Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Dwight Richards (left) performs with Dean Frazer (centre) and Dale Haslam at the launch of Dwight Richards and Friends' album "Sudden Impact", held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston on Monday. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
ON MONDAY night Dwight Richards' trumpet did most of the talking as, along with a full band and a couple guests, he presented his album Sudden Impact to the public.
Richards won the Tastee Talent Contest as a singer in 1989, but it was his trumpet which blew the house down on Monday night.
The uptempo title track of the album was the opening number. With the congas playing a prominent role, Richards went slower for Willow Tree, the guitar taking solo lead before the trumpet reclaimed top billing.
The cast of musicians for most of the album, Desi Jones on drums, Dale Haslam on bass, Christopher McDonald on keyboards, Richard Browne on guitar and Denver Smith on congas, was in large part replicated on stage for Monday night's launch. And so were the guest musicians, the first being guitarist Dwight Pinkney for Feel So Good. Richards and Pinkney stood shoulder to shoulder on the bandstand, at one point Richards looked down at Pinkney's fingers as he played. With a hug and a smile when the song finished, Richards said "I want to be like him when I grow up".
WAYNE ARMOND
Richards asked the members of the audience to "put your hands together and welcome one of the great ones" and there was applause for Wayne Armond. "I remember I went to Wayne and said 'I need a song for the trumpet' And he said I have a song," Richards said.
There was a little wait for Moon Shadow (A Song For Adam) though, and Richards smiled and sang "I need a new jack". "When you play the trumpet you don't need no jack," he said, holding up his instrument.
All was soon sorted out and Armond and Richards took the lead together, then Armond went out on his own. Richards pointed his trumpet to the roof as the song ended with a bang. "And this song, as you know, I love this song," Richards said. It was Oh Danny Boy, commonly recognised by the opening line "amazing grace will always be my song of praise". And there was a surprise, the audience applauding as Dean Fraser stepped on stage, his saxophone playing in a lower register than the trumpet.
SIMULTANEOUSLY SMILES
The trumpeter took it skyward on "I shall forever ...", the saxophone very much in the mix, then on the following verse at one point the band stopped and Richards and Fraser played together. Then they stopped and smiled simultaneously.
The music was kept in the spiritual vein, but on a much more uptempo note, the congas heralding I Shall Not Be Moved, which got the feet and more moving inside the Pegasus' Negril Suite. I'll Fly Away followed, medley style and Richards left the dais and dancing to return to the stage to end with a flourish.
Richards took a twirl with a lady standing at the front of the audience as the evening's host, Michael Anthony Cuffe, did the wrapping up.
