It was a vibe, and it was timely. It was just what was needed — a relaxed Sunday evening session that transported you to a 90s Jill Scott movie or a Neo Soul film.
The organisers of Jus A Trace — A Red Light Project can take a bow for a well-executed first outing held at Tyrol Cot Heritage Village. Billed as an event for those 18 years and older, the night featured erotic poetry and sensual soul music.
Poetry lovers came out in their numbers for the intimate affair. Minister in the Prime Minister’s office responsible for Culture Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight was spotted up front and centre enjoying the vibes.
Powerful performances were the order of the evening, starting with words from the smooth-sounding T’Afari, also known as Metalic. She brought a ‘quiet storm’ appeal with her sultry and provocative pieces, Red and Gold, Cocktail and Milk and Honey. Talented freestyler and poet RhyMinister had the audience eating out of his hands with I Can’t Help It, Let’s Dance and a riveting freestyle crowd challenge.
The woman of the hour, Tracy Moore, also known as I-One Poetic, brought sultry and sexy vibes with her pieces like Lust, In Those Jeans and Beres/This N****. All the performances were backed by the sweet-playing Red Light Project Band, comprised of Kweku Jelani and Kevyn Lynch on trumpet, Jomo Slusher on trombone, Andre Forde on the percussion, Gavin Miller on the upright bass, Andre Clarke on the keyboard and Kweku again on the vocals.
Kweku Jelani did get his own time to shine, and, man, did he shine! He took the audience on a journey as he sang and switched effortlessly between vocals and trumpets with covers such as Brown Sugar and Location.
Organiser of the event, Tracy Moore, told Barbados TODAY that less than a handful of people in Barbados knew she did spoken word. She, however, was accustomed to performing in her hometown of Toronto and was even published there. She noted that one of the few persons in Barbados who knew about her passion for poetry was the late Warren Forte, popularly known as Jon Doe, and he always encouraged her to share her work with a local audience. During one of their last conversations, he urged her to put herself and her work out there.
“So I took one of my pieces to the Right Honourable Stetson Wiltshire (RPB), and his encouragement gave me courage. He said ‘you have to do something with this’, and he even gave me the name of the show – Jus A Trace (since everyone calls me Trace). I started pulling thoughts together about how I wanted to present what I had. I also had to start writing again because what I had was over 20 to 25 years old. Then I started putting those thoughts into plans, plans on paper, paper into motion, and here we are today with Jus A Trace – A Red Light Project,” she explained.
Moore is full of gratitude that she could execute the event and thanked the sponsors and smaller business owners who took a chance on it.
“I definitely would like to do this again and build out this brand. In fact, let me speak it into being — the plan is to do it again and return with those who supported me with the first production and build with those that I additionally had in mind to be part of this project and couldn’t make it. So, the only thing I will add is to stay tuned and support this beautiful journey that is Jus A Trace – A Red Light Project!” [email protected]
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