By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Howard Daley (black suit) leads voice in ‘The Kings Came Calling’.
WESTERN BUREAU:
IF THERE was a spelling error in the title of the penultimate song of 'A Feast of Music's' programme, it was appropriate.
It read Christmas Greetings form the UK and indeed it was a shivering, gloved, accented, amply clad bunch, ready, willing and very able to slaughter the Queen's English, which delivered the hilarious piece at the Temple of Light Church of Religious Science on Sunday evening.
After 'hailing' friends, family and assorted 'baby fathers', the group of adults and two children shivered off into the most wonderfully off-key rendition of Irie Christmas, laughter ringing around the temple as they sang about 'mongrels nipping at your toes' and 'as we dress up inna bashment clothes'.
They ended with a long, held, horrible 'yoooooh' which was mixed with the cheers and howls of the audience, which continued as the group shivered its way off the stage.
EXCELLENT PRODUCTION
'A Feast of Music' with Voice, the Temple's choir, was an excellent two-hour blend of fun and feeling, hosted by Clive Edwards, in observance of Christmas at 4-6 Fairway Avenue, Kingston 10, that balanced choir presentations with solos.
The production started on time and flowed smoothly a brief, makeshift waterfall in one section of the building (which is still in progress) causing a change around in one section of the seating.
With 15 women and six men under the direction of Choir Mistress Prof. Maria Teresa Guerra-Valdez, Voice was in good nick on standards Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Gloria In Excelsis Deo and Carol of The Bells.
The latter was actually
presented twice, as in the first half of the programme it had been done without the input of four little girls. The second time around, after intermission, the chimes blended beautifully with the singing and the quartet accepted well-deserved applause.
SOLO RENDITIONS
There was a healthy serving of solo work with Clive Simpson's bass rumbling into Birthday of a King.
Also in the first half of the programme, Rhonda Lumsden-Lue soloed on Oh Holy Night, the rest of Voice coming in seamlessly with 'fall on your knees' after she had carried the verse well. The song was taken low and slow to end to applause.
Most of the selections were met with applause of varying intensity, the exception being Voice's excerpts from Night of Miracles. The slow, intense song met with appropriate quiet appreciation after the last, low "and shall call his name Emmanuel".
Close to the end of the programme's first half, the mixture of fun and feeling was embodied in Glynne Manley's solo rendition of Gesu Bambino. Her eyes covering the room and her hands in front, waist-high, at first, then going up and up with her voice as she got into the song.
Keeping a measured pace, Manley put feeling into the translation "oh come let us adore him", hitting a high, strong, controlled 'adore' in the final go-round of the chorus, ending with a smile, hands clasped chest high and head inclined to the right.
She accepted the applause for herself and acknowledged accompanist Livingston Burnett on piano.
The first half came to a rousing end with the Hallelujah Chorus.
FUN MOOD
Manley had more fun opening the second half with I Want To Sing In Opera, explaining that it was not really a Christmas song but she felt it appropriate because she was a late bloomer, having started singing with Noel Dexter "only a few years ago".
She captured the fun mood of the song, ending with arms akimbo.
The ladies actually led the way in the second segment, Carol Campbell and Rhonda Lumsden-Lue blending for Bacarole.
Clive Thompson soloed with Shine In Us, returning with Rev. J. Scott and L. Dixon to take turns in leading Voice on We Three Kings. Howard Daley took top billing, physically and vocally, for The Kings Are Calling, rocking to the rhythm of the R&B-flavoured piece as the choir, employing excellent hand movement to indicate the fabled star, as well as the gifts of frankincense and myrrh. His well-modulated voice was rewarded with strong applause.
The trio of 'yard' tunes which ended 'A Feast of Music' began with Carol Campbell cradling an imaginary toddler on She Rock De Baby To Sleep, her traditional outfit indicating the change of pace.
The Christmas Greetings followed and two hours that proved time does fly when your are having fun, ended with a quartet of songs in the Jamiacan Suite, the urgent Run Come Quick bringing the concert to a satisfying end.
