It's a musical movement (and it's about time!). The main protagonists in this movement are the one called Geneman, Jamba and the one and only Septimus.

These brothers are deeply spiritual, deeply committed and deeply talented. And they were all at Spice Valley Middle School on Friday night for a concert to celebrate the release of Septimus' new CD -- `War Against the Devil'. This is how it went.

I arrived to the thunderous sound of a packed auditorium engaged in a call and response session with Brother Richie of the Trinity Sound Crew. There were some problems with the sound system, but the crowd didn't seem to care much at all. They were standing, dancing and singing along to many of Brother Richie's more recognisable gems, which he delivered a capella.

This crowd was enthusiastic, and I soon got the feeling that what I was experiencing was just as much a church service as it was a concert, and these folks had come to worship... hard! The next act slowed the revelry a bit, but kept the spiritual vibes quite high indeed. Gina Spence delivered a dance and spoken word piece that was conceived and choreographed beautifully. And although they sat down for most of this act, the congregation received her dance poem with as much enthusiasm as clapping hands can muster.

Brendell Hall was the MC for the evening and she was as excitable as anybody, ministering with as much volume as belief... she was quite good.

Geneman took the stage to a chorus of applause and proceeded to hold the audience in the palm of his hand for the duration of his far-too-short set. If you don't recall, Geneman is the Brother who had you singing La-La-La la-la-la-la-la La-La-La along to his 1998 smash hit `Righteous in Christ' two years ago.

He's still praising the Lord and producing some extremely fresh sounds from his obviously-anointed mouth. He dropped `Practice what you Preach' -- the title track to his upcoming second CD -- and the opus mentioned above, leaving this reviewer feening for more.

With the disappointment of that short -- but very sweet -- set behind me, I settled down to absorb the next act, a guy who I had heard a lot about but had never actually heard.

Jamba opened with the title track to his new CD, and the soca rhythm had the congregation dancing in the aisles. They all testified along with the smooth voiced Jamba that `Hallelujah is the highest praise', and the joint was jumpin'! Ironically, `Stand Still' was his next and final gift to us -- this was getting frustrating. But it was a Septimus concert, so I guess the big man was entitled to the bulk of the time allotted.

After a brief interlude from the Better Covenant Praise Singers, Septimus took the stage to address the congregation. I immediately noted that he is a tremendous showman, as he exploded onto the stage in a brilliant red shining jacket and a vision from God.

He dropped two slow tunes with an old bluesy feel and sounded surprisingly similar to Louis Armstrong, especially on `My God is Real'. But this was just a taste of what was to come, a little `sumtin' for the older members of the congregation before the full force of Septimus' arsenal was unleashed.

There was a sense of expectancy throughout the intermission as more and more `soldiers' appeared dressed in full camouflage and ready for battle. And then the war started! The `War Against the Devil' that is.

Septimus stormed into the hall with a handful of paratroopers at his back and the sounds of helicopters and short-wave radios buzzing overhead. This was a siege on the prince of darkness, and the crowd was extremely eager to be a part of it! The crowd never sat down during Septimus' set, circling the auditorium at one point as they marched and waved to the sounds of the soca-tinged hit `Jesus must be Praised'. This was a Hallelujah party, and it was rockin'! I've rarely seen a Bermudian audience release as much energy and spirit. The talent was astounding, and the music was world-class. Septimus performed eleven of the sixteen songs on his new CD, including such belligerent titles as `Armed and Dangerous', `Chain Breaker', `Been there, Done that' (featuring Fire Kid), `Live Clean' and the classic children's gem `Jesus Loves the Little Children'. He was backed by a phalanx of little soldiers throughout the campaign, and his rapport with this audience was something to behold.

This concert was somewhat of a celebration of Christian values mixed with a heaping helping of quality contemporary music. Geneman, Jamba and Septimus have taken the music that most of us grew up bubbling to, and turned it into a highly effective tool against the devil.

Friday night was a testament to the power of the word of God, and a coming-out party for the newest form of conscious reggae.

The ministering did get overwhelming at times, but the music never got dull.

The message was always clear, always strong and always righteous. Watch for these guys, they have the stuff to go far (trust me).

Watch for upcoming reviews of Septimus' `War Against the Devil' CD and Jamba's `Hallelujah is the Highest Praise'.

Veejay Steede MUSIC REVIEW REV ENTERAINMENT ENTERTAINERS ENT