Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Dean Fraser in action at a recnt function in New Kingston. - FILE PHOTOS
THE ROTARY Club of New Kingston's concert at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, UWI, Mona, on Sunday night was dubbed 'An Evening of Excellent Music'. And with musicians Paulette Bellamy and Jon Williams on violin and piano respectively, along with singers Harris, Karen Smith and Velia Espeut, as well as Dean Fraser accompanied by Carol McKenzie on piano, that it was.
But there was a healthy dose of fun as well, with humorous interplay between Harris and Espeut on 'Nature Boy', as well as Espeut teasing a man in the front row of the near full house on You Are So Beautiful. And after some trouble with the words of Dreamland from the ensemble, Smith smiled and said, "It is important when you are on stage to have fun. Not remember lyrics. Or remember lyrics and have fun."
And there was laughter all around at the conclusion that "lyrics are highly overrated".
LATE START
Time wasn't, though, and the handclaps for showtime quarter of an hour after the slated 6:00 p.m. start began just before the call to stand for the National Anthem. Williams on violin and Bellamy on violin started the concert with Toreador's Song, then exchanged instruments for the Theme from Carmen.
Espeut, in a red top, black skirt and beaming, came out for Amigos Para Simpre with a black suited Michael Harris, whose beige shirt matched Espeut's shoes.
The musicians gave Puppet on A String a somewhat lilting treatment, punctuated with an almost playful piano, before Harris returned with the original Take It or Leave It, which he co-wrote, as well as Jodie Mitchell's Both Sides Now. A cheerful Espeut said 'I like to get into the audience, so you won't mind if I come close to you. This song is for all of you, but I see this man here looking at me," she said, to chuckles. And she leaned forward, looked directly at him, smiled and sang 'you are so beautiful to me'.
If I Ain't Got You was dedicated to her brother and sister, who were visiting, and there was a lot of rocking and foot tapping for Lean on Me, at the end of which Espeut asked all to hold hands.
"Now I'm going to ask you to keep your hands to yourselves and clasp them. This is the gospel section," Harris said as he took his turn with, In Your Presence. "Slow me down," Espeut requested as she returned for Amazing Grace.
Bellamy stepped forward for To God Be The Glory and a playful Espeut and Harris put a bit of drama into I Feel Pretty, part of the Broadway medley that brought up intermission.
There was high drama from the saxophones of Dean Fraser after the break, as he utilised a small sax to play Small Axe, to the accompaniment of Carol McLaughlin on piano. Crouching, leaning back and occasionally stomping an emphatic foot on the stage, Fraser put body, soul and sole into the Wailers song. John Legend's Ordinary People got good treatment as Fraser ambled across the front of the stage, taking two steps backwards with an especially high note.
McLaughlin played the introduction of Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes twice, Fraser saying, "I did not see anybody moving, so I asked him to stop and start again." He started a rhythmic clap, immediately picked up by the audience, and it continued throughout Fraser's singing the Paul Simon song, including coaching the audience in a singalong. He played a robust rendition of Dance With My Father and ended with a very expressive Redemption Song, the audience joining in on the last lines of each verse.
APPLAUSE FOR KAREN SMITH
There was applause when Karen Smith came on the stage, smiling, and some surprise as she had not turned out as scheduled in the first segment. She sang Day In The Life of a Fool before saying good evening.
She snapped her fingers to begin Cheek To Cheek, hit a peak lyrically and vocally, and sang I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again "For all the ladies in the audience, for your great big wonderful love you cannot forget." She raised her right hand slowly as she held the last 'on'bringing it back down to chest level to finish the song, to strong applause.
McLaughlin added bass from the electronic keyboard to the entire ensemble doing Dreamland, Fraser playing beside Bellamy, a trio of folk songs got the classical piano and violin touch and a night of excellent music and loads of fun was wrapped up with a trio of voices leading All of Me.
