Jazz in the Gardens to deliver high notes on Sunday
FOLLOWING A three year absence from the events calendar, Jazz in the Gardens made its spectacular return to The Jamaica Pegasus Gardens on Sunday, October 29, 2023, for a glorious showcase starring legendary soul and reggae singer Tony Gregory; master pianist and vocalist Harold Davis; multi-instrumentalist Dwight Richards; and soulful cabaret sensations Gem Myers and Althea Hewitt.
The show returned by popular demand, as stated by the organisers of the 20-year-old event, and the audience was more than appreciative. They even got a little extra when Tony Gregory called up an audience member to sing with him. It was none other than Queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths.
“Marcia and myself ...we made our first duet together at Studio One in 1964,”Gregory shared with the audience as he urged her to come and sing with him. The audience joined in making the request and the woman who had been newly invested in the Order of Jamaica, relented with a smile. It was a Kodak moment when she took the mic and the two got close, smoothly rolling back the years with a soulful rendition of We Belong Together.
To start 2024 on a high note, the organisers of Jazz in the Gardens will on Sunday, fill The Pegasus with music from some of the best singers in the business, namely Maria Myrie, Rojah, Everton Pesoa, Tammi T, Andre Shepherd, and Sarina. Nancy McLean, banqueting expert and co-organiser of the event, stated, “Classical jazz, though it caters to a very niche audience, will always have its place in the local entertainment landscape, and there is really no other event of its kind.” McLean also added, “There are lots of new talents to be unearthed.” No stranger to the Jazz in the Gardens stage, Maria Myrie possesses a repertoire that encompasses all genres. She names her favourites as contemporary jazz, classical, R&B, reggae, and songs done in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. As a member of the Bare Essentials Band for more than 25 years, Myrie has toured extensively in Europe, the USA, the Caribbean, and South America.
The band represented Jamaica at the African, Caribbean, Pacific Cultural Festival held in the Dominican Republic October 14-21, 2006, and the Shrimp Festival held in Roatan, Honduras, in October 2008. She has performed in cabaret at all the major hotels in Jamaica on the north coast and has captivated many audiences with amazing spunk and clarity.
Trombonist, singer, and music teacher Everton Pessoa was the winner of the 2011 Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Festival Song Competition and was also a finalist in 2016, 2018, and 2021. It was while playing with the late Sonny Bradshaw on the north coast that Pesoa first had the opportunity to display his vocal skills on numerous stages, and he has not looked back since.
MOTIVATED MUSICAL PERFORMER
As for Sarina, she describes herself as “a motivated musical performer who turns ordinary music into extraordinary performances and amazes audiences with new acts”.
Tameika ‘ Tammi T ‘ Moncrieffe started singing harmonies for her older sister in church and branched out into singing professionally when she accepted a gig as lead singer for the Elements Band, a top show band on the north coast hotel circuit in the 1980s. A three-year association with Etana exposed her to the international stage via tours to Ghana, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, and the United States. She has declared that “the sky is the limit”.
Andre Shepherd, a St Thomas native, grew up in a musically blessed family. He began singing regularly in church at the request of his grandparents. His love for music continued to grow during high school at Kingston College, where he was involved in the school’s choir, the drama club, and the music club. He went on to compete in the JCDC schools’music competition where he obtained the national title ‘Most Outstanding Male Soloist’. During this time, he was also a member of a music ministry called, ‘Missionaries of the Poor’, where he has been volunteering as a singer for the past 14 years, doing shows both locally and abroad. As a flexible vocalist, no genre is out of reach. Music is a source of joy that Shepherd enjoys sharing with all who are willing to listen.
“I seek to inspire with the gift of music that God has given to me,” he declared.