When most people say they like reggae music what they really mean is that they like Bob Marley's commercial stuff and UB40. However this documentary shows that there is so much more to it. Using a similar sort of format to the Buena Vista Social Club movie we meet a group of veteran reggae musicians from the 60s and 70s along with a few younger guys as they prepare for a concert in Paris. The most well known names are probably Ken Boothe and Judy Mowatt (one of Bob Marley's I-Threes) but if you are a real reggae fan there are also appearances by such people as Cedric Myton, Kiddus-I, Lloyd Parks and Winston McAnuff. As with the Buena Vista film the movie uses the loose framework of rehearsals for the concert to tell some of the participants individual stories and this is where it becomes really interesting. Cedric Myton is a real back-to-nature character. With his beautiful falsetto voice and long grey dreadlocks he skips around like a 70 year old Peter Pan and is obviously respected by the others. Kiddus I is a bit of a rough edged guy who admits that fame might have passed him by due to his edgy character and run ins with the law. (This is a common theme, 2 or 3 of the guys have had run ins with "Babylon" mostly ganja related) he also provides one of the films lighter moments when he describes how his father used to beat him. (Trust me, its a lot funnier than it sounds!) Ken Boothe had a real taste of international stardom briefly but it quickly ended and he now finds himself almost living on past glory. The saddest story is Winston Mcanuff who is struggling to cope with the recent loss of his 18 year old son after a fairly stupid drug related incident. But the main thing in this film is the glorious music! I am a huge fan of roots reggae and hearing tracks like Fisherman and Everything I Own again bought memories flooding back. I absolutely loved this movie and am already looking forward to getting a copy on DVD.
Review of Inna de Yard
