It’s safe to say the third annual Issa Trust Foundation charity concert held at Couples San Souci Ocho Rios, Jamaica was a success. The all inclusive VIP show had US Ambassador Nick Perry, the Honorable Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Culture the Honorable Olivia “Babsy” Grange in attendance at the five hour event.
Kicking things off for the evening was Ky-Mani Marley who was dressed in full black. He performed a mostly mellow set of his own hits like “Love Over All” and inserted his father’s classics like “Zion Train,” and “One Love.” To introduce “Rasta Love” Marley acknowledged his missing locs to the audience by saying “me know unuh down there wondering where him locs deh, but sometimes you go through different journeys” before going into the song as the crow sang along.
World Music Views® caught up with the Shottas movie star backstage to talk about his top streaming Spanish hit “Chillax” which he did not perform.
“It’s just part of the mission but we thankful that the people gravitate to the music and we give thanks for the love that we receive and it’s just continuing to make good music and to keep pushing forward and to be innovative and recreate,” he said about the song.
He repeated his onstage mantra “life is a journey” and said “we don’t know where it will take us but along the journey it’s up to us to continue to define who we are.”
After Marley, reggae hit maker Tarrus Riley then took the stage dressed in a mauve shorts suit and Versace sneakers. Just the Way You Are, She Is Royal, Lion Paw were among the over twenty hits he performed during his hour and half long set. He brought out his daughter to help him perform “Lighter” in the absence of Shensea. His keen sense of showmanship and knack for creating moments with music maestro Dean Fraser made his set the most entertaining of the night.
Just five months ago Riley had brought out his son, a guitarist, to join him on stage at Buju Banton’s Intimate show at the Grizzly’s Plantation Cove just down the road.
He told World Music Views® that he is “just showing off the talent of my children, my father me see do them thing deh so I continue it.”
At about midnight Michael Bolton graced the stage dressed in a black blazer and his guitar in hand. backstage Bolton had 7 police officers guarding the stage as well as his bodyguard in town on stage. With 23 albums under his belt from 1975’s self titled to 2023’s Spark Of Light the blue eyed soul hit maker could do no wrong. Bolton, now 70 years old, kept the audience singing along with When Man Loves A Woman, Said I Love You.. But I Lied, How Am I Supposed To with sporadic uproars from the Couples Resort at intervals.
World Music Views® enquired about doing an interview with the pop singer but was told he would not be speaking with the media.
Still the sold out Evening With Michael Bolton Concert was well organized from the parking, hospitality to the seating arrangements were 10/10.
All proceeds are in aid of the Mary Issa Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center.
