Click on pictures to enlarge
The city, through an organization called
Culchaworks, issued a mayoral proclamation naming March 2 as Titans
of Reggae Day, culminating with a glorious concert at Toronto’s Opera House
showcasing many of those key innovators. On an extra-frigid Saturday night, there was a radiant heat pulsing in the hall, where, after a brief introduction by Councillor Mike Colle (right), a 16 piece band, directed by the young,
gifted and prolific Andrew Craig (left) erupted
into rhythm, on time and on the beam, opening with a love duet by Roy & Yvonne.(Below left)
In brief pre-taped interviews projected on the
backstage wall, each performer shared recollections of Toronto’s early reggae
scene before hitting the stage. After coming to visit, staying in Canada became
an irresistible option for all of them. The artists confided a broad number of
reasons: a job or a musical opportunity, family, self-interest, “I didn’t need
to join the army”, attraction “it was like a vortex, it just held me” and
romance “I just couldn’t leave that girl”.
Amongst the
familiar and trusted sidemen, some, such as Eddie Bullen and Carl
Harvey, are almost as famous as the stars. They provided a consistently
solid rebar-and-concrete foundation to the parade of Titans who arrived, one by
one, to be greeted by our humble but gregarious host Michael
Williams (right, introducing Carol Brown, who invited the audience to "Come Love Me"), sparking applause, cheers and waving phones. With one song each to
perform, every singer exhibited engaging audience rapport, a tight connection
to the band, and, often, remarkable dance prowess (not to mention extraordinary
shoes).
Emotions ran high as many of the Titans arrived to such a cacophony of praise that they had to drag up, rewind and start over. As highlight upon highlight accelerated the excitement, bassman Charles Sinclair, ONiel “Drummy” Fuller (left) and The Titan Horns (right) doubled down on every rhythm, bringing focus to the character of each performer
and adjusting perfectly to the twists and turns of the program as it unfolded. 
The Sattalites` Fergus Hambleton (above) stepped away from his alto horn duties to present a new original, Never Givin`Up On Love, with smooth accompaniment from the backing trio of Lorraine Scott, Karen Jewels and Laurel Tubman. As The T -Threes (left, above). They also helped Tanya Mullings capture hearts clear to the back of the hall with the classic ceiling-raiser Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.
She took time to pay reverent tribute to the legendary Bernie Pitters, who was led to his keyboard at center stage to add extra juice to her song and several others over the course of the evening.
Liberty Silver, in a cloud of chiffon and nuclear jewellery radiated warmth, talent and humility, bringing Andrew Craig in for a turn on the bass as she rode a disco reggae groove. Willi Williams (right) dug in deep on Armagideon Time, his roots classic which, he announced, was created in Malton Ontario with the late great drummer Raffa Dean.
The Mystics trio burst onto the stage with such
force that the audience turned into a sea of waving arms.
Nana McLean broughtthe night to a fine froth by ditching her platform shoes and churning up everyone with her uplifting joviality and exuberant singing. Modern-style crowd pleasers, the smooth Steele and Glen Washington, above,(who interrupted his phenomenal singing career as a vital drummer on the T.O. scene in the nineties) gave the ladies something to swing about
as the evening ascended toward a climax. 
Stranger Cole (right) provided a cultural showcase of moves and merriment, letting off one of the few “Rastafari!’s” of the evening. And then the King of Toronto reggae,
Leroy Sibbles, founder of The Heptones, and the number one studio bassist at Jamaica’s temple of reggae, Studio One, strode onto the stage and saddled up on Modelling Queen and Rock And Come On, two jewels of his repertoire that he wrote during his twenty year residency in the city.
At the end
of the night all personnel were summoned back on deck to join in on an original
Toronto tune, Messengers, by Jay Douglas
and Christopher Butcher. “We are the
messengers of peace and love. We are the children of the Most High”. The crowd would not let it go,
chanting the chorus after every stop.
Photo by Jason Wilson
Reggae music
has always been meant to uphold unity, and it was stirring to see so many
artists participating with respect to this goal, bringing the synthesis of two
countries’ cultures into one focus, no longer strangers in a strange land. As Nana McLean said, “When you check it
out, the music was our home.”
