Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires began their 50th Anniversary in style at the Sunset Beach Resort and Spa's New Year's Eve Ball. In photo, a member of the group, Oscar B (right) teaches a visitor the 'Ska'. - PHOTO BY JANET SILVERA
WESTERN BUREAU:
ON THE eve of his 50th anniversary, Jamaica's calypso monarch, Byron Lee, stood at his mixing board and spun the musical magic of the Dragonnaires.
The occasion was New Year's Eve and Lee was in his fifth year of revelry at the Sunset Beach Resort and Spa, in Freeport, Montego Bay, St. James.
"Our 50-year theme will be music that memories are made of," the proud veteran told The Gleaner.
On the other side of town, the mystical lyrics of Gem Myers and Fab Five electrified revellers in the grand ballroom at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club.
And in the upscale community of Mango Walk, family and friends of Bijoux operator, Pishu Chandiram paid tribute to the patriarch who recently turned 70.
Meanwhile, on the Montego Bay Hip Strip, it was a totally different scene. Traffic was bumper to bumper, masquerades wearing masks paraded on the red carpet at Margaritaville, the Scotch Jazz band strung the best of Louis Armstrong at Blue Beat and L'Antionette Stines showed off an excellent introduction to the show 'Silhouette' at Coral Cliff.
New Year's Eve in Montego Bay was feverishly hot and scintillating and December 31, 2005, will be etched in the minds of many for years to come.
From the spread of grilled lobster, crab back, prime rib, honey roasted ham, roasted turkey with sherried giblet gravy and seafood raggu to health conscious food prepared by award-winning executive chef Ansel Beason and his team at Sunset Beach Resort and Spa to the party dubbed Snap Back 360 degrees at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club, the western capital was the place to be.
