'Toots' brings a touch of Jamaica to Bluebird

The reggae stylings of Toots & the Maytals filled the Bluebird nightclub with a touch of Jamaica Tuesday night. As showtime approached, students who have remained here for the summer and adults alike filed into the Bluebird, resulting in a packed house.\nOnce the lights dimmed, and the Maytals took the stage, there was an air of anticipation as the opening riffs of that oh-so-familiar reggae groove began.\nThe essence of Toots & the Maytals style is more of an old-school reggae style, and it is best shown in originals like "What's My Number?" and "Reggae Got Soul." For those not so familiar with the sphere of reggae, Toots old-school style could best be compared to some of the early recordings of the Jamaican legend Bob Marley. But this style also provided for some original, soulful versions of non-reggae covers like "Louie, Louie" and John Denver's "Country Roads."\nToots also displayed touches of gospel at certain points throughout the night. His back-up vocalists and synthesized horns added a touch of what one might expect to find in a Southern Baptist church on a Sunday morning in New Orleans.\nTo all those who missed this show, you may have missed the best music to pass through Bloomington this summer. The keyboards, two guitars, drums, bass and two back-up singers that occupied the stage along with Toots made for a wall of sound that moved the crowd like an elaborate puppet show put to reggae. \nThere was almost no point in the show when the dreads of the person next to you or the drink in the hand of your best friends was not being compelled to move to the positive vibrations coming from onstage.