Mixed reviews on Speyside Jazz show

COREY CONELLY

THERE were mixed reviews from patrons on Saturday night to the Speyside show of the 2023 edition of the Tobago Jazz Experience: The Return.

While many were generally pleased with the performances of the artistes, others felt the event fell somewhat short of expectations.

But almost everyone Newsday interviewed agreed that the ambience, layout and logistical support from staff at the Speyside Recreational Ground, which hosted the event, were exceptional.

“I would give the show a seven out of ten,” Shanelle, a young woman from Trinidad told Newsday.

She said she came to Tobago specifically for the Jazz Experience and was looking forward to “a great time.”

Shanelle said although she enjoyed herself with friends, there were times, during the show when she found herself scrolling through her cellphone.

Another woman noticed that the organisers had contracted more local artistes than in previous years.

“I felt this was a good thing,” she said.

But she still felt the event did not live up to its usual high standard.

“When it was free it used to be better. Now we had to pay and at times I was not even dancing. But for something that people paid for, it had a lot of people. They really came out.”

She said she expected more from Jamaican reggae icon Everton Blender (Everton Dennis Williams), one of the event’s headliners.

“I had a lot of anticipation for Everton Blender but it just was not there in my opinion.”

Other patrons, many of whom were long-standing supporters of the event, expressed similar views.

Blender and his Jamaican counterpart Ritchie Spice (Richell Bonner), in separate performances, closed the six-hour show with songs from their wide collection. But many patrons did not appear to be well-acquainted with several of Blender’s offerings and as a result, the audience did not appear to enjoy segments of his set.

Ritchie Spice, on the other hand, had patrons dancing and singing his songs, during much of his performance.

The penultimate show of the Jazz Experience, the event, which was attended by THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and members of his executive, got off to a slow start but picked up significantly as the evening progressed.

Benjai (Rodney Le Blanc) was among the major artistes performing in the first half of the show.

He began his set with the 2011 hit, Trini, sending patrons, who were already hyped from an earlier performance from KMC (Ken Marlon Charles), into a frenzy. Benjai later sang one of his latest songs, Drive, before performing the popular Phenomenal.

After completing his set, partygoers sought an encore. But this was not to be as organisers stuck to a rigid time schedule for the artistes.

Benjai’s performance paved the way for Brass To The World featuring veteran soca artistes Ronnie McIntosh and SuperBlue (Austin Lyons).

McIntosh reflected briefly on the passing of soca stalwart Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart on March 28, 2022, before singing the late artiste’s hits, Mash Up and Leh Go.

The crowd went wild as they danced and jumped at the front of the stage.

He and SuperBlue then took patrons on a sentimental journey with their songs How It Go Look and Bacchanal Time, respectively.

They kept the pace with Ah Come Back Home, Signal, Fantastic Friday and Ent.

Sekon Sta (Nesta Boxill), fresh from Jamaica Carnival, also delivered a highly-energetic performance to Explainer’s (Winston Henry) classic, Lorraine, and Stalin’s Black Man Feeling To Party, among others.

Earlier, Charlotteville artiste Franz Job, with his song, Don’t Play With Love, launched the concert at around 5.20 pm. He was followed by the energetic Anomaly, who was accompanied by veteran Tobago singer Prince Unique (Jeffrey Thomas).

Violinist Caryl Warner played several tunes, including Olatunji’s 2023 runaway hit Engine Room.

Making up the cast were Gardah Knight (Christopher Joseph) and vocalist Keisha Taylor, who was accompanied by Tony “Pan Jumbie” Williams.

Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd CEO John Arnold said he was very pleased with the show.

“What a showing,” he told Newsday.

“The show was tight. The show was great. People had a ball. People went back in time, nostalgia, reflective. It was great, epic, really, really good.”

Sunday’s international night at the parade grounds of the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, brought the curtain down on this year’s Jazz Experience. The show featured American R&B group Boyz II Men and a slew of local artistes.