By Michael Reckord, Contributor'FRESH OLIVE 2004, The Evening of Music and Dance', staged at the Edna Manley College School of Music on Saturday evening, turned out to be a mixed bag of goodies. The quality of the performances varied as much as the items themselves.
The vocal pot pourri comprised art music, popular songs, gospel, a spiritual and a folk song. Additionally, there was instrumental jazz and a couple of dance items.
Initial indications were that the small audience was in for an amateur night, but the quality of the production took an upward turn when the main performer of the evening, cabaret singer and recording artiste A.J. Brown hit the stage with his usual high energy.
That energy was something that had been missing from the performances up to that time. In fact, there was some question about whether the show would take place at all; it started 50 minutes late.
There were other problems, too. The printed programme came halfway through the show and contained a number of typographical errors. There was no emcee to introduce performers and tie the pieces together. The house lights remained bright most of the time, and were only dimmed after the evening was well advanced. And the stage was not dressed in any way, a fact that worked to the disadvantage of some performers.
Mezzo-soprano, Monica Shakespeare, the founder and presenter of the annual event, explained to The Gleaner in an interview after the show that her producer fell down on the job and she had to do much of the physical production herself, as well as prepare her voice for her own items.
GENESIS
In a programme note, she wrote of the genesis of the production: "My late mother Olive Beckles during her period of illness at the Kingston Public Hospital saw the need for medical equipment and supplies.
"Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity to realize her contribution (and) prior to her passing I gave her a commitment to stage a concert for the contribution. This gave birth to Fresh Olive 2002. It has now become an annual event."
Mrs Shakespeare, a music educator, also said she has consciously sought to include music of several styles and talented young performers on the show. Guests performers change with each production, she added.
From her came the first songs, Pleasing Tales in Dear Romances (Geoffrey Rush), Discomfited Suitor (Brahms) Count Your Blessings (R. Morgan) and Ergiti, amour (Scarlatti).
While, she has a good voice, which is especially pleasing in the lower register, it frequently got constricted in the higher register as, apparently, her breath ran out. (Still, her voice tutor Pauline Forrest Watson, told The Gleaner during her performance that Mrs Shakespeare had shown great improvement).
Following a fair delivery of My Way by baritone Henry Lindo, Gregor Fong Hinds showed graceful if unimaginative moves in a short dance. The slightness of the piece was not helped by the fact that the dancer had to glide around the metal and plastic musical instruments on stage.
Amateur singer Jason Stoddart showed trainable talent with
his songs Lily of the Valley and Someone Loves You, Honey and the Centastage Band, which accompanied most of the show's songs (while Clive Barber accompanied Mrs Shakespeare), demonstrated quite a bit of skill with several jazz and reggae jazz items.
Because of the lateness of the start, the show ran without an intermission, but the items planned for the original second half proved more pleasing than the first. This was largely because A.J. Brown bounced onto the stage and energised everyone.
With his patter, his big smile, his excellent use of the stage and his choice of songs, he lifted the mood of the show tremendously. His songs included Call Me Al, My Father My friend, Dance with My Father, Love People, Wonderful World, Like a Puppet on a String and I've Got to go Back Home.
With all the performers coming back on stage for the finale, What the World Needs Now, the show came to a hand-clapping, audience-sing-along close.
- a mixed bag
