POP MUSIC REVIEWS : FESTAC: A Day Cross-Cultural Outdoor Harmony

Sunday’s seven-hour FESTAC ’93 (Festival of African and Caribbean Arts and Culture) program made a strong case for the idea of combining such culturally linked styles as soca, reggae and African.

A cool breeze made for a perfect day of outdoor music for the nearly 4,000 people at the Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach. Marky Mark even made the scene, courtesy of an airborne underwear ad that flew over the festival site in mid-afternoon.

The three soca (soul calypso) performers, all backed by Trinidadian trumpeter-arranger Errol Ince’s crack band, showed surprising range in what can be a one-dimensional sound.

Calypso legend the Mighty Sparrow’s 40-minute set suffered from too much bump-and-grind and outdated shtick, but Duke showed how potent and exuberant the up-tempo soca rhythm can be in the context of catchy, hook-laden songs.

Dreadlocked singer David Rudder’s 40-minute performance extended the basic soca musical framework and introduced a roots-and-culture element into the party-hearty lyrics--bringing to mind the blend of good times and serious message in Bob Marley’s music.

South African reggae star Lucky Dube’s impressive 75-minute set was heavier on guitar and American R&B; stage choreography than in the past, but bogged down occasionally in audience participation routines.

El General’s closing set indicated that Spanish-language lyrics can fit snugly into the rhythmic contours of dancehall reggae.

The lanky Panamanian was an engaging, almost goofy performer--even the sexual moves he and his two female dancers delivered came with smiles that said they weren’t taking it too seriously.