Lead vocalist Peter Morgan's tone is exceptional - he didn't slip even once. His vocal control is unsurpassed, and when backed by his family or trading verses with brother Roy, the effect is spine-chilling.
The set mainly consisted of tracks from their latest VP release "Don't Haffi Dread," a controversial album because of the message that they are sending. "Just because you have fi dread, nuh mean you a Rasta," Peter explained. "And you don't haffi dread to be a Rasta."
The group also played a couple tracks from their VP debut "Protect Us Jah" as well as their Rasta-unification anthem "#1 Binghi Man" from their follow-up "One Calling." The crowd, though it consisted mainly of white high-school American ska fans, was into Morgan Hertiage and gave them full attention and respect.
After about 40 minutes and several club-wide chants of "Toots! Toots! Toots!" the Maytals came on stage with Zulu the Rising Sun (Son?), son of Toots Hibbert himself. The young Hibbert introduced the band and performed a couple of verses with them. It's clear that he's inherited his voice from his father, but also is a talented DJ and rapper, as he proved later in the evening.
Toots and the Maytals go back to the 1960's, but when this 50+ year old took the stage, it was hard to tell he wasn't still in his late teens. Toots' voice is still golden, and his energy was more than I could muster - and I'm half his age. He bounded about the stage, taking slow, honey-dripping riddims to hyper-speed ska riffs, helping me visualize what some of the old Motown and Stax cats would be like if they were still around.
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