Anthea McGibbon

Jamaican-born Canadian Natasha Whyte by her husband during Billy Ocean's performance on Friday night. YUSEF THOMPSON PHOTO.

All the way from Canada, Natasha Whyte came to the Art of Music, this year staged in Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium, Jamaica, as she has been doing since it was formerly known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues, and staged in Montego Bay. Her desire for good music was filled with passionate beats, nor her yearn for strong messages were not disappointed. Even more so as even sweet smooth jazz was among the strokes added in the wide array of tasteful music. She was one of thousands who return every year to the Jazz and Blues fest.  A usual jazz purist she is now converted to a lover of just purely good music.

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Under the open skies, the final three days of jazz were worth more than the monies tendered for the entrance tickets and patrons fell in love with the promoter Walter Elmore, forgiving him for the Dianne Ross incident over two years now.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is elated, as on the first night alone, the attendance evidenced good ticket sales. He also shared good reports from hotels from Lucea to Trelawny.

Elmore managed this year to pull off one an above world-class event of biteful sounds of desired sorts including rock, soul, pop, blues, and of course what the faithful purists came for – jazz, jazz and more jazz. The performing stars on both the main stage and talent stage shun as brightly as those who were visual in their display of art, fashion,  and craft.

The shining grins especially on the final two nights, were telling of patrons’ satisfaction, even despite the few complaints by those who felt robbed of unsung favourite songs by singers like Erykah Badu who changed tunes. Patrons almost seemed unaffected by the biting cold that got even more intense as morning creeped in nearer.

All week long, since Sunday’s launch, patrons had been teased at different spots cross country, from the North coast to Kingston locations as the tapestry of the Art of Music was woven. Particularly, so at the Iberostar hotel, where Maxi Priest and Jon Secada gave standing ovation performances.

YUSEF THOMPSON PHOTO: Jon Secada, right, in a moment with Walter Elmore.

The final three nights of signature performances, made the entire event a sustaining product that will be in demand for a long time to come. It didn’t matter to most that the 14^th staging of the concert, titled The Art of Music is still referred to by some as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival. 2010’s staging offered high quality choices of the best of performing, literary and visual arts.

The main stage was graced with some 15 international bands and performers such as local talent Seretse Small, Dean Fraser, who shun like the international counterparts. There was a talent stage – for exposing not so new and emerging talent from across the world. This smaller stage was plotted in front of  the food court  and near the designated area for visual artists and artisans.

Exquisite pieces of art included ceramics and drums by Philip Supersad, sandals by Bridgette, fashion by TV and radio personality Mutabaruka and Cleopatra, Alpha Art, and a variety of paintings. Painters included Everard Powell, and sketch artists such as Jeffrey Perry captured patrons for a reasonable cost.

The talent stage, though secondary, was set ablaze with first rate performances of brilliance . Those who ignited patrons, leaving them with numbered acts to follow careerwise included Blu Grass In The Sky from Kingston and Nelly Stharre  from Dominica. Led by singer Simon Samuels, Blu Grass In The Sky was convincing of their future with “Set Me Free”, “Johnny Was’, and “I Remember”.

Jamaican attorney for entertainers Lloyd Stanbury has since predicted that with proper direction and guidance, Blu Grass In The Sky will be the next big international stars rising from Jamaica. . He opined that the group  already has a good jazz package of music, personality and appearance.

Mo’Jahrock, and the Chicago-based show band Zzaje also impressed when exposed to the high end audience during breaks from the main stage. Mo’Jahrock, led by renowned jazz guitarist Maurice Gordon featured students of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (School  of Music.)

Signature jazz performers on the main stage were alternated with high performances of other music notes, nightly ending with orgasmic acts.

Thursday night, the heart warmer. Following entrancing  performances  by British songbird Joss Stone, Jamaican jazz pianist Monty Alexander and the too hot to tame Cherine Anderson, Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds continued seducing patrons to worthy applause with favourites like “For the Cool in You”. Then after  raising spirits with “Every time I close my eyes”, the musical genius dutifully tempered spirits with the provocative Never Keepin’ Secrets. To remind patrons of his versality he offered versions of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight”, “Bump ‘n’ Grind”, “Love Me in a Special Way”, before casting spells of his Tender Love album. Riveting and pulling screams from even hoarsed throats he continued to tease with “Tenderoni”, “Can We Talk, Ready or Not”, “My, My, My” and End of the Road. The 10-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter paid tribute to Michael Jackson he described as ‘’ an amazing and beautiful spirit”,’’ was “Gone too soon”.

Afterwards there were other tributes to Bob Marley by Monty Alexander and another to Michael Jackson by the Haitian Jean-Paul Dominique. Others who filled up the night’s pockets were Romaine Virgo and Cherine Anderson.

Friday night was sensational ending with revolutionary Trinidadian Billy Ocean who held persons wondering about the mysticism of his talent at 60 years old to appeal to first rated crowd.

Before him the electrifying line up included R&B’s The Queen Project (Tamia, Deborah Cox and Kelly Price) who exposed their new single “Mirror” together. The three took turns at rendering heart throbbing solo performances before regrouping. Tamia sang of “Stranger In My House”, Cox reiterated with “Nobody’s supposed To Be Here,”  but Kelly offered “Friend of Mine”.

Acts also came from Benji Myaz, Robin Banks, Karen Holness, M’Lonie.

Soca’s prince, Trinidadian Machal Montana for 45 minutes was nothing outside of high energy, he and his associates. After dedicating Don’t you leave me, to Haiti, revealing another direction of his creative juices while he played keyboards. Typical jazz and blues fans were lured away from their loyalties to indulge in carnival influenced moments of quickening soca calypso beats and his gyrating moves and his hits Dance with you and Carnival while he played congos.

It was Erykah Badu who immediately preceded Billy Ocean. She had the second longest slot for the night, but  Erkyah Badu being radical and eccentric did not deliver favourites like Bag Lady and Tyrone according to expectations. Yet her delivery of new creations were pulsating to pull moderate applauses with her messages to empower especially as “The Healer”. She offered her usual eccentric self and unique talents, but a sip at a time. On occasion when the music would have been overpowering, she asked for them to pause that her soulful spoken words could be received with all the power they was being sent in between songs. She cant help it – her style is to imprint her messages, beyond a slight tapping as she showcased a mix of skills, making her own music with her tongues, digital drum machines, and yet new signature dance moves.

Closing headliner who just turned sixty, Leslie Sebastian Charles “Billy Ocean” had the moves of an eighteen year-old agile enough to turn the emotions of even the iciest of hearts, as a true Caribbean national. He literally convinced of the advantage of adding other music forms to the previously Jazz-centred concert, with his and with his pop hits tainted with rhythm and blues. Belting hits such as “Get Outta my dreams and into my car”, he was like a spirit-filled pastor flowing his songs into one continuous message, but seductively bringing the women of the night unto individual platforms designed for two. No matter the numbers of women he flirted with, some melted to tears as the aim of his dance steps, waist rolls and all, deep voice rolling from his silken tongue tantalised them to a point where they felt they were totally alone with him.

In order his delivery included “Mystery Lady”, “The Question’, “The Colour of Love”, “Red Light”, Suddenly, “Get outta my dreams and into My car” ending with “Caribbean Queen”.

Then he gave more than what was expected when he lay prostrate, extending his hands over the stage’s edge to touch as many women he could. He had fun, and the women clamoured for more. A few good men sang and lifted hands in agreement, but were sharply reminded by the seducer that he was strictly singing to the women.

The artistic beauty was in the way members of his team, band members and back up singers were also interactive, showing equal enthusiasm and zest to deliver his songs. It wasn’t jazz, and the sounds were not from far lands abroad, but it was no less jazzy, and fun to watch his saxophonist arch his back and blow in agreement mirroring any passionate.

The night was eccentric and electrifying, satisfying to the last note, but then Saturday promised and delivered more.

Saturday night was no less orgasmic, and was totally directed by the headline performers Seretse Small, Lady Saw, Gladys Knight, Dean Fraser, and ending with Third World.

Third World was a symbol of dynamo power unleashed. When they began to the final note of their performance, it seemed as though they were painting literal notes in the air as they played with the drums of ears.

Playful Bunny who at one point took the stage as a director, back turned to the audience directed a musical interlude which for months after will still have its effects on the backbones of those who were stilled during the electrifying moments.

Third world returned for the Jazz Fest, but delivered more than their brand of music that the world has come to know them as The Reggae Ambassadors. They also were kicking off celebrations of their 37^th year in the music industry.

Numbing minds, and dictating the emotions of their patrons who clamoured in closer, some for just a touch of lead singer’s Bunny’s hand, the group gave riveting performances of favourites such as “Now That We’ve found Love”, which was repeated in performance. A highly intellectual group lyrics wise and deeply cultural, they were even more focused on promoting the culture of their homeland, and above all a culture of love. Hardly any of the favourites were left unsung, as well as new ones were done especially from their newest album Patriots, which is in honour of national heroes.

Some of the artistes shared a few thoughts with the media on the Jazz event now tailored as the art of Music. Trinidad Billy Ocean who is a simple must have annually, especially with his “Caribbean Queen” explained his theory that the inclusion of other music forms  is an advantage to the festival. During an interview, he was deliberate in opining that Jazz alone was not of much appeal among Caribbean nationals.

On the other hand, Third World team welcomed Jazz as another critical art form within the Caribbean. The reggae singers highlighted similarities between reggae and jazz. Both “were dismissed as being negative,” and both started from a group of persons who just wanted to express themselves about what was happening during “their time”. Jazz like Reggae is well loved and appreciated enough to have its own festival, they also reiterated, as they revealed plans to publish a book to honour and promote patriots and culture of Jamaica among children.

While jazz purists argue against the incorporation of new music forms into the dubbed Jazz festival, Walter Elmore again impressed with planned thoughts strategically revealed through the skilled and multiskilled, on the green carpet of  the Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium at Greenfield. Art of Music was this year a full supplement to nature itself through literary, performing and visual expressions.

And the thousands of patrons were the final jots to complete the canvas being put together by a wide variety of creative minds under the open skies.  There were well placed moments of silence for Haiti, and Art of Music is a pleasant part of Jamaica’s history again.

SPONSORS:
Ibostar, Jamaica Tourist Board, Jamrock, Air Jamaica, Flow, Fame, CVM, Gleaner, Half Moon, Riu, Holiday Inn, Miladium, Sunset Beach, Jamaica Pegasus, Courts, Jablum, Hype, RE, 106, Heineken, Klas, RJR, Hype TV.

READ MORE:
Jazzing Walter Elmore Style
Third world celebrates 37 years
Arts in harmony in Jamaica
Hanging with Billy Ocean
Questions for Jon Secada
[En espanol] Una Charla con Jon Secada
Saturday night was the night to remember
What loyal patrons say
Art of music now a timeless event

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air jamaica jazz and blues, art of music, billy ocean, jazz, talent stage, walter elmore