Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Jazz singer Barbara Walker at the annual 'Ocho Rios Father's Day Jazz Festival' at the Almond Tree Hibiscus Lounge on Sunday. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE 15TH staging of the Jamaica Ocho Rios Jazz festival made room for one of its heirs and its ancestor on Closing Day Jazz at the Almond Tree Garden Hibiscus Lodge, Ocho Rios. So it was that the Ska Revival continued and it was joined by a healthy dose of the blues.
The helping of ska came through the Errol Lee and the Bare Essentials who began with music from the Skatalites and the early Wailers. The band worked their way through Simmer Down, Dizzy Moore's City Blues, Easy Snappin, What a Hard Man fi Dead and My Miss Jamaica.
A significant part of the performance, however, was Errol Lee's orchestration of the bmobile giveaways. Bmobile was this year's main sponsor for the event and took the opportunity to give away phones to fathers who would work for it. The concept of the 'mother who fathered me' would not apply, as dance as they might, the women were only able to come away with notebooks. However,
fathers who showed that they too could be mobile, lyrically and on their legs went home one Nokia happier than they had arrived.
One man who was told to sing two lines from any song particularly delighted the audience. While the Bare Essentials played the ska rhythm for 'My Miss Jamaica' the man, who hails from the United States delivered first 'I shot the sheriff' then 'Exodus, Movement for the people." The audience hooted their approval.
Next up was a double serving of the blues. This first came from the quartet Black Zebra who delivered a blistering set. Black Zebra featured Mark Pritchett and Wayne McGregor on guitar, Dale Brown on bass guitar and Richie Cunningham on drums.
The group began with what Pritchett called a "long term tribute to Muddy Waters". This segment included 'The Blues Had a Baby'. As the set continued, as with many of the other performers for the day, was soaking with sweat. "It's like fire yuh know," said Pritchett after delivering 'You Shook Me'. "I know I'm white and fat but this is ridiculous." His attempt at patois coupled with his accent was quite delightful. The quartet also delivered 'Love is on the Line' and ended with 'Gi Mi Some Lovin'.
The second helping of the blues came from the group host Harry Graham dubbed the "Philadelphia Posse" featuring Byard Lancaster, Randy Lipincott and Barbara Walker. Performing separately and as a group they delivered 'Kind Hearted Woman' (Lipincott), 'Newest Africa' (Lancaster accompanied by Calvin Mitchell) and 'Summertime' (Walker accompanied by Marjorie Whylie). As a group they performed a series of songs including 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' dedicated to the ailing Myrna Hague.
The evening returned to jazz for the end which was fantastically brought about by the Eric Alexander Quartet.
