Althea Hewitt performs with the Mack4band at Saturday's Global Battle of the Bands, held at Redbones the Blues Café, New Kingston. - Mel Cooke photo

Though not quite as dramatic and fatally definitive as the Spaghetti Western stereotype of a showdown at high noon, Saturday's mid-afternoon Global Battle of the Bands Jamaica leg at Redbones the Blues Café was a very serious affair.

Ten self-contained live-music aggregations of varying sizes - the smallest being the Jason Whorton-led trio Stone Dub, with Dre and KJ and the FMG Band and Mojahrock the largest at eight members each - put their best eight minutes forward for a spot at the world event in Malaysia next February.

In the end, there was a showdown of sorts, as winners Dubtonic Kru followed second-placed Mojahrock on the line-up, the latter putting on a very strong showing with lead vocalist Germaine Blake immersing himself in the music and Maurice Gordon delivering guitar solos. And it took an intervention from the judges to relieve the pressure on Dubtonic to get going as there were problems getting power to the keyboard.

True to their name, the five-man band delivered straight dub for their first song, the vocals of 'World Crisis' coming on their second track.

The judges accounted for 80 per cent of the final decision and the paying members of the audience - sparse, save for persons connected with the competing bands - the other 20 per cent. However, in giving the judges' report, Bennett said Dubtonic was the near unanimous pick for audience and adjudication panel.

good musicians

"When good musicians play together you always get good music. When good musicians who have been playing together for a long time play you get magic," Bennett said. And it, was obvious that Dubtonic had been playing together for some time. The final top-six placings were Dubtonic, Mojahrock, Errol Bonnick and Irie Connections, Stone Dub Mack4band and Blu Grass in the Sky.

Mystickal Revolution's lead singer Sanjay Barrett was singled out for his exceptional vocals and Mojahrock deemed "exciting, raw talent". Ironically Barrett's voice had been cut off at the end of Mystickal Revolution's set as the band, first up on Saturday, had gone over the time limit. Mojahrock's Blake also got the 'diminishing voice' treatment but, in one of the day's humorous moments, quickly used vocalist Geneva Williams' microphone when he heard his being muted.

There were other striking moments throughout the afternoon, including Whorton making a quick switch from guitar to flute and then, going back to the strings, bending to wring swirling sounds from the amplifier. Bijean Gayle, leading Eclectic, showed the tremendous range of his voice, while co-host Wayne Armond commented on the blend of experienced and younger musicians in some bands, such as St Mary's Farin Xchange with former Native member Richard Sinclair up front on vocals and guitar.

The men seemed especially delighted when Althea Hewitt, lead vocalist with Mack4band, removed a green wrap from her waist on the band's second song, to show an impressive stretch of stretched shiny black leather.