Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
SMITH
THE 15TH STAGING of the Ocho Rios Jazz festival began at the Almond Tree Hibiscus Lounge under the theme 'Straight, No Chaser'. On Sunday, the first day of the nine-day festival, host Keith Brown explained that the theme reflected the organisers' insistence on an authentic jazz festival, throwing a few pebbles at the regions' other jazz festivals which feature a range of genres.
However, the performers could not be completely relied on to keep their jazz straight. So it was that when Joe Sizemore Overboard and Friends, the sextet from North Carolina, came to the stage they began with I Love Beach Music.
The group, made up of members of the Sizemore family and students of Joe Sizemore, was making its fourth appearance at the festival. "We love playing jazz, but we can't make a living so we play party music," explained the band's leader. So it was that they also ended their set with another beach song Shagging (not in reference to the English slang). Though they had also performed jazz pieces, including Nora Jones' Turn Me On, their voices were far better suited to the beach music pieces.
SHORT PERFORMANCE
Ska also found its place in the festival in the recurrent Ska Revival theme, which the festival started two years ago. Sunday's version of the Ska Revival was undertaken by the Unique Vision Band which drew from the Skatalites repertoire, including Occupation and Eastern Standard Time.
After that very short stint, the band remained to provide backing for vocalist Diamara Neil. She too gave a short performance and, even so, she veered from the straight jazz path. She began with a rendition of the sensuous Fever. Then, for her second and final piece, she declared "this isn't quite jazz, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it anyway". With that she turned to pop with The Greatest Love of All.
There was, however, sufficient jazz served up throughout the day. The Jamaica Big Band had started off the day with the A Train before being slightly derailed from the jazz line with Carry Go Bring Come. The 'Wives and Lovers' segment, featuring Karen Smith and the couplings Cindy Breakspeare with Rupert Bent, Rosina
Moder with Peter Ashbourne, and Susan and Peter Couch had also provided jazz and a little blues.
The Festival culminates on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, at the Almond Tree Gardens, Ocho Rios.
The closing day concert is slated to feature the Eric Alexander Quartet, Dr. Kathy Brown and Friends, Errol Lee and the Bare Essentials, Barbara Walker Blues, Mark Pritchett Blues and the Idan Raichel Project Isreal.
