Total harmony at Bring Back the Love 3

Whilst it might appear that digitalisation has both suppressed live musical instrumentation and led the youth away from the musician’s path, there are encouraging signs and statements to the contrary.

One such was made recently at Kingston’s Courtleigh Auditorium during the LDC Productions concert, Bring Back the Love 3. Musical director and drummer Desi Jones marshalled a band that seamlessly blended youth and experience, and which featured Okeil McIntyre on trumpet; Oshane Love on tenor sax; Jones’ son, Joshua, on bass; and young female guitarist Shadeeka ‘Shadz’ Daughma. They were complemented by veteran percussionist Congo Billy; keyboardist Chris McDonald, and a raft of background singers who accompanied the performers.

After a prompt start, emcee Fae Ellington, in her usual effervescent manner, brought on the evening’s first act, the inimitable Pam Hall. She wasted no time getting the capacity audience in the groove with (My Own) Homeland and sailed effortlessly through a diverse array of classic and contemporary songs, including the now-obligatory Perfidia and her contribution to the Children of Babylon movie soundtrack, I Was Born A Woman.

Confidently loping onto the stage, vocalist-keyboardist Harold Davis declared he was Feelin’ Good, the Nina Simone classic with all the gusto to make his opening number a show-stopper. But he was far from done. After making the ladies swoon with Al Jareau’s We’re in This Love Together, his rich baritone powered Jamaican classics such as By the Rivers of Babylon and Bam Bam, then took to the keyboards to deliver the Skatalites’ Something Special.

The evening’s main act, Lorraine Klaasen, began a masterful set with a trip through several of the jazz standards she grew hearing her mother, the late South African legend Thandi Klaasen, perform. The first segment of her set included favourites such as Summertime, Teach Me Tonight, a rollicking All of me, and a rousing Georgia on my Mind.

After a quick wardrobe change, she charged into some Zulu classics, aided by musical partner and guitarist Mongezi Ntaka, himself having previously lived in Jamaica and collaborated with numerous reggae acts.

With the collective memory of the ancestors honoured, it was time to move into a little more contemporary musical territory and Klaasen, in sly fashion, paid tribute to another South African legend, Miriam Makeba, doing the beloved Click Song and its near-obligatory companion, the joyously flirtatious Pata Pata, both of which had the capacity audience rocking in delight.

All the acts united onstage for the rousing curtain call, Jimmy Cliff’s You Can Get it if you Really Want.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com