Harold Davis (left) and Andrew Lawrence serenading the audience. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

"What a concert!" The joyful exclamation came from the ebullient Fae Ellington, emcee of Stars in Concert IV, an annual production of Christ Church, Vineyard Town. Her enthusiasm, which was shared by the large audience in the University of the West Indies' Assembly Hall on Sunday evening, might have nevertheless seemed premature as, at the time, the show was only halfway through.

Still, the feeling was understandable, for even at that early stage, no less than 12 superb solo artistes had already performed - this in addition to the excellent accompanying band led by Harold Davis. The act which directly evoked Ellington's exclamation was a male trio comprising Davis, Dimario McDowell and Rory Baugh "hamming up" but still singing pleasurably the Frank Sinatra hit, My Way.

Special delight

Among the others who had entertained was Carole Reid, soprano, the organiser of the concert series. Her emotionally charged duet with Baugh, Our Prayer, was a special delight.

After them came Tafani, who, the emcee stated, had "toured the world" with his saxophone, playing a mellow Nora Jones hit, Don't Know Why; Craige 'Trumpy' Henry, a former Alpha Boys' Home player and current Jamaica Big Band trumpeter, playing a jazzy Never Gonna Dance Again; the rich-voiced, animated Andrew Lawrence singing L Is For The Way You Look At Me; and Maria Myrie, who started out in show business as an actress and is now "a much sought-after voice, singing and dancing Inseparable all by herself". But then she teamed up with Davis to do a touching Sometimes When We Touch.

Next onstage was Jodi Ho Lung, who also started her show career as an actress, singing in her dramatic, Barbra Streisand-style Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Ellington's performance

In between these numbers, Ellington not only entertained with anecdotes and witty remarks, she also danced around her microphone and reminded those who didn't know that she has a good singing voice. This she proved with a verse of the folk song, Yellow Yam.

The big event of the first half, though, and arguably of the evening, was the introduction of a wonderful new singer to Kingston audiences. She went onstage without introduction, walking beside the singer who had been announced, the popular Karen Smith.

It was after the two had sung together I Want To Know What Love Is, and the audience had heard what a wonderful, perfectly controlled voice the young woman possessed that Ellington revealed the girl was Smith's 14-year-old daughter, Courtni.

After the duet, Ellington shooed Karen offstage and left Courtni to sing solo Take My Love. From the back of the hall, her mother and Reid hugged each other and, with big smiles on their faces, watched Courtni's amazingly mature performance. She was rewarded with enthusiastic applause, while Ellington commented, "She couldn't escape (her talent) for her father is a musician, too."

Minutes later, when The Gleaner asked about her career plans, Courtni replied, "I'd like to be a singer, but I'm also interested in law."

Part Two of the programme began with master musician Jon Williams playing a spirit-boosting medley of folk tunes on his electric violin. He then called his frequent musical partner Paulette Bellamy to accompany him (also on violin). Together they played their compilation of tunes they call Music Through the Ages. The delicious medley included pop and classical music, hymns, folk tunes, show tunes and opera.

Feet-shaking time

There were other newcomers in the second half. Seretse Small was one, and he caused many in the audience to reveal their ages, when they started dancing and singing to his decades-old tunes, including the Bill Haley and the Comets' hit of half a century ago, Rock Around the Clock, and the more recent My Girl, and That's What Friends Are For.

Winding up the show - after Lawrence, Reid, McDowell, Smith and Courtni had performed again - was saxophonist extraordinaire, Dean Fraser. After enchanting the audience with Dance With My Father and a Christmas medley, Fraser led the audience in singing the Paul Simon hit, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.

Marley songs Don't Worry and One Love, the final items, involved the instruments and voices of most of the performers. The last few minutes before 11 p.m. saw them onstage together having a wonderful time, one shared by the audience heading towards the doors.

Karen Smith kisses daughter Courtni after they performed together.

Seretse Small was animated on guitars.

Jodi Ho Lung was part of the entertaining line-up at 'Stars In Concert', held at the University of the West Indies Assembly Hall on Sunday evening.