By Teino Evans, Staff ReporterTHE FOURTH annual staging of 'Professionals in Cabaret' at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, New Kingston, last Sunday evening, was indeed a night filled with musical elegance.
The performers presented some soothing music to the ears of patrons who filled the Hilton ballroom to capacity.
A wide range of talented performers gave samples of their gifts to sing, do dub poetry and play musical instruments, as they took turns in turning up the heat inside the ballroom.
Patrons were kept rocking in their seats to the sound of the Fab 5 Band, which backed most of the evening's performers.
A number of performers stood out. Classical bass singer Dr. Winston Davidson had the crowd going with his rendition of Lou Rawls' You'll Never Find, before teaming up on-stage with Dr. Lucett Cargill.
However, it was not before Dr. Kingsley Stewart, a.k.a. 'Ragashanti' took the stage that the soothing music took an up-tempo turn and the mature crowd loved it. Despite having to read his lyrics, Ragashanti brought to stage a subtle 'hype', as he chanted his social commentary fearlessly. There was a positive reaction from the crowd when he did a satirical piece entitled 'Dem a Rape Ms. Jamaica'.
Heather Grant maintained the 'vibes', as she took to the stage clapping and singing Oh What a Night, before breaking into Gimmie Back Mi Sweet Jamaica, a song with which she won the 1992 Jamaica Cultural Development Commission song competition.
Then it was time for the person who brought 'Professionals in Cabaret' to life, Mr. Hugh Faulkner. Faulkner is also a former dancehall singer who goes under the name of Hugo Barrington.
He stunned the audience with his fine voice and chirpy back-up singers, as he started off singing Tears Tears before taking the tempo down a bit to dedicate his next song, You Make Me Feel Brand New, to the ladies.
If patrons thought the hype was over, they had another guess coming, as Maria Myrie, lead singer for the 'Bare Essentials', took the place by storm. She gripped the attention of the audience when she did Celine Dion's, I'm Alive, before breaking into Harry Nilsson's I Can't Live.
It was at this point that the audience became even more enthused, as she serenaded an elderly man (Harry) from the audience. When Harry rose to his feet and proceeded to dance with her, the audience applauded and shouted with much appreciation and excitement.
Myrie also went on to do a lively medley, including I Will Survive, so much to the crowd's delight that members of the audience grabbed themselves a partner and began to dance by their seats.
At the close of intermission, patrons were entertained with a brief fashion show, which featured items from Midandan, a Montego Bay Boutique operating from the Half Moon Shopping Centre.
For the second half there were performances from persons such as Prilly Hamilton (former lead singer in the Third World Band) and Dr. Garth McDonald a.k.a. 'Shacka Pow', who gave a short but lively set.
It was the 50/50 band who were the highlights of the second half, as they did songs such as Empty Chair and sampled songs from Tom Jones, Louis Armstrong and Gladys Knight.
Completing the evening's line-up were performers like sportscaster Ian Andrews and Antiguan fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, who showed his other talented side, that of being able to play the bass guitar and acoustic rhythm guitar. Ambrose is part of an Antiguan band called 'The New Dread and the Bald Head'.
The event was indeed a success and continues to get the support of top officials and celebrities. Among those in attendance were Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie, Senator Bruce Golding, Ambassador Seymour Mullings and former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh, who delivered a piece along with Ambrose.
