By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE LAST time 'Moonlighting' was held, Mr. and Mrs. Richards were seated and serenaded by Maria Myrie as they celebrated an anniversary.
On Sunday the venue was the Devon House Grog Shoppe, Hope Road, St. Andrew not the usual East Lawn, but lightning struck twice as again the Richards were in the house
and again they were feted by
Ms. Myrie.
A year in between Moonlightings was not so much as to get the 'howling pipes' all clogged up and many an 'aroooo' went up to the night over the St. Andrew venue in celebration of the show's theme, 'Loony Love'.
TEASING THE LADIES
And there was certainly a lot to howl about, what with Ossie D and Stevie G bringing the first segment to an end with a dance-illustrated history lesson in Jamaican music, Dwight Richards tooting his horn and teasing the ladies, Ruddy Thomas speaking on behalf of the Loving Pauper,the sister pair of Tami and Tessanne Chin doing individual sets, David Madden doing it the 'cyber' way and Dingo infusing a 'vibes' into the occasion, all this presided over by a beaming Harold Davis, leading the band on keyboards and a wonderful MC in Paula Ann Porter.
There was a special howl, though, for Candy, who raised a pair of gospel songs on the altar of her voice to the highest heavens. Coming up after Hugh Jay had ended with the pledge that nothing will ever change my love for you she may not, as she sang, ...walked on water/and I have never calmed a storm, but when she called on Jesus in a voice no one could ever ignore, the large audience demanded more.
'More' was an interpretation of Nothing But The Blood of Jesus which was punctuated by notes which would test the walls of Jericho by themselves.
The unanimous standing ovation for the visually impaired singer was woefully inadequate earthly reward.
Janice Allwood provided Inseparable and brought a Norah Jones huskiness to the evening, before Ossie D and Stevie G serenaded My Jamaican Girl. With an ebullient Ossie D on vocals, the two delivered, as promised, "love real Jamaican style" and set a Dancing Mood before tracing Jamaican music from mento and ska with Sammy Dead to reggae and dancehall with Three Little Birds and the Diwali rhythm respectively.
Ossie D provided the skanks for each era and was a bundle of energy, coming 'up to de time' with 'Signal De Plane', 'Head Gone' and other latest dance crazes. And they were not finished with the screaming audience, wrapping up with I Feel Good from the real 'energy god', James Brown.
A breather was required and received by way of a 10-minute intermission.
Maria Myrie was on target with song and sentiment after the break, with So Nice To Be With You, as well as a sung prayer for safety. Tessanne had performed earlier, but Tami kept her chin up and did the family proud on her Moonlighting debut with originals Can You Feel Me and I'm Still Afraid.
WHOOPS OF LAUGHTER
She caused whoops of laughter when she called Harold Davis 'Uncle Harry' before performing Fallen, which she used to see him and her mother sing.
DiMario McDowell injected a roots reggae sound with the D. Brown pair of How Could I Live and Here I Come, before cruising out with Unforgettable. Dingo had them howling with a three poem set, which sandwiched cutting commentary on the war in Iraq between saucy lyrics which fit the 'Loony Love' theme to the 't'.
Clancy Eccles Junior was excellent on Aswad's Don't Turn Around and Smokey Robinson's Cruisin', his falsetto giving Moonlighting a lilt and a lift, while Dwight Richards started high and piercing from the side with his trumpet and continuing with vocals on an Otis Redding triple. I've Got
Dreams To Remember, Pain
In My Heart and These Arms of Mine.
Angel said 'Hey' to Mr. Melody and worked the audience well with Fever, before giving the men something they could feel from her vocal cords and David Madden employed his trumpet and voice, as well as a supporting violin, on an update of the early '70s Mystic Mood and Resist.
It was left to Ruddy Thomas to cap off the guest performances and, fresh from St. Vincent with Pam Hall, he chose Dance With My Father to begin with, eyes closed and swaying gently as he sang beautifully. He closed with Loving Pauper, doing the deejay section of the remake as well, to good applause.
It should have been the end, but a smiling Baby Shack did the lovers' rock very 'young people style', to good support from the diminished audience and the band took it out with Harold Davis on vocals delivering She Believes In Me and Truly.
As promised, the looniness ended before midnight.
