Corve DaCosta – coast to coast ~

Event: Jazz in the Gardens – Ivories in Konversation

MC –  Michael Anthony Cuffe Snr

Featured artists: Harold Davis, O’Zoune, Dr. Kathy Brown, Jon Williams, Christopher McDonald, Andra’e Campbell, Dennis Rushton, AJ Brown, Othniel Lewis

Click here for March’s Review

Jazz in the Gardens was held on Sunday, April 25, 2010. The show celebrated their tenth anniversary with Ivories in Konversation. The event has come full circle in presenting Jamaica’s best Jazz musicians on a stage where they get to showcase their talents and also to show how diverse Jamaica is. Not very often you have events that offer a different package to the dancehall and reggae that the island is known for.

The show got off to a late start but not so late to get the huge crowd angry. This was my second time attending the event and it has grown since the last event in March 2010. With a new stage design, seating arrangements the atmosphere was set for a splendid evening of jazz. The performances were incredible overall. All the performers outdid themselves. I think the idea of having the performers sticking to two pieces each really held the show together. In essence, the audience got the best out of the line up on the show. The performer of the night clearly was Dennis Rushton. I have seen him perform before but I have never seen him this spirited and energized about his performance. Dennis Rushton was the star of the night and the delivered a set that was international. If Jazz in the Gardens had invited an overseas act for the show they would have performed like Dennis Rushton did. He had a wonderful entrance which surprised everyone. He walked up to the stage from the audience playing his accord, entertaining the audience in a way no one else did. The audience was at the edge of their seats and gave him a standing ovation at the end – truly remarkable. If Dennis Rushton performs like this onwards he will have a longer career.

I was most impressed with O’Zoune. He started off very corny but once his rendition of What a friend we have in Jesus was over his performance really picked up. Interestingly, many of the performances had Jamaican influence with many of the acts featuring Jamaican folk pieces turned into Jazz. I wished their wasn’t that much folk. As usual the food was good. I liked that the sponsors got more for their investment this time around. They were visible and not only did they have booths but the patrons went by and accepted their offering. However, for the next Jazz in the Gardens I am suggesting some things. The show can only get better so why not!

The staging for this event was great. However, the lighting wasn’t on par with the quality the show aimed at. Clear Sound delivered on the stage and audio. Something was wrong with the lighting. Lighting should not only be present but they should participate in a production. I know I am weird, but I had a problem with the jokes. It was overbearing at times. Each time someone took the microphone to speak there was an allusion to sex, or a joke in reference to sex. Patrons were there from 6pm to minutes after 10pm I was frustrated -enough of the sexual jokes. We can laugh about something else. The show was good, I enjoyed it and I can speak for the audience Ivories in Konversation was a lovely evening of Jazz.

The next staging of Jazz in the Gardens will feature The Next Generation. The title is interesting already – I can’t wait.

I had to share some moments. Below are two videos I recorded.