Millie Jackson in all her glory

A DECISION by soul diva Millie Jackson to deliver a sanitised version of her trademark “dirty-talking” performance at Saturday night’s Father’s Day concert held at the Grand Stand Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, caused patrons to work overtime in an effort to enjoy her musical set. The concert, staged by Randy Glasgow Productions featured the 70s and 80s US Queen of Soul accompanied by her band. She offered the thousands of patrons gathered, a 90-minute repertoire which saw her steer clear of using explicit language to the disappointment of the audience.

This was evidenced in their continual prompting of Jackson by the general admission and the VIP patrons to “talk dirty.” Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife Hazel were also in attendance. Jackson, outfitted in a fiery-red leather pants with matching four-inch heeled shoes, along with hair accessories and a psychedelic v-shaped top and a broad-smile took the spotlight at 11.06 pm and said: “I have been trying to figure out what is profanity in this country. In the state if you can’t say it on radio, then you can’t say it in public.” Then she turned her attention to the heat. Jackson said: “This place is hot. It is so hot I felt like I’m was going through menopause in the dressing room. With this heat, I don’t think I want to end up in one of your jails for saying something I shouldn’t. What is considered profanity in this country anyway?”          

Many of the forty-something aged crowd and those of a higher vintage attending the weekend event had witnessed Jackson’s “sultry presentations,” during her first concert performance staged by Spektakula Promotions in Trinidad back in 1977. Media reports ahead of Jackson’s return performance had quoted her — through promoter Glasgow — as warning that Saturday night’s concert was not for the faint hearted. She delivered in excess of 14 songs providing a mixture of old favourites and new selections from the CD titled Not for Church Folks. Some of the songs she performed were: “Here We Go,” “If Loving You is Wrong”, “All The Way Lover”, “If You Could See Me Now”, and “Hurt So Good.”

But judging from the crowd response, Jackson would have done well performing before a Sunday morning congregation based on her decency. The four-and-a-half hour concert was saved by the colourful performances from local artistes performing ahead of Jackson. An elegant and visibly slimmer Denise Belfon took centre-stage and was treated to an encore for the performance of her award winning ditty “Saucy Baby.” Her song list also included “Buss Dem Up”, “Bounce It” and an R&B number called “Will You Still Love Me.” Other local divas who gave cabaret performances were Denyse Plummer, accompanied by the group Fate as she delivered her version of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” and Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me that You Love Me,” before changing gear, offering a vintage kaiso medley. That medley comprised “Rum and Coca-Cola”, “The Road” and “Last Train.”

And “Misty” was one of the selections performed by former Road March Monarch Sanell Dempster. Baron (Timothy Watkins) sounded sweeter doing of course “Sweet Soca Man”, while Scrunter brought the “Soca Jumbie” and “The Woman On the Bass.” Roy Cape and the All Stars accompanied the group of talented entertainers. Esther Dyer and Derrick Seales sang “Two Wrongs” from Claudette Ortiz and Wyclef Jean, while Blaxx chose Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father.” MC Tommy Joseph and radio personality CG contributed positively to the on stage drama with their comical phrases and antics.