Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Busta One Foot ... who launched his second album 'Hardworking Man' last Thursday. - contributed

When the man on the stage at 4 Fontenoy Road, Vineyard Town, Kingston, sang "though they say I am disable/I am going to show the world I am capable" on Thursday night, there were cheers from the small gathering.

The applause was in acknowledgement of the performer living the lines as the singer, Busta One Foot, had the microphone in his right hand and leaned on a crutch in place of his missing leg with his left.

He did not do any extravagant moves on the small stage as he launched his second CD, the eight-track Hardworking Man, from which the couplet he lives came.

However, on the uptempo song in which he urged "shake your head, clap your hands, rock to the beat", at one point he put away the crutch and danced across the small stage to the beat of the band, his thick white locks swinging as he encouraged "everybody let's sing and dance".

Though not an outstanding singer, Busta One Foot was consistent in his delivery. He urged all to 'Take It Easy', replying "Haile I" to a hail of "Busta!" in one break between songs.

The sole love song for the night was reserved for last, Busta One Foot requesting "pour your love on me", MC Krab Walking Jamrock noting "de man all dance. Give him a round of applause for the dancing".

They did.

In bringing greetings from the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA), Merritone Music's Winston Blake did not mince words in his assessment of the programming strategy of Jamaican radio. "To get a record constantly played I am reliably informed that you have to pay the jocks in the major areas that carry major listenership," Blake said.

"There are still some jocks who are excellent people who will play a record on its merit. Unfortunately, there are not that many of them," Blake said.

"Plenty of our established artistes complain about it. The people who have the strong dollars win out most of the time."