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Josey Wales and Little John pay tribute to Sugar Minott

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Josey Wales and Little John pay tribute to Sugar Minott

Josey Wales and Little John pay tribute to Sugar Minott

By Angus Taylor on Thursday, July 14, 2011 - Photos by Theresa Emmanuel - 2 comments

JahRevelationMuzik meets Youth Promotion sound with some very special guests.

Almost one year after the passing of Lincoln "Sugar" Minott the sense of loss remains undimmed. The filling of the front room of the Hootananny (London, UK) for his tribute show just three days shy of the anniversary of his departure on July 10th 2010 was testimony to that.

Hootananny

Promoter Cecil Reuben's own sound JahRevelationMuzik, featuring MC Trooper and Brother Culture played a very serious selection - indicating that this was a unique event. They were followed by Mr Shorty, Daddy Ants and Colorman of Minott's Youth Promotion crew, who started with exclusive cuts by Sugar Minott Tribute Show Michael Rose before letting fly with their fallen mentor's hits like Good Thing Going and Never Give Jah Up. Though the Hootananny was only sparsely attended at ten thirty when the "away" sound first took the stage, within an hour attendance had swelled and the back of the venue was opened to make room.

The latecomers were vindicated when Jamaican veterans Little John and Josey Wales emerged at half past midnight for the first PA of a six city UK tour. John, an imposing figure dressed in a voluminous check shirt, joked he was "not so little" anymore. Yet he was still in sweet voice and let lucky female audience members sing into the mic. "The Colonel" Josey Wales, attired in a red t-shirt and gold chain, provided a gruff counterpoint, chanting messages of racial unity and Jamaican patriotism in his grainy tones. He also supplied the crowd with humour, asking the by then crowded stage to watch his drink and making statements too risqué to be published here! Honourable mentions in the warm up included singer Original Thriller and London's own deejay Daddy Ranks.

Little John

Despite a very late start for the headliners on a weeknight, the people of Brixton and the surrounding area turned out and stayed to do Sugar's memory proud. Half empty reggae nights even for important occasions are an all too common phenomenon in London but the Hootananny and their team continue to be the exception to the rule.