Xiomara sang entirely in Spanish, some in-between song patter coming in English. - Contributed

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

There was art on the lawns outside and music from the small stage inside, as the one-week inaugural Kingston On The Edge (KOTE) Festival opened at Redbones the Blues Café on Friday evening.

It appeared, however, that many feet did not make it past the grass, lit in part by illuminated artwork by Kim Beckford and Carolyn Lazarus, on to the cobblestones at the Braemar Avenue, New Kingston, nightspot. And many who did in the later parts of the concert by Cuban singer Xiomara Laugart had to remain planted where they could find space on the cobblestones, as all the seats were taken.

Xiomara, making her debut in Jamaica, remained standing through the concert, the sole accompanying guitarist seated behind and to her left. She sang entirely in Spanish, some in-between song patter coming in English. But while the chuckles and handclaps of a group of women seated just before Xiomara's chosen spot before the microphone, which remained on its stand, indicated that they understood every word, her talent needed no translation. Nor did her engaging personality and little black dress.

"I know everyone here cannot speak Spanish," Xiomara said, before singing a song of 'la soledad'. "You can imagine how hard it must be for me in English," she said after.

A brown fan came out for the next song in acknowledgement of the evening's warmth and the crew in front starting a rhythmic clapping as the pace picked up on the next song. Xiomara turned to the guitarist, fanning, as he soloed, and returned to the microphone in a higher register to repeat 'cachita', going high and strong then soft and lower. "You want to hear more?" she asked, smiling and saying 'cool' to the affirmative. "I look young but I am not," she said to laughter. And there was more laughter when Xiomara said "You know how much songs I have to sing to survive, to pay rent? You can't imagine".

Song without words

"I am going to sing this and you are going to be surprised," she said ahead of the next number. "This one don't have words." And it duly started with her singing 'bam bam ba bam bam', but the song had more than that. Xiomara's left hand clutching a piece of the lower section of her dress and holding it out and slightly raised as she sang 'yo no quiere pasar mas'. She ended with 'amor' to cheers, stepping back and curtsying as the guitarist kept playing.

No Quiere, written for her by a Cuban who left Cuba in the 1980s and now lives in Miami, United States, was very slow, Xiomara holding her highest note of the night at the end. "I am going to dedicate this song to myself. I'm sorry ... We never say which song we like best. I like this one," she said before the next song. And at the end of a slower number she held a long note, smiling, the fan going up and down on the right side of her face.

Xiomara played wit 'porque', singing it high then low in succession, a guitar solo coming in that song, before declaring herself the original Guantanamera. "I was born there. Not in the bay, but in Guantanamera," she said. And the song started quietly on guitar, a few cheers coming as it was recognised, the singer coming in on a high note after the guitarist had played at length. It was a singalong on the chorus, which she sang strong and rhythmically, the verses getting quieter, slower treatment.