Jimmy Cliff: We Are All One With Sweet Reggae Sounds At The Gov – Live Review

Governor Hindmarsh, Mon Apr 6 An 8-piece band fills the venue with some sweet reggae sounds. The band members are all wearing official t-shirts, so there’s no doubting who is playing tonight. Only one thing is missing, but the audience isn’t left waiting for long; Jimmy Cliff appears from stage right to the delight of all. No black t-shirt for Jimmy; he’s positively radiant in his sparkling orange and gold top. After a brief introduction, most of the band members take a seat and select something percussive. Cliff sings Rivers Of Babylon over the top of the drumming. It is an inspired and powerful choice, and gets the show underway in an unexpected yet rewarding fashion. This is followed by the good-time ska of You Can Get It If You Really Want, with the band reverting to a more familiar instrumentation and sound. Two keyboards, drums, guitar, bass, trumpet, sax and backing vocals combine with Cliff’s singing to get heads bobbing and feet moving. Cliff appears to be the happiest man in the world; he’s smiling broadly and continually, talking about togetherness and love, and high-kicking with the energy of a man half his age. Rub A Dub Partner keeps the good vibe going. The cover of Cat Stevens’ Wild World is met with cheers, and is followed by Rebel Rebel, a track from Cliff’s most recent album (2012’s Rebirth). The number of people dancing at the front of the stage is steadily increasing. The fabulous version of Under The Sun, Moon And Stars, from 1979, is a high point of the evening. A cracking song, executed brilliantly. Cliff straps on his guitar and gives the audience a little bit of what they want. I Can See Clearly Now (from the Cool Runnings soundtrack) is followed by Roots Woman and the slower Journey. Cliff then takes us back to “where it all began” and plays some old ska tunes. Two brilliant 50-year-old singles, King Of Kings and Miss Jamaica, wind back the clock appropriately. Many Rivers To Cross suggests we are building up to something, and The Harder They Come extends the sense of crescendo. The call-and-response routine of Wonderful World, Beautiful People provides a fitting end to the main show. The band members leave the stage but suggest that they might be back, given the right level of encouragement. The encore offers some more joy for the crowd, with the beautifully simple sentiment of We Are All One perfectly underlining Cliff’s way of thinking. One More, another song from Rebirth, closes the concert, leaving the audience chanting “One More, One More”. Jimmy Cliff and his band have put on a great evening of uplifting, easy-skanking reggae. There’s nothing forced or fake here. A top show indeed. David Robinson Image courtesy of npr.org.