Search - Half Pint - Live in Jamaica on DVD

A rare glimpse at one of Jamaica's best-loved singers

Trevor Holland | Raleigh, NC USA | 06/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'd lay good odds, there's not a reggae music lover alive who hasn't enjoyed, owned and worn out at least a dozen of Half Pint's hit tunes. The dynamic Jamaican singer, born Lindon Roberts has scored with reggae audiences for two decades now, with hits including: "Sally", "Winsome", "Level The Vibes" and the tune that many call Jamaica's National Anthem - "Greetings." Crowned the new `Prince of Reggae' by Jamaica's press, a title shared by very few other exceptional artists including Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown, Half Pint has emerged through dancehall fever and the conscious roots scene as one of reggae music's most dignified, humble and best-loved artists.
Having been covered by rock and roll's greatest band, The Rolling Stones in 1987 ("Too Rude" was officially recognized as a cover of "Winsome") audiences worldwide now have the opportunity to watch Half Pint perform his greatest hits live, during this hour-long, May 2001 Heineken Startime concert in Kingston Jamaica. Looking healthy and sounding as crisp as a biscuit, Half Pint entertains thousands of smiling faces bedecked in a fine crown of dreads and white linen threads. Backed by the ever resourceful, everlasting Lloyd Parks & We The People Band, Pint covers the stage beyond the stature of his stage name and segues in and out of fifteen numbers majestically. From the opening "Greetings", "Winsome" and "Crazy Girl" numbers, Pint warms the crowd with "Cost of Living" and "Political Fiction" before turning the heat up a notch with "Level The Vibes." From then on it's "Victory," the girl favorite, "Substitute Lover" and a host of old favorites including, "Love Zone", "Puchie Lou" and "Sally."
Bonus vibes include two music videos, "Just Be Good To Me" and "Together We All," a television `On Stage' interview with Winford Williams, a bio, discography and photographic slide show. The first music video has some good shots of Pint happily cruising in a convertible red Mercedes but is somewhat clouded by the amateurish love interludes woven into the plot. "Together we All" is much more real in comparison and visually stimulating.Bonus vibes include two music videos, "Just Be Good To Me" and "Together We All," a television `On Stage' interview with Winford Williams, a bio, discography and photographic slide show. The first music video has some good shots of Pint happily cruising in a red, convertible Mercedes, but is somewhat clouded by the accompanying amateur acting. "Together we All" is much more real in comparison and visually stimulating.
Overall, the sound quality is excellent (5.1 surround sound) and apart from some annoying disruptive edits in between song segments, the filming is good. Mid-way through the concert there are some good close-ups on stage, making up for some color saturation problems due to low light and the nature of the outdoor/evening location in Kingston. Still, with these small diversions aside, this DVD is a must-have for Half Pint and reggae lovers alike, as it offers a rare glimpse of a singer who represents all that is uplifting and righteous in today's reggae business."