Concert Gems sparkle at Alhambra Inn
published: Thursday | May 8, 2008

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

David Reid (right), producer/conductor, directs members of the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company during The Sounds of Music concert, at Alhambra Inn on Sunday, March 9. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Sunday's instalment of the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company's (JMTC) 2008 Sounds of Music concert series was entitled Concert Gems and, without the gloss of amplification, it duly shone before a near full seated, appreciative house at the Alhambra Inn.

From the lilies floating in huge old sugar plantation coppers to an old gas station air pump, the sounds of water complementing the echo of shoes on a small wooden bridge, the Tucker Avenue, St Andrew inn of the 'ye olde' type is perfect for a classy concert of the classics.

And the music, as well as the delivery, in the hall on Sunday evening fit the bill, Livingston Burnett live on the piano and Jon Williams courtesy of a CD, providing the music.

Happy audience

Of course, the gems, some 19 of them, were not all flawless, but Matthew McKenzie's lyrical amnesia on My Way, the second song on the programme, was compensated for by an audience which sang happily away.

Doug Bennett, producer of the concert, the evening's host and also a performer, spoke of an early teacher who said "Douglas, if you forget the lyrics, don't worry. Wait, they will come back to you. And who knows, the audience may join in".

McKenzie lost no carats, though, as in the second half of the programme, he did half of an excellent rendition of I Hate You, Then I Love You, the other half of the tale of flip-flopping love taken by Aisha Ricketts, the pair utilising dramatic body movements excellently and ending with fingers entwined.

Gis'elle Jones also had a less than stellar first outing, the relative dullness of her delivery of Home caused by the low volume of her voice at points.

As did the rest of Concert Gems, the fare and style of singing varying from Peter Haley's muttering, stalking and frustrated head-scratching on A Hymn to Him (there were knowing chuckles from the mostly female audience when Haley informed all "men are so honest") to Aisha Ricketts' emotion-packed Don't Cry For Me Argentina, her voice filling the room, her elegant hand movements helping to convey the song's feeling of loss and her expression, at times, appearing to be on the verge of tears.

Then there was Bennett's standing, appropriately, nearly still for Still as the Night, allowing his voice to roll without much movement. He later showed his humorous capabilities on The Mermaid Song.

Stephanie Hazle, who opened the evening, was McKenzie's other partner on the programme with A Whole New World, the chemistry between them not as explosive as when McKenzie teamed up with Ricketts, but still very much a factor.

Second segment

And naturally, there were moments when the individual concert gems dazzled; Jodi HoLung's eyes flashing as she sang I Could have Danced All Night and tripped merrily through the light-hearted The Simple Joys of Maidenhood, the latter starting the concert's second segment.

This was after Ana Strachan ended the first with Meadowlark, her left hand rising with her voice as she sang Fly Away close to the end. Her second stint, with I Hate Music, gave Strachan the opportunity to explore the funny bone, which she did to very good effect.

Cecil Cooper, who had done Without a Song in the early going, was spectacular with Gethsename - I Only Want To Say, the second of three on a trot from Lord Lloyd Weber to close.

The rousing delivery was a hard act to follow, but Ricketts was up to the task as Concert Gems had a change of mood to the popular, pathos-filled Memory from CATS. She covered a nagging cough well and, at the end, gave a quick smile for an appreciative audience.