JAMAICA MAY be the home of roots rocking reggae, but on Friday night, it was the twang of the fiddle and smooth country ballads that ruled the night at the 2004 Air Jamaica Jazz Festival. Throngs of Kenny Rogers' fans gathered on the rolling green of the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, the second night of the festival, to be thrilled by the gambler. And they were.
The headline act for the night, Rogers followed stellar performances by Bobby Womack and Monty Alexander. Susan Couch, a tribute to the late Johnny Cash and the Cuban group had also shared the night at the Rose Hall, Montego Bay venue.
For most of the night the audience seated themselves on the sprawling green of the golf course. Rogers' performance quickly brought them to their feet, making it clear that it was the event they had been waiting for. The white haired, smoky voiced Rogers easily charmed the audience with his easy banter between songs. Even Annie Palmer may well have been charmed by him. He laughed at himself, poked fun at the audience, and steered them through a satisfying set of great country music.
"I've been here before but this is the first time I've ever sung in Jamaica," he told the appreciative audience. Then he said the words they had been longing to hear. "We've gone back and picked up some songs we haven't sung in years. We're just gonna throw them at you one at a time."
And so he did. As Rogers launched from hit to hit from his expansive repertoire, the audience did not get a chance to end their appreciative screams after one favourite before another was hurled in their direction. As he sang the famed words, "I can't remember when I never looked at you," [double check this lyric]; "through the years" and "while she lay sleeping" the screams simply got louder.
While he sang ballads of love and dysfunction the audience in turn willingly showed their love and affection. Of course, as is often the case with even the most beloved songs, sometimes the audience just does not get it right.
When this happened on Friday, or rather Saturday morning because the new day was well on its way, it simply became a part of the fun. As the audience sang lustily along with Rogers in Ruby, begging her not to take her love to town, they missed their cue toward the end. When it happened twice, Rogers gave out, "Oh never mind, I'll do it myself!" in mock frustration before adding, "For God's sake turn around," bringing the song to a satisfying end and thrilling the audience even further when they realised their error.
Rogers also mixed in a few newer pieces to the already beloved repertoire with pieces such as the blue grass tune Back To The Well and later Buy Me a Rose, and Have A Little Faith In Me. Showing that he was man enough to laugh at himself, Rogers sung into the gambler. He did not merely sing the popular metaphor for life however. "For those of you who've laughed at Gamble I, II, III, and IV (the movies) and for whatever reason didn't watch V, I'm not that easy to escape," he said.
Rogers then announced that he would be showing all five flicks, and though the audience laughed along with him, he was not quite kidding. As he sang about the famed Gambler clips from the movie accompanied him. It was not yet time for Rogers to walk away though, because, the night was about to get even more interesting.
"Just when you thought it was safe to watch TV again," Rogers announced, "here comes gambler six."
The night exploded into even more laughter as turning again to the screens, the audience realised that Gambler VI, included rapper Coolio, and the song had changed to a hip hop beat.
Rogers then topped off the wonderful set with Lucille, Lady and Islands in the Stream. The Gambler had done it again.
