Michael Reckord, Contributor
Myrna Hague (left) and Sonny Bradshaw's Big Band perform at 'Blues On The Green' presented by the United States Embassy last Friday. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE ANNUAL African American History Month concert presented by the United States (U.S.) Embassy at Devon House last Friday was excellent.
Featuring jazz singers Myrna Hague, known, with good reason, as 'Jamaica's first lady of jazz', and Francine Reed, an American, the concert had Sonny Bradshaw's Big Band and The Maurice Gordon Group accompanying Hague and Reed, respectively.
The effervescent Fae Ellington was more than a mere emcee. Her patter, humour, information and willingness to dance to the music made her an additional performer.
Frequent applause, laughter and dancing in seats by the audience of hundreds which overflowed the lawns of Devon House showed that the concert was a hit. Also a hit was the free food and drink provided from a dozen or so tents on the periphery of the seating area.
The first segment of the concert, which began 10 or 15 minutes after the scheduled 6:30 p.m. start, comprised the music of various black composers played by the Big Band. Then, at 7:30 p.m., elegant in white blouse and brown skirt, a smiling Myrna Hague strolled onto the stage to be greeted affectionately by both husband Bradshaw and the audience.
CHARMED HER LISTENERS
With her customary crisp diction, fine timing and strong feeling, she charmed her listeners with four songs, Dance with My Father, Round Midnight, That's Life, and Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The accompaniment was sensitive and helpful, not surprising, perhaps, considering that talented musicians like Marjorie Whylie (piano), Seretse Small (guitar) and Desi Jones (drums) were part of the band.
At 8:40 p.m., The Maurice Gordon Group took the stage, with Gordon on guitar, Courtney Sinclair on piano, Glen Brownie on bass and Tommy 'Ruption' Williams on drums.
After a bouncy, unintroduced opening tune, came C.C. Rider, who played in a slow, moody manner, a meditative version of Toots and the Maytals' What a Bam Bam, and a lively Gordon original, Moving With Your Love. The music inspired the emcee to come on dancing with friends Hague, Whylie and Angella Harvey of the U.S. Embassy, who led the concert's organising team.
Ellington then introduced the visiting performer as a Chicago-born artiste who became famous in Phoenix, Arizona, and who was visiting Jamaica (and the Caribbean) for the first time.
Reed, in a layered blue blouse and wide, black skirt, pleased the audience from the moment she skipped onto the stage and said how pleasant her stay in Jamaica had already been.
PLEASING THE AUDIENCE
She then proceeded, in a strong, wide-ranged voice, to deliver her set of 12 songs. In between, she chatted and joked with both audience and band. When she wasn't chatting or singing, she was dancing, gyrating her generous hips enthusiastically.
Among the better-known songs she sang were Georgia, Stand By Me and Under The Boardwalk. These delighted the audience, as did the suggestive I Don't Want To Be No Slave, Wild Women Don't Get The Blues and I'm A Handful. She ended her set with an emotional, a cappella version of Look For The Silver Lining.
