MUSIC

Jimmy Cliff

Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow

JIMMY Cliff is a reggae giant. Without compromising his integrity, he was at the forefront of bringing Jamaican music to the masses by seamlessly blending it with pop and soul. He crossed over but never sold out.

Now aged 70, he was in tremendous voice during this impossibly uplifting open-air show, his pipes only showing signs of wear on the gospeltinged Many Rivers to Cross and his cover of Cat Stevens’ Wild World. Nevertheless, that sweetly soulful rasp is still a powerful instrument.

Backed by an impeccable yet distinctly non-cabaret eightpiece band, he sang inspirational rings around classics such as The Harder They Come and Let Your Yeah Be Yeah. His call and response routines with the crowd were joyous.