Jamaica Big Band Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Rain caused a relocation at Morgan's Harbour Hotel, Port Royal, and a two-hour late start to the 'Jazz Week' opening.

But when Don Topping welcomed all just past 6:00 p.m. on Sunday and the Jamaica Big Band, under the direction of saxophonist Dean Fraser in the absence of trumpeter Sonny Bradshaw, struck up the National Anthem, the music made light work of the wait.

The mosquitoes, though, had a fleshy feast.

More than once Fraser's wagging finger, which indicated that soloists should rise and deliver, prodded them back up when they attempted to sit during an excellent set from the band.

Laughter from the musicians before Confucious, as arranged by Bradshaw, induces relaxation and keyboard player Marjorie Whylie's reminder to a late but eventually substantial audience that they were to "feel free to dance" indicated a bit of loosening up was required.

In The Mood was met by cheers, and a pair of trumpeters rose in sequence and then simultaneously to carry the melody soaring before the entire band came in at the end.

Licky licky blues

Majorie Whylie

On the sand, a pair of aqua blue puffy slippers kept nifty time with a dark sneaker on Carry Go Bring Come. Dancehall got a look-in on what Whylie described as "licky licky blues with a wanga gut belly in a dancehall style" and the entire hornline stood to play at the end of their final number, closing on a sustained note that was outlasted by applause.

Keyboard player Dennis Rushton, accompanied by drums, bass and percussions, paused briefly between songs to allow applause, drummer Desi Jones delivering an outstanding solo on the second number. Rushton developed on the melody of the closing Isn't She Lovely, a fluent series of notes poured over an appreciative audience.

Ginetta'sVendetta, with Ginetta's small silver trumpet (that matched the jewellery on her right hand as well as stylish heels), vocals, humour and lively hips on the closing calypso inspired number up front, started out lively. Gina's waist-length hair swung as she danced and turned to the band and her eyes were merry as she said "this beautiful tune I wrote for my first husband, many years and many husbands ago." Gin trumpet and voice, singing "some days love just creeps up on you like a distant thunder." Behind Those Eyes was slower and there were chuckles when she announced that she had adjusted My Funny Valentine to My Funky Valentine. Tropo, written when she was in Trinidad for carnival, was the closing calypso number.

South African Lorraine Klaasen's eyes danced under a red headwrap as she walked out briskly to sing "and I love you so".

Fallen earring

Maurice Gordon on guitar

The lights of Kingston were bright across the harbour and a cool breeze was wafting across the bay, Klaasen putting jiggle into her gluts as she ended. There was laughter when she batted her eyes rapidly, still singing Love Is Strange, as a photographer clicked, and there was a pause for a fallen earring cause, the band keeping the music going on the next number. Klaasen jammed with the lady who came to her rescue, Dean Fraser joining the band on the next song.

"It does things to my I can't say what," she said of his solos.

Klaasen got the audience involved in a call and response on the uptempo traditional song of the lands in South Africa from which the blacks were cleared and transferred to Soweto and closed with an ode to the Jamaican male ("he walks like a samba") to huge applause.

Cheers

Frank Jansen on keyboards and his wife Vallimar Jansen on vocals, along with a cast of Jamaican musicians, closed the first event in the 2007 Gleaner-sponsored Ocho Rios International Jazz Festival, the wife swinging out in purple with the request "let me take you over to Blue's place". She went slow with Summertime and there were cheers when she sang "the people in the West End goin' see some shooting like they never seen before my man and my best friend won't cheat in the West End anymore."

Jansen went gospel to very good effect as she sang "the Lord hears the cry of the poor", her right hand in slow, perpetual motion and the audience stood as requested and did as the song commanded in You Gotta Move, sitting again for the sombre reflection that it "keeps raining all the time" by then the skies were clear.