Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Before 'Brawta' really began at the Stella Maris Hall, Shortwood Road, St. Andrew, on Friday evening, MC Norma Brown-Bell explained the name of the event, put on by the Jamaica America Friendship Association (JAFA).
She said "the first event was at Devon House East Lawn and it was wet, hence the decision was to give some back".
And the 'Brawta' proved to be a huge, varied serving, with a mixture of horns and voice, keyboards and fashion, a touch of the classical and lover's rock through to uptempo jams.
The instruments were first, Kamla Hamilton swaying as she played the keyboard and picking out the last notes delicately. The saxophone of Tafane and trumpet of Craig joined in on the next song, the saxophone low and fusing with the keyboards and the trumpet coming in to take the high road. With Tafane on her right and Craig on her left, Kamla played and stopped, the horns coming in, the sequence being repeated to the delight of the audience before they ended high and strong.
Passionate performance
Commander John McFarlane said his two songs would be "your introduction to Christmas" and he put expressive hands and good stage movement into Holy, Holy, Holy, holding the final note with his left hand outstretched to the side as he faced the audience. For the second song, McFarlane did not move as much onstage, but still he put passion into the declaration that "most of all I call him saviour".
Carole Reid glided onstage in full red to lead off Let This Be Our Prayer, applause rising from the half-filled hall on her first line, McFarlane taking an individual line and then the pair combining, with Hamilton and Tafane supplying the music, the two voices and two instruments fusing to end.
It was a Christmas run as Kamla, Tafane and Craig went through Silent Night and Silver Bells among other songs, Craig's hand on the muted trumpet producing a quirky sound that thrilled the audience. Reid restrained her volume but was not sparing on the pitch in Oh Holy Night, giving her impressive voice some reign on a final 'divine'. She declared You Raised Me Up, a favourite, and delivered it accordingly.
DiMario McDowell sang To God Be The Glory with Hamilton on piano, asking all to join in with him in the middle of the song, many voices doing so. There was no need to ask for mass accompaniment on My Way, handclaps also a part of the singalong. There was laughter when he took a white handkerchief from his pocket and sobbed theatrically and McDowell increased the audience participation as he came down from the stage and encouraged a few persons to sing 'and did it my way' into the microphone.
Soothing sounds
Boris Gardiner underscored the vintage of his songs as, after he took the audience on a stroll "down lover's lane again", then had them swaying and singing along to Someone Loves You Honey and delivered Love's Been Good To Me. He said that the last song was done in 1969. I Wanna Wake Up With You came from 1986 and was warm like a fresh loaf straight from the oven.
The Saint International models presented fashion before the longest performance of the night from One Third, dressed uniformly in green tops over light blue shirts and blue jeans. They were also uniform in movement, as they stepped up to the uptempo intention of "working my way back to you", then went slow to inform "I'll be right here waiting for you". The squeals and singing along started early and did not stop.
Their harmonies were in excellent nick as they were spot on with the Bee Gees query How Do You Mend a Broken Heart? and got close to the audience as they grouped up to sing the final "you're a beautiful woman" from Homely Girl to one lady at the front.
Their original 'Baby Boo' came before the plea "baby come back" and they announced dancing time before hitting Africa, waving a uniform goodbye. They were demanded to return and they went slow to inform "the reason is you" before there was more of Saint International at JAFA's 'Brawta'.
