A massive crowd turned out to witness reggae legend Bunny Wailer at the annual Foxy's New Year's Party held at Great Harbour in Jost Van Dyke. Photo: John F. Black

The 2013/14 Old Year/New Year Party at Foxy’s on Jost van Dyke, one of the many islands making up the Virgin Islands archipelago, was not to be second to none.

Among the many prominent artistes at the New Year’s Eve Party at Foxy’s Tamarind Bar in Great Harbour on December 31, 2013, was dancehall sensation Christopher Martin. However, the massive crowd support seemed to have turned out mainly to see the legendary Bunny Wailer.

Bunny Wailer, (born Neville O'Riley Livingston, 10 April 1947, in Jamaica), also known as Bunny Livingston and affectionately as Jah B, is a singer, song writer and percussionist and was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. A three-time Grammy award winner, he is considered one of the longtime standard bearers of reggae music. He has been named by Newsweek as one of the three most important musicians in world music.

The huge crowd was not disappointed as the wide-eyed audience, both young and old and from every corner of the globe, danced the night away but welcomed the New Year 2014 with the music of Jah B while others were not sure what things to expect or not to, while having a beverage in one hand or for others, even in both hands.

Both veterans and newcomers to this amazing music scene lined the breach at Great Habour taking in the other sites, free events and sounds around Foxy’s Bar, but as soon as it was announced the show headliner Bunny Wailer was up next to perform, many made sure to get to the specially erected stage area as quickly as possible forgetting the cost to get in.

Many agreed that Mr. Wailer has long cemented his reputation as a truly incredible artist who has played an integral part in exceptional Caribbean music culture and has raised the reggae art form to an acceptable international level that now is studied by many universities around the world.

At the event, one could have glimpsed the ‘who is who’ of the Virgin Islands social class, and the rich and famous from around the world, the many megayachts, numerous ferries from St John and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and power boats that decorated the little harbour, along with many of the local Jost van Dyke residents, black, white and even red.

Some paid thousands of good old green backs to sit in a secluded area called the “Upper Crust” which was filled with food, high priced wines and the things that the social elite are accustomed to, while others took to the the VIP section so they could not be disturbed by the common attendances. But once Bunny Wailer got on stage, it was a night to remember as he rocked the house!

For those of you who missed it, now legendary local photographer John F. Black has brought you the dynamitic songs and some of the show with super star Wailer in living colours, as only his expertise and Virgin Islands News Online can.

Just click, grab a beer and a bottle water or a partner and sing along as fantasies and dreams must come through for 2014.

Bunny Wailer Foxy's 2014 from John F Black Films on Vimeo.