JazzBeat warms St James with sweet music

Sweet, nostalgic music serenaded patrons of JazzBeat on June 8 at the St James Amphitheatre, as part of the annual WeBeat programme. The show featured the talents of musical greats like Errol Ince, Leston Paul, Earl Brooks, Pelham Goddard, and members of Roots. The emcee promised that by the end of the show, the half-hour-late start would have been forgiven. He was right—the music more than made up for it, but the show did go quite late. The event got quite a good turnout, even as the festival has seen flagging sponsorship in recent years. During his performance, pannist Earl Brooks appealed for more corporate support for the event, declaring that there was a real need for the festival.

Errol Ince and his band were first up, launching the show with Herbie Hancock’s Maiden Voyage. With harmonic support from Earl Caruth on tenor saxophone, Ince’s trumpet led the way, before each musician took a solo: BJ Saunders on Bass played his instrument like a guitar, plucking and strumming melodiously; Vonrick Maynard on drums, teasingly staggering the beat. They made Girl from Ipanema fresh and elegant, with Ince playing some exciting and unpredictable runs. The band held a mellow grove, while Paul played a thrilling solo, using a tone that simulated voices singing scat notes. The effect was great and the audience went wild for it.

Ince used a mute for Michael Jackson’s Human Nature, then Caruth switched to alto sax to play the lead on for George Benson’s On Broadway, stepping out front to dance to his own groove. The song also featured a fast and funky bass solo. Maynard held a high-stepping beat on Killer Joe, before the band moved on to a set of songs composed or arranged by Paul. This session included Ne Yo’s Do You, Paul’s Decision, Just the Two of Us and Watermellon Man. Goddard and Roots came on after a break, starting things off with Hancock’s Chameleon, featuring sharp horns against a groovy foundation, and a subtle soca swing. They gave a smashing rendition of Spyro Gyra’s Morning Dance; it was sweet and groovy, led by saxophone and with a nice guitar solo.

Vonrick Maynard sang vocals on But Beautiful, before the band played Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing, which they jazzed up with a latin swing. St James boy Goddard played the lead on keyboards, and the song got loud cheers and whoops from the audience. Singer Keishea Stewart made a big splash in a metallic green gown with a daring slit right up the side and lots of blonde tresses. But more than that, her powerful voice demanded the audience’s attention. She sang Bittersweet and Bob Marley’s Waiting in Vain. Goddard dedicated Ray Holman’s Memory of Your Smile to Allyson Hennessey, before the band launched into the second rendition of MJ’s Human Nature of the night.

Patrons might have asked why (why?) they didn’t drop the song, with the programme running late, but it was really a very nice, contemplative arrangement of the hit song. Grover Washington’s Winelight featured Curtis Lewis on alto sax, and Goddard ramajayed on the keys on Clive Zanda’s Fancy Sailor.
The horn section exited the stage and the band was joined by pan legend Earl Brooks. With more than0 50 years in pan he performed with grace and style on his sweetly tuned tenor, providing a wonderful cap to the evening’s session. Their set included standards Summertime, Ophelia and At Last, which was a favourite with the crowd, and featured a lingering keyboard solo by Goddard and delightful trilling notes form Brooks.

The pan icon acknowledged the audience’s applause, saying “allyuh making me feel to play!” He said of the WeBeat festival: “We need this, every year.” He called on corporate citizens to lend their support and saluted festival creator Earl Crosby. Cultural icons Winston Maynard and Mervyn Telfer, honorees for this year’s festival, were recognised earlier on. The music men finished off the night with a version of Pan in A Minor that would have made the Grand Master himself smile and tap his feet. It was an excellent rendition but by that time, minutes to midnight, many audience members had made their way home to their beds. Nonetheless, it had been a great night for music and a highlight of this year’s WeBeat.