ONE LOVE

THE BOB MARLEY- THE ALL-STAR TRIBUTE

Text: STAN EVAN SMITH  / Photo & Video:  AJAMU

Marley never made it to the mainstream because he had a spiritual message. His message lives on because he had a spiritual message. - Chrisse Hynde- The Pretenders

One Love, The Bob Marley All-Star tribute concert December 4 at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica was the second in the Masters Series of concerts staged by Turner Network Television celebrating music legends. The first was held in New York for Country & Western singer Johnny Cash. The concert featured several international music stars from Pop, Rock & Roil, R&B, Reggae and Hip/Hop. The filming of the concert coincided with the release Island/Def/Jam Record release of Bob Marley' latest CD "Chanting Do Baby/on" a set of duets with international stars from all musical genres. The artists paying tribute in song (they song only Bob Marley tunes) were Tracy Chapman, Erykah Badu, Darius Rucker lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, Chris Robinson of the Black Crows, Lauren Hill, Busta Rhymes, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Dr. John, Jimmy Cliff, Toots Hibbert of the Maytals, Yami Bolo, Lady G, Chrisse Hynde of the Pretenders, Stephen, Ziggy, Ky-Mani Julian and Damien Marley, Betty Wright, Marcia Griffith, Pam Hall and Rita Marley. Stephen Marley was the musical coordinator of the event that will be broadcast on TNT December 19.

The 10-acre beachfront-restaurant-bar facility that is, James Bond Beach was the ideal site and setting for the filming of the made for television concert. James Bond Beach is a spectacularly picturesque white sand beach attached to the Golden Eye property, owned by Palm Pictures and Island Communications Chris Blackwell. Which is where writer lan Fleming created James Bond and filmed several of the Bond movies. James Bond Beach is a/so the site of the annual Hip/Hop & R&B Jam and a/so the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.

The most interesting part of the Bob Marley, One Love All-Star Tribute was the rehearsals. It allowed the press to see the stars struggle with material that some were unfamiliar with. These stars with their huge egos are use to being in command and control of their presentation often times looked vulnerable. Stephen Marley should be given major props for his professional handling of a musical coordination of the event. He held a tight reign that allowed the music to evolve without offending ego's or a dilution of the Marley music essence. By show time the stars shone.