After a year off, the popular Wine & Jazz night at Woodbrook's Sweet Lime Restaurant is back. Organisers of the event, previously held on the last Thursday of every month, returned with a bang last week Wednesday, complete with all its trimmings. Featured acts on the evening were musicians Roger and Michael Boothman and Francis Prime, and vocalists Laureston Special and Melissa Prescod. "We are back and all my friends came out to play. We decided to take a break, just so that everyone can miss what we had going on," marketing manager, Michael Warmack, said.
He added that, for the reopening of Wine & Jazz, he wanted to deliver the best to their friends. "We called all the musicians who previously played at the event and they all wanted to be a part of this re-launch." Vina Maipo was the wine of choice for the evening, and, as usual, guests got a complimentary glass with a variety of cheeses and crackers. Ace musician and no stranger to the festivities, Michael Boothman, played in the footsteps of his little brother Roger, a keyboardist. Boothman soothed the audience with some instrumentals in the genres of jazz fusion and Latin. He delivered three of his own compositions-Heaven,
Greazy and Rootical (Hi Life).
Melissa Prescod, who sings with Boothman at the Hyatt Regency on a regular basis, joined him. The singer, who has been on the professional musical circuit for the past ten years, offered three items - At Last by Etta James, For the Good Times by Al Green and R Kelly's Step in the Name of Love. Former band leader of Kalyan, and no stranger to the Sweet Lime event, Arthur Marcial, was on fire as usual.
His guitar and warm smile lit up the venue as he played and sang, Mr Magic, On Broadway and The Greatest. H2O Phlo group leader Jason "Fridge" Seecharan and Laureston Special joined forces. They started their set with the 1979 special, Caravan of Love, before switching to Penny for Your Thoughts, and rounding off a much appreciated set with Let's Go Dancing, Stomp, Electric Slide, and a medley of other popular ditties.
Saxophonist Francis Prime rounded off a night of star-studded entertainment, and was later joined by Arthur Marcial and Michael Boothman for a small jam session. Warmack has assured that Wine & Jazz will continue in June, on a date to be announced. Among patrons seen enjoying the evening were US Embassy official Debra Coryat-Patton, Phillipines honorary counsel Dr Marie Advini, her husband Kishore; and, Ate Logo's Antoinette Maund.