Chi-Lites light up Montego Bay - Ebony, LUST give impressive performances
Published:Saturday | May 21, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU: LUST, one of Jamaica's top harmonising quartets - Lukie D, Thrilla U, Singing Melody and Tony Curtis - fed the soul musically and doused the thirst of an audience hungry for entertainment with a difference in Montego Bay.
The pulsating crooners were among a star-studded group of A-listers, including the legendary Rhythm and Blues group Chi-Lites, the indomitable female trio Ebony, a new lioness in town, Nicky Dillon, and the unmistakably talented, Marcus Stewart, who graced the stage at Dream Castle Villa's 'Evening of Elegance', all-white affair at the Seawind Beach Club last Saturday night.
It was firebrand LUST that scorched the temperature of the ocean that played the backdrop, lent warmth to the swimming pool that surrounded the venue and caressed ears by covering some of the greatest music of all time.
The 'brand new' Ebony, immaculately adorned and looking like angels, could do no wrong.
Showing their New Attitude, the trio opened with a medley and ended with Ain't No Stopping Us Now, sending a strong message to the small audience that turned out.
The organisers had pulled from show business' créme de la créme, and Ebony's Connie Edwards came prepared to use her baritone voice to show lovers how easily they could make love while listening to her, the woman who sings alto, Claudette Robinson, sealed the deal by getting you in the mood and the soprano in the group, Marsha Scott-Hines, told you it's time to wake up and start all over again.
Giving the audience something they could feel, Ebony showed they were the real women of soul. Ebony was on a roll, having just returned from a stellar performance at the 'Women of Excellence Award' in Florida.
Their encore song, Gladys Knight's Midnight Train To Georgia, was followed by LUST's creation of a musical love fest.
Singing Melody had the women grappling, Tony Curtis was eye-catching, Lukie D had one woman crawling, and Thriller U thrilled.
Women screamed, the men listened with envy and admiration, while the organisers declared they had hit the right notes.
When the Chicago-based smooth soul vocal quartet the Chil-Lites hit the stage, it was 1 a.m.
The audience was already satiated, but willing to take more from one of the biggest recording groups of all time.
The Chi-Lites were heralded onstage by young, pure-looking lovelies, wearing Dream Castle sashes. Their bright orange outfits contrasted beautifully with the white that emblazoned the area.
Brought on by emcees Jackie Norman and Barry Gordon, the Chi-Lites brought with them, an impressive repertoire, commencing with the 1970s A Letter to Myself, and like an older version of LUST, they were a class act.
Nineteen seventy-three's Stoned Out of my Mind, Hold On to Your Dreams and Toby were only a few of the fantastic songs from the group inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2000.