"GOOD AYERS" AND COVERS APLENTY ON JAZZFEST OPENERThe Gardens of the Pegasus are no strange ground for live music, improvised and otherwise, and the expanded format Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival turned to the tried and true for the staging of its kick-off for 2010. The fare was mostly tried and true as well with pop covers abounding.The band In2Nation opened at 7:20 with "so Amazing, the first in a medley that took in snips of 3rd World's "Reggae Ambassador" Steel Pulse's "Steppin Out" before Norma Brown-Bell took the stage with apologies for the late start.
Nattily dressed in a white suit, Rico Suave belted the opening lines of Lou Rawls' "You're gonna Miss My Lovin" before stepping up to face the audience. He preceded his next tune Ben E King's "I WHo Have Nothing" witha hypothetical plea for the ladies to support those men who are low on funds in this time of recession.
Suave's "Covers Parade" earned its first noticeable 'forward' when he raised Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" and he exited on a higher plane than when he entered.
Noddy Virtue continued the covers trend, opening with Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped" (made famous by Bruce Springsteen) immediately setting the stage alight with his trademark intensity.
He next delivered "breakfast in Bed" and then an original "mistaken Identity"
Fellow Rising Stars alumnus Jodiann Pantry was waiting in the wings, and he called her on to do their hit collaboration, a cover (of course) of Bon Jovi's "Bed of Roses". Pantry was more than up to the task, her voice sounding even more powerful and capable (despite a bit of a Beyonce lilt that appears to have become prominent in her delivery) than during her Rising Stars stint.
Roslyn strated off funky, with Faith Evans' "Mesmerize"before going sultry with "Two Kisses Away". Gave props to Beres hammond ("one of our best male singers -bar none," she said) with "Love Means...." and even the obligatory Marley tune (in this case "Could You Be Loved") was given a high-energy kick by vocalists and band alike.
Sax man Tony Green reprised the earlier-performed "Human Nature" on his instrument
Fausto Papetti's evergreen "Jambalaya" preceded the entry of Harold Davis, who joined Green to deliver the Stylistics' "Stop-Look-Listen to Your Heart" from Green's appropriately titled forthcoming CD, "Covers" and he capped with "Little Red Shoes" the Parker standard that has become something of a signature for Green as well.
Bassist-gutiarist-vocalist Benji Myaz then entered to a cascade of bells, which eventually gave way to his trademark guitar sound and the opening of the hit "Love Will Find A Way" swirling with horn and key breaks, segueing seamlessly into Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On". Scatting through this tune was the first concession made to what was otherwise a full instrumental session.
It deepened with a suitably raucous dub exercise , before Myaz brought topical subject into the mix: Haiti. His "I Feel Your Pain" was written in the early hours of Monday morning and recorded Wednesday of that week. A suitably spare tune, it allowed Myaz to share his compassion and feeling for our neighbours to the east.
A lighter feel ensued with his fluid cover of Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do (You'll Do For Love)" and then went into "My Father, My Friend". Of course, he could not perform in Jamaica without doing "love You Higher" ably supported by Nicholas Laraque on saxophone. The audience was ready to sing along even before he prompted them.
The opening act dressed in white, and veteran vibraphonist Roy Ayers(proudly declaring that he was 69 years old), the headliner, was a visual counterpoint, dressed in full black. He opened with "In Time We Will Be One" a mid-tempo smooth number, with good support from the entire band, but particularly saxophonist ray Gaskins and drummer ...
He followed with the funky "Don't Stop The Feelin'" (with more incendiary sax work from Gaskins) before dedicating his first major hit "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" to those "living in a sunshine environment".
The sultry "Baby You Got It" followed, with vocalist ... putting his superb falsetto to work.
After a brief "Happy Birthday" to one of the band members, Ayers did a couple of tunes from his early CD "Evolution"( including "Top of the world" "Runnin Away" and the title track. On the introspective yet expressive "The third Eye" Ayers expounded in spoken word. .... (popularized by rapper Busta Rhymes as "Put Your Hnds Where My Eyes Can See")saw Ayers taking command unleashing solo after intense solo.
Too intense for a considerable number of patrons, who departed intermittently throughout the set. Those who stayed were richly rewarded by a super performance form a band truly at the top of its funk-pop-r&b instrumental form.
The festival unfolds at various venues over the next several days.
