By Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Jhanelle Graham in performance at 'Jazz In The Gardens' on Sunday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
THE END of the month crooned closer with the August instalment of the 'Jazz in the Gardens' concert at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on Sunday night.
Michael Anthony Cuff played a charming host for the night. Though the sounds of the concert from Emancipation Park, across the street, attempted to bully their way in, they were never able to overwhelm the jazz.
Harold Davis and Friends featuring Dale Brown on bass, Alex Marten-Blanken on keyboard, Richie Cunningham on percussions, Junior 'Bird' Bailey on drums and Davis on keyboards provided backing. Harold Davis was also on keyboard and vocals.
GREAT PERFORMANCE
Ian Hyrd presented a smooth and scintillating set on the saxophone. "I've been hearing music all my life and I'm just gonna be sharing some of what I heard," he told the audience, punning his own name. Apparently, he has heard some very good music and it more than made up for the weak pun. Hyrd's short set included Misty, which he played while wandering around the garden, serenading the various parts of the audience.
He ended with a masterful rendition of My Favourite Things reminiscent of John Coltrane's interpretation. Indeed, Hyrd's entire presentation showed him a great musician. The performance was tempered by masterfully improvised phrases and runs which helped to refresh the old favourites.
CRISP AND SMOOTH
Earlier, the night had also featured Jhanelle Graham and Mark Pritchitt. Maria Myrie brought the night to a lively close. "She has a crisp, smooth, sensuous sound," said Cuff, in introducing her, "and when we match her up to the moon and Harold Davis and Friends you're gonna love this." The audience did.
Myrie's performance easily engaged the audience from beginning to end. After starting her performance with Let's Call The Whole Thing Off she made note of the full moon, which was rapidly rising. Enlisting Davis' help, she then encouraged the audience to howl at the moon. "Yuh see how oonu have me a turn oonu eena ediat," she laughingly told the audience after they had howled twice.
HIGHLY ENERGETIC
The howling was just a small part of her audience interaction. "You know I have to find somebody to pick on," she said before wandering into the audience to find prey. When she did, she performed I Would Give Everything I Own. After that slow rendition, the pace was picked up with a highly energetic Mr. Melody. "Let's regain some composure," she said to Davis. "Are we back to the songs we rehearsed?" she asked. Though he didn't respond, the answer was apparently no, because when Davis began the introduction to Sometimes When We Touch, Myrie responded "We didn't rehearse this one."
They sang it anyway, and the audience loved it. Myrie and Davis ended the night with another duet, this time turning to the Bible as they delivered The Our Father. Though it was intended to be their final tune for the night, at Cuff's request they delivered one more for the road. The audience finally wondered home to the sound of Harold Davis and Friends delivering On Broadway.
- T.B-S
