Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Left: Nadine Sutherland raises an arm and smiles as she sings at 'Capture the Moment', held at Unity of Jamaica, Hope Road, St. Andrew, on Sunday. Right: The music hits a member of the audience. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
SUNDAY'S 'CAPTURE the Moment' at Unity on Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, was a concert held in a church, but not a typical church concert.
From late afternoon until a few minutes after 10:00 p.m., ska, reggae, R&B and a touch of jazz delighted an audience which, at first, filled just over half of the church's comfortable, padded chairs, then declined in numbers, if not enthusiasm, as the show went on.
Ironically, the evening's strongest Christian gospel music contribution came from saxophonist 'Deadly Headley' Bennett with Amazing Grace (Will Always Be My Song Of Praise) to the tune of Danny Boy. He also rocked the house with Pass The Kutchie, to the throbbing accompaniment of the Riddim 5 band.
He was not the evening's only instrumentalist, as after an opening poem to Winston 'Merritone' Blake, read by 'birthday lady', Rev. Maxine, guitarist, Dwight Pinkney, smiled and strolled down the aisle as he played No Woman No Cry. Later, violinist, Mark Stephenson rippled off the notes to Longing For with flair and precision, although the pitch was too high, and Charmaine Limonius played her guitar, along with Riddim 5, in earning an encore, for which she did To Sir With Love, to bring up the intermission.
STANDING OVATION
Elaine Peart first stunned the audience with a deep speaking voice then bowled them over with a baritone delivery of Unchained Melody, a standing ovation greeting her last held, resounding "me".
Nadine Sutherland wiggled her shoulders and smiled before starting an uptempo version of I Can See Clearly Now, moving easily across the front of the stage. "Unity is the church I grew up in," she said, before doing Many Rivers To Cross, keeping it gender correct by amending it to 'my man left and didn't say why', holding a long final note through strong applause.
Performances also came from Ruddy Thomas, who put on one of the full evening's more extended showings. Dionne Hardy and Ras Mandito delivered Natural Mystic with conviction and nobody was sleeping as Hugh Jay sang Wake Up Everybody. Leo Butterfield went Neil Diamond with September Morn and the screams for Abijah were rewarded with Harder They Come.
An Afro-sporting TC delivered That's Life and Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt closed with the uptempo I'm Alive, clapping and singing along as she smiled, danced and sang, her coloured locks swaying.
