By Tamara King, Staff Reporter
Reggae stalwart Ken Boothe.
THE MAJORIE Simms benefit concert dubbed 'Vintage at the Bay' held at the Breezes Hotel, Runaway Bay, last Friday proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable show. The event featured delightful performances from two giants in cabaret, Georgia Henry and Melville Williams, as well as reggae stalwart Ken Boothe.
The nicely laid out and relaxing setting of the Whispers Nightclub on the hotel grounds provided a suitable backdrop for the concert.
The Right's Incorporated Band's performance segment, a 30-minute set, which included songs from Beres Hammond and Gregory Isaacs, was well-received by the audience.
The show's appeal, however, heightened when cabaret diva Georgia Henry took to the stage. Henry is known for the exquisite energy that she brings to her performances and she was in good form on Friday. She burst on-stage wonderfully attired in a form-fitting black satin dress. Her ensemble was complemented by a gleaming necklace.
She brought the audience to 'sweet surrender' with the Four Season's December '63 (Oh, What A Night). Her two background vocalists were clad in a variation of the black and white theme and helped to transport the audience to an earlier era with songs that included Rock the Boat and Celebration.
Henry's charm and polite playfulness enhanced her set. It added a light and enjoyable quality to the evening's entertainment. "Who remembers the bell-foot pants and how we use to flip them?" she asked while doing the dance. "Who remembers the peace and love sign?" she asked again, demonstrating with her fingers.
She later made way for her background vocalists, one of whom rendered Cher's I Believe and the other treated the audience to Donna Summer's Hot Stuff.
Other '70's hits such as Funkytown, Last Dance and Donna Summer's On the Radio were also delivered. The quality of Henry's vocals came through clearly on the latter song and many in the audience shouted in approval.
Henry further eased her way into the audience's heart by frequently interacting with them, encouraging them between songs to have a good time. She also impressed with her versatility. There were songs from the '80s such as Fire and popular R&B hits Just One Look, Under the Boardwalk and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow. A medley of ska music from the '60s was also included in her set among them, Jamaica Ska and Sammy Dead.
Her crowning moment came shortly afterwards. After seeking and obtaining permission from the audience, she broke out into a spicy medley of dancehall hits. Chanting "Come wid it!" she segued into Wayne Wonder's Joy Ride, Lady Saw's Sycamore Tree and Tanya Stephen's Yu Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet.
Henry closed her set on a soca high, which included songs such as Get The Cat and Hot Hot. However her encore number was, appropriately, When Will I See You Again.
Melville 'Rock and Roll' Williams was next and kick-started his performance with Satisfaction Sitting and On The Dock of the Bay. However, compared to Henry, Williams' act paled in comparison but was nonetheless enjoyable.
It was then left to Ken Boothe to close the show in fine style. Boothe put all the experience he gained from several decades of performing into his act. His opening number, Freedom Street, was a winner and the audience whistled in appreciation. Commenting on the significance of the concert, Boothe asked "Why worry when you can pray?"
'Vintage at the Bay' was the fifth benefit concert the hotel had staged, the proceeds of which will go towards helping an employee, Majorie Simms, who is in hospital on a dialysis machine and in need of a kidney transplant.
Besides merely entertaining the audience, Boothe also had a message about the importance of freedom. He named two of the great freedom fighters of our time, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.
His set also included Baby I'm Not Joking, a number on which Rights Incorporated delivered a marvellous bassline. When I Fall In Love and Artebella were also among classics delivered with an uncanny freshness.
Using every inch of the stage, Boothe danced up a sweat and showed his superior showmanship. The Train Is Coming, Tell You Goodbye and Everything I Own garnered appreciative screams from the
audience.
