A special performance from 'Twin Double: The Art of Two'
Published:Sunday | June 10, 2018 | 12:00 AMMarcia Rowe/Gleaner Writer
The penultimate show of the week-long Ocho Rios Jazz Festival was another illustration that Kingston is in fact worthy of being one of UNESCO's designated Creative Cities of Music.
Held in corroboration with The Jamaica Music Museum, the historic institute of Jamaica Lecture Hall was the perfect setting for Twin Double: The Art of Two.
The performers - Stephen Scott and Marjorie Whylie on piano; Curtis Lundy on bass viol and Myrna Hague on vocal - permeated the historic venue with sounds best described as cascading waterfall with varied degrees of intensity.
The first segment of the two-part programme was delivered by the Jamaicans - Hague and Whylie. Both have performed together on many occasions, but rarely for a full set. But that was not evident as they worked in tandem performing first the slow tempo Who Can I Turn to, before going up a notch with That's Life.
A sleuth of Cole Porter's compositions were preceded by Hague telling the audience that by her finding meaning in the songs she performs, it makes it meaningful for the audience. This was specially illustrated in the social commentary Streets of Kingston.
"I had an audience, so apart from the love songs and so on there are some important social issues. It was an opportunity that I couldn't miss - to sing something serious other than just the love songs." Hague told The Gleaner.
MUSIC OF LIFE
After the intermission, the two Americans, Scott and Lundy, picked up the baton and delivered their set with a mesmerising display of skill and passion. For Lundy, jazz is the music of life. "The freedom of expression that I have when I play jazz is like no other music, so that's why jazz's for me." Meanwhile, Scott said jazz chose him.
Specially formed for the concert, they were performing as a duo for the first time. Their passion and love for the genre shone like unbridled joy in their execution of jazz standards by black composers such as Duke Ellington (In a sentimental Mood), Sonny Rollins (Strode Rode) and Thelonious Monk (In Walked Bud).
And so concluded an evening of fine entertainment, but alas, only a small number was on hand for the experience.
Herbie Miller of the Jamaica Music Museum, and one of the organisers, was, however, hopeful. "The turnout was encouraging. The ides of doing these things is to continue; do not give up, it will eventually attract people."