theatrically loud whispered banter as we pass, the kind of whisper that you employ when you want the other party to hear you and give you a nod of recognition – just in case you’re not quite right.....
“It is him.”
“Who?” quizzes one of the others.
“Chi Ching Ching!” replies the first.
“Boasy!” the bravest of the three yells to our backs to test the water.
“Everyday, everyday!!” the dancer-cum-artist shouts back and grins at me saying matter-of-factly “Y’see Kennedy, mi ting hot right now!”
He’s the latest in a line of dancehall personalities after Mr Bogle and Ding Dong to become a fully-fledged artist in his own right. It’s a long way from the days that he trudged along to every
Kingston party like Passa Passa on a Wednesday or Bembe on a Thursday with his blinged out Red carpet following the words of Mr Wacky to give dancers the “VIP treatment”. Three thousand miles and five years to be exact and now he’s getting recognised on the streets of London. He has just completed an interview on the BBC’s national station, Radio 1 with Chris Goldfinger, to promote his new dance ‘the crocodile’, which has been heralded on his latest single, ‘Foot Nah Move’. Although not the official song for the dance as has now become the norm like with the crazes that were ‘Badman Forward’, ‘Dutty Wine’, ‘Hot Wuk’ or ‘Nuh Linga’, it extols the virtues of a dance move that Paul Hogan’s Australian outback character, Crocodile Dundee, would have been proud of as he sings “If you can’t crocodile, you mus’ be ‘gator”.
The track, recorded on the National Pride riddim which also boasts the likes of the aforementioned Ding Dong and T.O.K. on it was produced by one Arif Cooper. Mr Cooper AKA
‘Supacoop’ a respected disc jock in his own right on JA’s Fame FM, is the son of Third World founder member, Ibo Cooper. Third World, the self contained touring band also known as the Reggae Ambassadors after their 1989 anthem, so impressed Stevie Wonder with their virtuosity that he famously penned a Rasta ode for them called ‘Try Jah Love’.
And that’s how you mix up Crocodile Dundee with Stevie Wonder in the same Passa Passa as Mr Bogle.
On This Day.......
1989 – Clement Irie’s Easter time combination with Robert Ffrench, ‘Bun & Cheese’, was working it’s way into the history books as the UK’s longest Reggae number 1 at that time! At number 2 was Janet Davis with ‘Two Timing Lover’ and at three was Sanchez with ‘End Of The World’.
This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world.
‘A Thousand Miles Away – Ras Penco - Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae)
‘Cyaan Sleep’ – Romain Virgo – US Virgin Islands
‘Head Cyan’t Hot Suh’ – Prodigal Son – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)
‘Hustle/Herb Tree’ – Collie Buddz - Germany
‘I Feel Good – Beres Hammond - France
‘I’m So Blessed’ – Mavado – Outaroad.com, JA/New Style, Birmingham, UK/BBC 1xtra (Pictured)
‘Missing You Right Now’ – Da’ville – South Florida, USA
‘Never Let Go’ – Positive – Caribbean Hot 30
‘No Games’ – Serani - Choice FM, London
‘No Goodbye’ – Beres Hammond - New York, USA
On Air:
Thursday Apr 24th – 10pm – Chi Ching Ching on 1xtra with Robbo Ranx
Fridays – 10pm -12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with Chicken George
Saturdays – The Back 2 Da Future Show 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com
Sundays – 10pm -12 Midnight – The Archive Selection on Choice FM as part of Natty B’s Reggae Top 20 Countdown
Mondays – 7pm -9pm The Music Business Show with Elayne Smith on www.colourfulradio.com (Monthly)
Live:
Live:
Weekly:
Saturdays – Prezedent @ Moonlighting Nightclub, London, UK
Sunday Evenings – The Alan Weekes Quartet @ Uncle Sam’s Jazz, The Haggeston, Hackney, London, UK
Sunday Afternoons – The Alan Weekes Duo @ The Railway Telegraph Pub, Forest Hill, London, UK
Mondays – Alan Weekes @ Monday Jazz, The Swiss Tavern, Peckham, London, UK
Thursdays – Alan Weekes @ Ska, Reggae, Jazz, The Effra, Brixton, London, UK
May
2nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, with Mike Anthony & Kofi, Huddersfield, UK
- Nereus Joseph & Prezedent @ African Language School Fundraiser, Spotty Dog Football Club,
Forest Gate, Upton Lane, London, England
- Bongo Chilli with Celt Islam @ N.A.B., Birmingham, UK
- Alan Weekes with Aswad @ Tamar Outdoor Centre, Cornwall, UK
3rd – Katie Pearl @ Ras Kwame Homegrown Tour, Brighton, UK
4th – Chevelle Franklyn @ Oraclez Gospel Festival & Awards, Wembley Arena, London, UK
7th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Paul Dawkins & Barry Boom
8th – Chevelle Franklyn @ Jesus House, Baltimore, USA
8th – 22nd Lloyd Brown US West Coast tour with Queen Omega
9th – Winston Reedy @ The Caribbean Centre, Leicester, UK
- Alan Weekes with Aswad @ The Embassy Ballrooms, West Sands Caravan Park, Chichester, UK
15th – Katie Pearl @ 02 Inc Club, UK
- Alan Weekes with Aswad @ The Colliseum, Rickmansworth Rd, Watford, UK
16th - Bongo Chilli with Celt Islam @ The Hop, Wakefield, UK
21st - Prezedent & DJ Ice @ Funky2, @ The Prince Albert, Wolverhampton, England
22nd – Bongo Chilli with the Root One Band @ The Plug, Sheffield, UK
- Katie Pearl @ Vanilla, Windsor, UK
23rd - Alan Weekes with Aswad @ Worldfest, Middlesbourough Town Hall, UK
24th – Babyboom @ Pier 1, Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Katie Pearl @ Leicester University, UK
30th - Alan Weekes with Aswad @ The Ipswich Regent, UK
June
4th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge, Ruby Lo, London, England
– The Alan Weekes Quartet @ The Effra, Brixton, London, UK
13th Alan Weekes with Aswad in Norfolk, UK
17th – 28th Dennis Bovell in Italy with Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze
19th – Kennedy Mensah @ Story of London Music, Willesden Green, London, UK
26th – Lloyd Brown, Winston Reedy, Paul Dawkins @ Paradise: Jean Adebambo Tribute Concert @ Tower Ballroom, Birmingham, UK
July
25th – Lloyd Brown @ Lovers Rock Gala, Brixton Academy, London, UK
August
2nd – Lloyd Brown @ Reggae Rising Festival, California, US
14th – Winston Reedy with Dennis Alcapone @ The Chiemsee Festival, Germany
September
19th – Lloyd Brown, Dennis ‘Matumbi’ Bovell, Sylvia Tella, Winston Reedy & Prezedent @ The Giants Of Lovers Rock @ The O2 Indigo2, London, England
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