Mickey Hanson, who performed at 'Jazz Classics'. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Michael Reckord, Contributor

'Jazz Classics', Sunday's Jazz in the Garden Concert at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, was a delightful event.

Not only was the evening balmy, but the nearly full moon managed to be directly overhead as the final performer, Tony Gregory, started singing about that heavenly body. Fly Me to the Moon was the first in his playful, patter-filled six-song set. Introduced by the silky-smooth MC Michael Anthony Cuffe as "a youngster" who is celebrating his 50th year in show business, and who spent half his professional life performing in Europe, Gregory certainly looked and acted more like a youngster than a senior citizen.

He also put a lot of energy into his final song, Gypsy Girl, which he dedicated to his wife, who was in the audience. And he was romantic in the numbers sandwiched in between - Misty, When I Fall in Love, I Only Have Eyes For You and Georgia.

Gregory was one of an unusually large number of entertainers on the programme. The number was made that much bigger by the addition of a trio (comprising sax, keyboard and bass) led by Damon Riley, which provided a well-received musical interlude both before the main show and during the intermission.

Looking lovely in near shoulder-length braids and a glittery spaghetti strap top, the multi-tasking Dr. Kathy Brown (keyboard) and her Friends started off the programme with several lively tunes. They included Mission, Brown's own composition, and the Orient-flavoured Quing Wen, a favourite of bass man Sherwayne Thompson. The others in the ensemble were Desi Jones (drums), Seretse Small (guitar) and Djenne Greaves (percussions).

First singer

The first singer for the evening was the classically trained June Thompson-Lawson, who was pleasing but not outstanding. Her first two songs, I'm in the Mood For Love and Send in the Clowns, were straight and unembellished, but she became a little more adventurous and later left the comfort of the stage to communicate one-on-one with members of the audience. Her final item, the beautiful show tune Without a Song, gave her an opportunity to show her full vocal range.

Michael Harris' lively, frequently surprising, energy-packed set of four songs continually drew rounds of applause. His professional, confident delivery of Gin Gee, Lullaby of Birdland, There Was a Boy, and Summer Time belied the fact that Harris was appearing at the Pegasus jazz concert for the first time.

After the intermission it was the turn of trumpeter Mikey Hanson to show off his mastery of his instrument. With the band's dynamic backing he delighted the audience with his versions of Sandu, Autumn Leaves and, especially, Land of Make Believe. The packaging of the last named, which included extended contributions by every instrument on the stage, was one of the highlights of the evening.

Hanson paid special tribute to the internationally known Jamaican trumpeter, Dizzy Reece, who was in the audience. Also in the audience was one of Hanson's early teachers, Iris Whittaker. She stood up to announce that she taught him when he was merely four years old.