It wasn't your typical rock and roll gig.On June 10, the musicians of Jointpop played a selection of their music, chosen by veteran newspaper columnist BC Pires, at The Reader's Bookshop in St James.The band played an acoustic set, to loud cheers from their fans, transforming the atmosphere of the popular bookstore.Pires introduced them, and shared his thoughts on their music over the years and their importance as a T&T band."I had been waiting for Jointpop all my life," said Pires.He said when he was a teenager, there was no local music he could really identify with (having never yet heard Andre Tanker or Shadow).Years later, when he heard Jointpop's first album, Port-of-Spain Style, he was hooked.He praised the band as one of Trinidad's finest, and saluted their determination in staying true to their creative course.
Jointpop has been making music for 15 years, yet is still relatively unknown to many citizens of T&T-largely because their genre is considered foreign."They make such good music and get no recognition," Pires lamented.As a rock and roll band in soca-land, he said, Jointpop "has faced tremendous prejudices," but has continued to "work extremely hard" in the face of it."Doing rock and roll in Trinidad is setting yourself up for isolation. You ask yourself, why bother?"That kind of dedication I don't think we can begin to imagine."Pires paid tribute to lead guitarist Damon Homer, whom he said was incredibly talented, and songwriter and bandleader Gary Hector.He cited their song I Hate Entertainment, off their Exile Baby album, saying the message was: "I reject the notion that I am here to distract you; I want to engage you."After a break, during which guests socialised and browsed at the Patna Street bookstore, the band came on, sans drummer Dion Camacho and bassist Jerome Girdharrie.
The absence of percussion made for a mellower set, but allowed for more focus on the lyrics and melodies.Hector, Homer and keyboardist Phil Hill played, as guests listened to their songs, some of which were old fan favourites that the band doesn't usually play anymore.The set included Lost in Space, I Hate Entertainment (which Hector said he hadn't played in 12 years), and New Fastfood in Town.Hector said Exile, Baby was about touring in New York and finding themselves "caught in the middle-in T&T they say we are a rock band and in New York they call us a reggae band or a calypso band."There were some sweet, slowed-down versions, with haunting instrumentation by the musicians. Hector was on form with his irreverent humour.Brass and Steel was dedicated to Andre Tanker, who played harmonica on their first album.Hector introduced After Half Past Nine, perhaps their best-known song, calling it "our first so-called hit." Homer played his signature chords as guests sang along.They closed with their anthemic Let's Pray for Rock and Roll-which was not on Pires' list, but was well appreciated by the audience.