Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer

Hezekiah was an amusing performer at Jazz In The Gardens, held at Jamaica Pegasus, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, on Sunday. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

It was the August instalment of the monthly concert, which was originally blown off course by the windy though ultimately empty threats posed by Tropical Depression Ernesto last week. Along with Marquez, the evening featured vocalist Christine Fisher, with backing by Seretse and Friends. The band featured Seretse on lead guitar, Alex Martin Blanken on keyboards (in the show's first half), Aeion Hoilett on bass, Akile Karram on drums and Jerome Tulloch on keyboard.

Sunday's concert also featured an upgraded version of the jazz on CD, which has traditionally been featured during the intermission. On Sunday, they had a sound clash, jazz style where Michael Edwards, Mutabaruka and Gladdy went 'tune for tune' in their selections at both the start of the show and during intermission.

Seretse and Friends opened the live music segment with Mona Lisa, which broached the idea of the Latin connection by speeding up the jazz standard and adding Latin riffs to the melody, before moving through to Exodus. The evening's first vocalist was Hezekiah who managed to be simultaneously amusing and bemusing as he performed a range of jazz standards.

Fisher gave a warm, engaging and amusing performance as she exuded a personality as warm-hearted as her deep vocals. She began her performance with a touch of praise before swinging into a slew of jazzy favourites. She explained that her son had fallen for Fly Me To The Moon, when he heard her scatting to it one day, and so she performed the song and dedicated it to him.

She also delivered Trouble in Mind before launching into the troubled dater's treatise Is You Is or Is You Aint My Baby. Not to be encumbered by the small stage, Fisher easily moved to the front of the lawn and by the time she reached her final song for the night, I'll Take You There, she was making her way down the aisles.

Marquez brought a very satisfying close to the night with his selections from the repertoire of the jazz greats. The soft-spoken man thanked all those who had made his stay possible and even extended his thanks to Tropical Depression Ernesto, which had allowed him to get to know more of Jamaica.

Marquez began with A Night in Tunisia then slowed down the pace with My Funny Valentine. Soon, that song would be followed by Solar and later, Body and Soul. Much later, Marquez would also deliver Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island and then ended the set with Seretse's Kyass Kyass.

Trumpeter Basilio Marquez gave a great performance at Jazz In The Gardens.