With a rich and emotive voice, Garnett Silk began his career
as a child toaster, and rose to become one of Jamaica’s most astonishing
singers — an exciting young talent from the 1980s dancehall scene. International
stardom on a bigger order seemed in the cards, but Silk’s career and life were cut
cruelly short, however, as he perished in December of 1994, while trying to
rescue his mother from a house fire. Each year, now, the Garnett Silk
Foundation coordinates an Earth Day Bash in his native country to honor his
name and celebrate his music.

Comprised of 74 minutes of concert footage from the
eponymous foundation’s 2003 Earth Day Bash, this disc features a lengthy list
of artists that includes Ras Fire, Doniki & Steady Ranks, The Rastareens,
Edi Fitzroy, Aaron Silk, Anthony Cruz, Lehbanculah, Chuck Fendah, Richie Spice,
LMS, Turbulence, Lukie D, Ras Shiloh and Sizzla Kalonji. The gathering is
substantial, but also maintains a backyard BBQ party feel — something aided by the
single camera approach used to capture the footage here. For the most part,
this works, as it’s clearly filmed on high-grade digital video. Occasionally,
though, the operator(s) pan out into the crowd or mis-rack focus, cutting you out
of the action for several seconds. And when a flag-waving fool keeps clouding
your vision of Richie Spice’s act, you’re left wishing for an editor and/or
director to provide you with a cutaway.

The energy throughout this disc is high, but the performances
vary rather wildly in quality. Chuck Fenda is the reggae equivalent of a
carnival barker, and it’s a tiresome act. Mixed-sex collective LMS is sort of a
poor man’s Fugees, but they bring a cool vibe to their set. Likewise, Suga
Black weighs in nicely with “A Change is Gonna Come” (a track not listed on the
disc’s accompanying song list), and then segues into an interesting cover of “Let
It Be.” The problem is, the song — like many on this disc — is cut off, mid-tune. With
such a packed roster, we sometimes don’t get full tunes, and certainly not entire
sets. It makes for a frustrating experience, ultimately. It’s additionally strange
that there’s not a cover of “Hello Africa,” Silk’s biggest hit.

Presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio, and housed in
a regular Amray case, this region-free disc is anchored by stereo and surround
sound audio mixes, both of which sound a bit tinny at times, the result,
perhaps, of the concert’s soundboard being placed too close to its stage
speaks. Slightly flickering, motion menu screens give way to song selections or
a “play all” function, but there are unfortunately no special features contained
herein. Some sort of behind-the-scenes material on the concert would have been
nice — and seemingly not too difficult to throw together, given all the warmth
for Silk — or even a text biography for relative reggae newcomers. Alas, this
disc remains a specialized entry. C- (Concert) C- (Disc)