Jimmy Cliff, right, and Dave Stewart on-stage at the 'Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival' in Montego Bay last Saturday. -Noel Thompson PhotoTHE NUMBER of times Jimmy Cliff, one of Jamaica's most talented musicians, has performed on the local stage in recent years can probably be counted on one hand.
On Saturday night, members of the audience at the 'Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival' in Montego Bay were treated to one of these rare performances. All three nights were staged at the Wyndham Rose Hall Resort Cinnamon Hill Ocean Course.
The final night of the three-day jazz and blues festival should be remembered for the great variety in the musical feast provided. On a night that featured reggae, jazz and soul, each artiste added a robustly distinct flavour.
Cliff was not one of the scheduled performers and the reggae icon informed the audience that he was passing through when he was asked to perform and agreed to do so.
Performing alongside guitarist Dave Stewart of the Eurhythmics, Cliff regaled the audience with his distinctive vocals. He selected the haunting The City from his most recent album Fantastic Plastic People, which was produced by Stewart.
Cliff's surprise appearance came shortly after the crowd was winding down from the jazz high created by Monty Alexander on piano. Alexander had been accompanied by Quentin Baxter (drums), Robert Thomas Jr. (hand drums) and Hassan J. J. Wiggin Shaqur (bass).
Angie Stone, who is being dubbed the next 'Queen of Soul' (after Aretha Franklin retires, that is), was the next to take the stage. With her entry, the atmosphere of the festival changed.
From the start of the show, patrons were more relaxed, with almost everyone sitting or lying on the grass of the golf course. However, when Stone arrived on stage, many abandoned their seats and went to stand before the stage where they could catch every word.
Stone came to the stage in a burst of energy with What U Dyin' For. The song, which questions the reasons for suicide, was of particular interest as she followed it up with a request for a moment's silence for the seven astronauts who died when the space shuttle Columbia exploded earlier in the day. "We're all gonna ask God to watch over us and guide us as tomorrow's not promised to anyone," she said.
She followed this up by noting that it is important to enjoy the present. With that she launched into Wish I Didn't Miss You followed by More Than A Woman.
Stone sprinkled light banter between her songs. She spoke of God and the value of the audience. However, it was her potent lyrics in songs such as Visions, Everyday and This Ain't No Way to Live which kept the audience singing along and rocking throughout her performance. Although most of her songs dealt with relationships, she widened her spectrum with the ambiguous Green Grass Vapours. Stone ended her lively performance with Brotha and No More Rain (In This Cloud).
Al Jarreau was the night's final performer and he was well worth waiting for. He took the stage at just a few minutes before 1:00 a.m. and treated them to the blend of jazz, pop and personality which made him into that rare crossover animal.
He exuded an amazing amount of energy which belied his over six decades of life, of which he gladly boasted. "I'll be 63 and I'm doing okay," he told the audience. He went on to point out however, taking a swig of his Gatorade, that "You have to put it (energy) back."
Jarreau also made a dedication to the fallen astronauts. He noted that while he would not be asking for a moment of silence, he would like to dedicate his heart. With that, he spoke a few lines from Mornin' to that effect: "My heart will soar with love that's rare and real my smiling face will feel every cloud then higher still beyond the blue until I know I can like any man reach out my hand and touch the face of GOD."
His performance was filled with scatting and the tendency to talk-sing the most mundane bits of information he wanted to relate to the audience. He also mock threatened them on occasion. "I'll come down there and tear up your ticket stubs," he threatened because they did not know the name of his new album All I Got from which he sang Lost and Found.
The crowd was treated to songs such as Just To Be Loved, Secrets of Love, Distracted and, of course, After All. The crowd seemed to have been waiting for After All. At the end of that song Jarreau said in response to the enthusiasm of the audience, "Ya'll must be some church folk, the way you sing." He ended his performance with a wonderful rendition of Roof Garden.
