Phase II hosts Love in D'Village

IT was billed as Love in D’Village and indeed, the event lived up to its name, as love for sweet jazz music from ace pannist and arranger Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, top Barbadian saxophonist Romaro Greaves and world-renowned trumpeter Etienne Charles filled the air at the HADCO Phase II Pan Theatre in Woodbrook on February 19.

Jazz aficionados who came out in full for a lovely evening of cool jazz were fully entertained.

The live entertainment started with Boogsie, Greaves and Charles getting together to deliver jazzy versions of Sugar Bum Bum (Aldwyn “Kitchener” Roberts), Meh Lover (Robert Nelson) and Mas Que Nada (Sergio Mendes).

The Chuckarees, Johann on tenor pan and Johanna on piano, followed with Summertime (Ella Fitzgerald), Beat Pan (Kitchener) and Yo La Vida Es Un Carnaval (Celia Cruz).

Johann went side stage for his sister to play a lovely version of Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez's Raze before he did Sweet and Loco (Nailah Blackman).

Team Chuckaree went on to play Dear Promoter (Kees Dieffenthaller/Aaron “Voice” St Louis), then closed with the delightful playing of Savannah Grass (Kees Dieffenthaller).

HADCO Phase II with Boogsie was then joined by the grand dame of TT jazz music, Mavis John, who had patrons swaying in their chairs to Morena Osha/Quantanamera (Andre Tanker/Trini Lopez) and The Carnival is Over (Kitchener).

As John exited the stage, Charles joined Phase II for Sans Humanitay, after which he told the audience that his parents and him cut their musical eye teeth in that panyard which he described as an institution of learning.

Charles then called Miami-based vocalist Roger George on stage to perform Dingolay, in tribute of the man responsible for the song, the late Winston “Shadow" Bailey.

The band, now with Charles, Greaves and Boogsie mesmerised the crowd with Lovely Day (Bill Withers), after which they closed the live entertainment with Savannah Grass.

At the end of the show the crowd waited around for the band to play its Panorama song before making its way out of the panyard, fully satisfied with fabulous evening of entertainment.