The spattering of impatient handclaps that came just before the National Anthem was announced at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Sunday evening were reversed in emotion and amplified tremendously throughout 'Musical Adventure'.
Guide for the voyage into music for the Church of the Good Shepherd charities was Aggrey Irons, who declared himself "an RC. See how yu bad? I am an RC. Radical Catholic. Fool you again".
The 12-minute late start was quickly forgotten as the Dwight Pinkney Band, with Jasmine on vocals, delivered Perfidia, voice and guitar blending on parts of How Could I Live.
Paula Robinson stretched out a long left arm as she held "lady" in The Power of Love and Velia Espeut's unamplified voice carried past the bulk of the seated, three-quarter capacity audience to the back as she started singing into an uncooperative microphone. She stayed on the stage for the uptempo Let's Stay Together and came off to encourage "laugh with me" on The Greatest Love of All. Espeut was back on the stage for Lean on Me, encouraging all to hold hands before singing her way off-stage. The musical exit came twice, as she was called upon by Irons to take a bow, the last powerful "me" coming half-way down the short flight of steps.
Handclaps
Some patrons could not contain their excitement and rose to their feet during several sets at Musical Adventure IV, held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Sunday, May 20. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
The fingers of Nicky OJ's right hand twinkled and his leg twitched as he asked "save a little for me", spontaneous handclaps accompanying the song.
When he asked for all the married men to say "I" the initial response was weak, the similarly hitched ladies merrily saying "oh yes". And when he delivered Frank Sinatra's I Love My Wife, asking the men "help me man" to complete the chorus, there was near silence.
With coaxing, there was a more respectable response.
Trapped came with a mid-air split, many a twirl and a leap off-stage, the visual distracting from
sometimes shaky vocals. The red jacket came off to show a body-fitting red shirt as he took to the floor to dance on I Feel Good and the house erupted when he wiggled, walked and warbled Cindy Lauper's segment in We Are The World, Nicky OJ leading a choir of voices on the chorus.
One Third walked in single file on stage to the Real Rock rhythm, going old school with My Girl and ending Please Forgive Me on a high note. Their originals, You're So Fine and the request "we no want fe light no more candle on the corner" preceded a closing medley that included Half-Way Tree and ended with them lifting legs rapidly and in unison well on Top a Tings, the cheers going up with their knee lifts.
Trumpet
Ken Boothe
A blast of a horn from the rear of the room answered Irons query as to who was first up after the break,
Dwight Richards playing his way to the stage, his trumpet at times angled to the roof to play strong and at others pointed down for a personalised tootle. On stage he delivered with voice and trumpet, Nice Time, 54-46 and Feel Like Jumping coming as the trumpet glistened in one hand. You Raised Me Up was delivered with soul and then the legs flew as many stood for searing ska, including Carry Go Bring Come, This Little Light of Mine and Wash Wash, Richards wrapping up with Amen.
Karen Smith, a smile on her lips and sometimes a hand on a hip, mused on matters now that "Mack is back in town." Stay With You was given reggae treatment, guitarist Pinkney getting a hug, and harmony filled the house as the audience joined in on Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Smith closing her short set with a palm pressed against her chest and then raised to the roof.
Ken Boothe's white jacket slid down the railing of the stage steps as he removed the confinement midway his twinkle-toed, twirling, leaping set, opening with Freedom Street. Silver Words, Artibella and Train is Coming were often anchored with a sung Praise the Lord and a gospel offering came before he swung into the concert-closing run of songs, including The Girl I Left Behind and Puppet on a String, before he led the audience chorale into one last effort on Everything I Own.
