By Howard Campbell
In the summer of 1995, Marcia Griffiths and Bob Andy were experiencing career rebirths. Griffiths was part of producer Donovan Germain’s successful Penthouse Records camp; Andy’s classic songs from the rocksteady era were given new life through a revival of that genre.
It was perfect timing for a show with the two former lovers and musical partners. That event took place at Razor’s Palace in Fort Lauderdale on July 9, 1995.
The show is recaptured on An Evening With …Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths, a live album released in May by Upstairs Music, an independent company based in Fort Lauderdale.
Danny Breakenridge, head of Upstairs Music and a longtime friend of both artists, promoted the show. Twenty-two years later, he decided to release it as a double compact disc with twenty-four songs.
Fittingly, it closes with Andy’s version of Fire Burning which he did during the early 1970s. Griffiths covered it with much success for Germain twenty years later.
Breakenridge told National Weekly that there was a capacity audience at Razor’s Palace which was co-owned by former Jamaican heavyweight contender Donovan ‘Razor’ Ruddock and singer Winston Dias.
“A number of things went right that night but the crowd response and how Bob and Marcia interacted with the audience stood out,” he said.
Andy and Griffiths performed songs from the rocksteady era such as Too Experienced and I’ve Got To Go Back Home (Andy) and Mark My Word, Melody Life and Truly (Griffiths).
They did their hit duets including Young, Gifted and Black and Really Together.
An Evening With …Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths is available on CD in the United States through VP Records and in Jamaica and Caribbean by Tad’s International Record.
It is also available on iTunes.
Marcia Griffiths to headline JABA annual Grand Gala and Awards Ceremony
