Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Singer Luciano received cheers and a request for more at 'Musical Enchantment' with Dwight Richards, held at Stella Maris Prep School Grounds, Shortwood Road, on Sunday.
AS LUCIANO sang We're All In This Thing Together at the Stella Maris playing field, Shortwood Road, St. Andrew, on Sunday evening, a mass of multicoloured half bubbles bobbed high above the grass to converge before him on the stage.
Between the bubbles and the grass were metal poles and happy people, as umbrellas sheltered some of those who remained through the rain, which subdued but did not overcome the 'Musical Enchantment' with Dwight Richards and his very talented pals.
In an evening of short performances, more was demanded of Luciano, even as the evening's compere Norma Brown-Bell was moving the programme along to a 'party time' close with Leroy Sibbles. And he satisfied with Never Give Up My Pride.
DELLA MANLEY
By then the rain which had begun lightly enough as Della Manley sang I Know for the first time in public, became a genuine downpour as Errol Lee hit an Inner Circle Triple. It fell on a greatly reduced audience, as many persons left during the showers.
In fact, the concert started bang on time at 5:00 p.m., as Richards was proud to announce, to far fewer people than the maximum number which eventually turned up.
It may have been a bit prophetic that, under heavy cloud cover, Richards sang that there is something in my heart, like a stream running down to music from the band of Desi Jones on drums, Dale Brown on bass, Chris McDonald and Alex Martin-Blanchet on keyboards and Denver on percussions.
"Let's have some fun," Davis said, as he sat before the keyboard, fingers dancing before he sang love is a never-ending melody. A dancehall music style of Aint No Sunshine, appropriate under gloomy skies and fast approaching dusk, rocked the increasing audience.
Father Alphanso doffed priestly robes and donned African garb to deliver in the tongue of his native Nigeria, the audience cheering him on and clapping as he danced to the music, hands extended and moving rhythmically.
NO VALENTINE
Christine Fisher did her favourite blues number, Trouble In Mind, before ending with the rocking I Take You There. Maria Myrie was spot on as she sang one day I'll fly away, and there was laughter at the end when she wished all happy New Year and merry Christmas. When Myrie said the belated greetings were because her Valentine had left her, she got a flood of offers from the band members.
There were honours for the deceased Patsy Lyn before Della Manley, guitar looking extra large on her small frame, did Bittersweet. With the rain coming on I Know, Manley sang It's OK to a retreating audience. The droplets became real rain as the concert continued with Pessoa's All of Me. The 'Enchanted Evening' was sealed with Sibbles' Party Time and Book of Rules, the singer and bass player rocking the faithful many with the Sattamassagana among his outstanding original rhythms.
