From the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal:
A historic reunion of Jamaica's pre-reggae stars was last night's free extravaganza at the festival grounds. Rocksteady is the name given to the music that sprang from Kingston's burgeoning urban culture in the mid-1960's. 40-something years later it was all joyful noise and dazzling color for the all-ages Montréal crowd swaying to the infectious rhythms and peppery horn fluorishes.
I was in the mix, rubbing shoulders, on tiptoe trying to steady a telephoto lens, inching my way to the front to pick off shots of the performers. Thus, I couldn't write down the individual names, as they were introduced, to match my photos. Needless to say, these are historic musical figures: Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole, Hopeton Lewis, Leroy Sibbles and The Tamlins, as well as Marcia Griffith and Judy Mowatt - who sang backup for Bob Marley. You've heard the songs: The Tide Is High (covered by Blondie), The Rivers Of Babylon, Stop That Train...
The final number was Bob Marley's One Love, a tribute to the legendary pioneer of Reggae music, Rocksteady's child.
More photos after the link.
