everyone’s sake let’s hope that Japansplash will be back next year. The music, the vibes and the audience were just too good not to.
If you’ve never been to Japansplash you must experience it for yourself . It's hard to describe the positive energy that flows between the performers and the audience and throughout the crowd itself. However it's easy to see on the smiles that are spread across people's faces. If the show could be captured on canvas it would be filled with the colors of summer - undoubtedly swathed in red, green and gold.
Source
Embassy of Japan in Jamaica
