Chicago-based Blues singer Zora Young delivers a stirring performance at 'Blues On The Green' held on the East Lawn, Devon House, Hope Road on Friday, February 23. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
On Friday night there was blue in the balloon arrangements and lots of blues from the closing performer, Zora Young, at the United States Embassy's Blues on the Green on the lawns of Devon House.
However, with the music and the refreshment free, not many persons would have been feeling blue despite substandard sound quality in the first segment, which improved significantly after the break.
But it was rockers in the early going, as saxophonist Dean Fraser delivered None a Jah Jah Children, switching to a smaller saxophone for more musical elation. After facing bass player Gibby as they jammed together, Fraser literally carried the beat over to percussionist Denver Smith, walking to him and playing and handing over lead duties.
Homage was paid to Marley with Small Axe, Maurice Gordon on guitar, Othneil Lewis on keyboard, Tony Ruption on drums keeping the beat going as Fraser switched saxes for Africa Unite. The first lines of Redemption Song were met with cheers, Fraser bending over and going high on 'none'. A handclap got the beat going faster, the musician getting into his audience as he came off the stage to blow them away from closer range.
What an act
"What an opening act!" MC Fae Ellington commented over the cheers, as Gibby handed over bass duties to Dwayne Livingstone.
AJ Brown enquired, "Does anyone wanna go waltzing in the garden?", opening with Al Jarreau's Roof Garden, asking "can I get some vibe", and starting a handclap that was picked up by the audience, but soon stopped. He went slower with I Got A Woman and into the blues of BB King with The Thrill Is Gone, Gordon's electric guitar solo followed by a run on the keyboards by Lewis. The reggae rockers of Brown's original My Father My Friend got a yard style 'puuul up'.
Brown asked again for a vibe on George Benson's On Broadway, but there was no need for that request as hedelivered Andrea Bocelli's Con Te Partiro, the cheers drowning out the sounds of the late evening traffic.
The momentum continued through My Girl, Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and Blueberry Hill, Brown taking out a handkerchief and mopping his face repeatedly as he growled a part of Wonderful World.
Special dedication
Patrons rise to their feet during 'Blues On The Green'.
The Maurice Gordon Group slipped out of support band role after intermission to stand on their own, Gordon leaping in place to land as their first number ended on a strong note. Raggamuffin Blues went rockers and Gordon dedicated The Magic In You to the three ladies in his life, his mother, wife and daughter, walking in a semicircle on stage at one point as he played, guitar to the fore.
Tony Ruption stood to make the drum tucked under his left arm speak, Lewis taking the high ground in the conversation on Jackie Mittoo's Drum Song.
Zora Young started her 40-minute closing performance at 9:35 p.m., Gibby back on bass, with a merry trip 'down to the cross-roads', shaking a leg as Gordon played and looked at her intently. His solos featured heavily as Young requested 'rock me baby, rock me all night long'. "Any of you got girlfriends you can't get rid of? Hanging out in the house, especially when your man is around?" she asked the women in the audience, demanding in song 'girlfriend, leave my man alone'. There was, however, little response to her request for a wave of hands.
However, later when Young asked "you still with me?" there was a strong 'yeah', the equivalent 'no' coming when she asked "you bored?"
"How Blue Can You Get?" she enquired, asking Gordon to 'play it again' at the end of his opening solo. Her invitation for all to get up and dance on her closing expression of love was not met. However, after she was called back for an encore many people were leaving, some who had already left their seats stood through Zora Young's closing song.
