Seaga's musical gem

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Last Friday, with the country still basking in the glow of its 50th Independence anniversary celebration, Edward Seaga, the social anthropologist and entrepreneur, returned to his roots with the launch of the box set titled Reggae Golden Jubilee - A Hundred song set that is simply a fabulous collector's item, gift package, part musical history and beautiful music, all rolled into one!

Dears, we are talking a charmer here as the evening began with a cocktail prelude that saw guests sipping on Blackwell Rum and/or sampling the simply fabulous Starwberry Hill Blue Mountain Coffe; and nibbling on a fabulous cosmopolitan fare of finger food!

Talk about an evening with the stars, well this was it and then some!

Luvs, hosted in the Grand Jamaica Ballroom of The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, over there in New Kingston, the launch was in part, fabulously professorial, and equally entertaining as indeed, this was not your usual run-of-the-mill launch, but was a fabulously packaged and presented historical document, augmented by the star-studded concert/party that was the backdrop to what proved a truly exciting outing.

Dears, in an era, when many bemoan the seeming lack of message, direction and/or inspiration coming from today's music, the interactive launch of Edward Seaga's Reggae Golden Jubilee serves not only as a timely intervention in the ongoing debate about the supposed parlous state of Jamaican music, but it is a welcomed respite, the box set is not only celebratory in nature, but a true collection of some of the finest Jamaican music ever recorded to date. It spans decades of beautiful music while displaying the genesis of the music and attendant culture.

There are those who say, in praise of the 100-song compilation, that its release at this time might spur renewed interest in reggae, to the point of reinvigoration, and little wonder here indeed as this is 'musical history' made enjoyable, accessible, and monumentally entertaining.

And as it is as recorded musical history, so it was last Friday evening when a number of artistes featured on the 100-song compilation performed for the standing-room-only audience! Dears, we are talking a simply marvellously entertaining 'command performance' here and then some.

Luvs, we are talking one master-class of fabulous entertainment here, as some of Jamaica's musical forebears took the stage and gave what can only be described as a concert whose hallmark was excellence, as excellent they all were, and nothing vintage here just awesome artistry and musical brilliance.

And it was a power-packed audience too, as among those out were wife of the Man of the Hour, Mrs Carla Seaga and daughter, Gabrielle; Opposition Leader Andrew Holness; Former Governor General Sir Kenneth and Lady Hall; Karl and Paula Samuda; Derrick Smith; British High Commissioner Howard and Jill Drake; German Ambassador Josef Beck; Ambassador Cliff and Mrs Joan Stone; New York-based VIP Records exec Aaron Talbert; Chris Bovell and his daughter, the fab Paula Kerr-Jarrrett; Eddie Shoucair; Albert and Melanie Seaga; his son Metry Seaga; the charming Sue McManus; Henry Rainford; Dorothy Carter-Bradford, among others.

We are talking a fabulous launch and an equally fabulous musical gem of a box set here, that's definitely a treasure chest of a keepsake!