Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Wayne Armond (centre), Richard McDonald (right) and Seretse Small perform at Warm and Easy at the US embassy on Friday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

It was a fun and relaxing musical experience at Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson's lunch-hour concert, which was held at the United States Embassy, Old Hope Road, St Andrew, on Friday.

Three guitarists - Wayne Armond, Richard McDonald and Seretse Small - were perched on the embassy stairs for their performance. Elevated above everyone, they captivated the audience when they played Bob Marley's Natural Mystic.

After a few roots-reggae selections, they tapped into Shaggy's collection, singing Angel and Boombastic, fully capturing his distinct voice in the performance.

"I just realised that the acoustics in this place is perfect so you will all sound good, just sing along," said Armond, as he played Bob Marley's Rastaman Chant.

The trio went back in time with The Drifters' Under The Boardwalk and Ben E. King's Stand By Me, as the audience provided back-up vocals.

Sole vocalist

At this point, Armond, who was the sole vocalist at the concert, reminisced on his teenage years.

"In the 1960s, you could get any girl you want, just whisper in her ears 'I've got sunshine'," said Wayne as he sang My Girl, by The Temptations.

He followed that with The Shirelles' Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, as he admitted that he sometimes experienced disappointments in his young love life.

When the group returned to the present era with Tarrus Riley's She's Royal, the audience responded with a loud applause. Then, the guitarists were about to end on Kool and The Gang's Cherish, but the audience requested an encore.

The receptive crowd was rewarded with a string of reggae, rocksteady and ska hits from Ken Boothe, Leroy Sibbles, Bob Andy, Desmond Dekker and Peter Tosh.

The concert ended with the trio playing Bob Marley's One Love, after which they received a standing ovation.