Surprise guests light up Tappin's show

GARY CARDINEZ

SAXOPHONIST Arturo Tappin played to two sold-out audiences last Friday at Kaiso Blues Cafe, Wrightson Road in Port of Spain, where his performances were well received, with his guests all adding something extra in a show called The Many Moods of Arturo Tappin.

Tappin surprised everyone with previously unannounced performers who played solo as well as duets with him.

The first big surprise was singer Charmaine Forde, whom Tappin brought up from the front row of the audience. Forde delivered a sterling version of The Prayer and received a standing ovation.

As the next guest got into her performance, the audience never knew she had just come all the way from China. Violinist Inge Schuler never showed any signs of jet lag after her long trip. She also received a standing ovation after her performance with Tappin.

Perched on the bar, pannist Dane Gulston surprised everyone as he started playing. He did several songs from that position before moving onstage to play alongside Tappin. And once again the audience was delighted.

Adrian Philbert also came on stage and delivered I am I Said and had a massive chorus.

The entire mood of the audience changed when Tappin started playing calypsoes. Kaiso Blues Cafe became a party hall as he played Hello, Ah Feeling (Till the Rum Done), Long Time and We Jamming Still.

Everyone in the audience was singing at the top of their voices, in unison.

He was then joined onstage by both Gulston and Schuler and their performance of Old Lady Walk a Mile and A Half had the audience singing and dancing. When Tappin announced the end, the audience did not let him go, and MC Allan the Entertainer made sure the band came back and continued playing.