Winston Sill, Gleaner Writer

Anita Baker, headliner for the 14th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival, lived up to expectations as she gave an unforgettable performance.

The festival took place at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium on Friday, January 12, and Baker's performance left thousands of fans in awe and asking for more.

The show started a little after 9:00 p.m., one hour past its scheduled 8:00 p.m. start, after much handclapping from the jampacked gymnasium.

But when Anita hit the stage looking elegant, all was forgotten as cheers went up. And from the moment she began with Mystery, to the end of her performance with Fairy Tales, the crowd went wild, as they sang along, danced and rocked to every song.

Lively rapport

In what was certainly an awesome performance, the eight-time Grammy winner produced a 15-song set which lasted one hour and 15 minutes and included an encore.

The energetic Baker, who danced up a storm, kept a lively rapport with a responsive audience throughout, as she thrilled her fans with favourites like Sweet Love,Been So Long, No One In The World, Same Ole Love, Just Because, How Could You, Rapture, Giving You The Best, Joy and she ended a great performance with Fairy Tales, that left her fans begging for more.

Anita was ably assisted by her backing band and backup singers, Carolyn and Darlene Perry and Paula Halloway.

This Barbados Jazz Festival, a week-long production, was produced by GMR International Tours, headed by Glibert Rowe, in association with the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), and a host of sponsors.

The week started off with Robert Glaspor, pianist and trumpeter, and Terence Blanchard in concert at the Sunbury Plantation house.

Bajan night

Both turned in good performances. Tuesday was dubbed 'Bajan' night as two young Barbadians, David 'Ziggy' Walcott and Hal Linton, put on a great show at Heritage Park Rum Factory.

It was Walcott's opening playing the steel pan which kicked up a storm as he reeled off songs like Mr Rose, Knock Me Off My Feet, and Smile.

When he got to David Rudder's monster hit, Hammer, it was like pandemonium in the park as the large crowd partied along. He closed with Lord Kitchener's Pan In A Minor.

Linton, making his first major public appearance, sang his heart out as he showed versatility with a bit of funk, R & B and spouge.

He sang a number of songs from his CD, including Reality Check,Smile, Hey Love,Shake it off, Supernatural and closed with what is regarded as his big song, Cardiac Arrest, to end an entertaining evening.

Wednesday's show inside the gymnasium featured American R&B singer Macy Gray, and her opening act Marissa Lindsay.

Macy, with her unique voice, was doing well as she reeled off hits from her albums, including Sex-o-matic, Don't Come Around, Psychopath, Get Out, and Oblivion.

Sour note

But things turned sour when Gray started her 1999 monster hit I Try, which won her a Grammy.

During the monologue, Macy went into an expletive-filled tirade, which caused a stir and had the cops rushing backstage. At a post-concert press conference, she apologised to the people of Barbados and the festival promoter, Gilbert Rowe.

The action moved to Farley Hill National Park on Saturday and featured the likes of Stanley Clarke, Arthuro Sandoval and hometown boy Aurturo Tappin.

A group of young Cuban musicians, headed by Trumpeter Yasek Manzano, opened Saturday's concert. Saxophonist Tappin followed and blew up a storm, much to the delight of large crowd.

He played Heaven, Mia Amor, Inside Out, Unfaithful, and Redemption Song with the lovely Rhea on vocals.

Bassist Stanley Clarke followed with a lively set that had fans rocking. Cuban trumpeter Sandoval closed the day's proceedings with some bouncy tunes.

The bumper crowd on the hill for Sunday's show was treated to some good music and they seemed to enjoy themselves as they partied.

Songs, Brazen Bunch, a group out of England, Goapele Najee and Ruben Studdard, closed the festival in jam session style. Studdard sang some old classics, including How can you mend a broken heart and Between the sheets among others to end a good week of jazz.