Majek Fashek—So Long & Majek Beware—remastered

This performance took place on August 25, 1992 at the Ritz in NYC, one stop on the World Beat Tour, headlined by Jimmy Cliff.

I was backstage before this performance, and I ran into Majek in the hall. He was exiting Jimmy Cliff's dressing room, and was glowing (that's the right word). Jimmy had just given him a blessing and passed him a kind of reggae baton, as a younger artist. He was radiating and a little awestruck.

Before they went on stage, Majek and his band formed a circle and he led us all in a prayer, one that I cannot remember in detail, only in heartfelt thanks.

The Ritz did not allow us to bring in more than one camera to shoot this performance, and to this day I am kicking myself about my own oversight, I neglected to have a mic in the house to capture the audio from the audience's point of view. This bugs me to this day. But that is how live shooting goes...there's always some glitch. The audience was definitely in the mix all night, very into the call and response.

Multiple thanks to Jabari (Barrington Wedemeir) for beautifully covering this performance is one shot.

Rest in peace, Majek. Never forgotten.