Folk and jazz in the mix for ‘Simply Myrna’
Published:Thursday | March 5, 2020 | 12:00 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
When the curtains are pulled back this Saturday for the milestone 10th staging of the Simply Myrna cabaret showcase at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, among the special guest performers will be the internationally acclaimed Cari-Folk Singers. The group’s presence, conceptualiser and main act, Myrna Hague Bradshaw says, is special.
“The Cari-Folk Singers and Dean Fraser were guests on the very first show in this series. I couldn’t be happier to have them return for our milestone 10th anniversary show. We can expect nothing less than a sparkling exposition of great Jamaican favourites when they take the stage,” Hague Bradshaw, Jamaica’s First Lady of Jazz, said of the vocal and instrumental combo.
Known for their scintillating suite of traditional folk songs from Jamaica and the Caribbean, the Singers relish the opportunity to jazz up their performance.
“This is actually our fourth time performing on this concert, and it is always an absolute joy to do this concert with Myrna. The team is fantastic and very professional, and Myrna is a wonderful person,” Patricia Newland, leader of the Cari-Folk Singers, gushed. She noted that while the group will do their usual well-loved repertoire, the fusion of music forms that comes with this package is exciting.
“We are glad that Myrna mixes up the folk with the jazz, and she will be joining us on one of our folk songs, and that is always delightful. I won’t say which song that is, but it is one of her favourites, and I know that everybody will enjoy it,” Newland told The Gleaner.
MUSICAL EXCELLENCE
The Cari-Folk Singers, their biography states, has a mission to preserve and promote the culture of Jamaica and the Caribbean, and have been doing this for 47 years. A not-for-profit organisation, it comprises over 30 members from all walks of life, who share a love of folk music and are dedicated to achieving and maintaining the highest standard of musical excellence.
With a repertoire of over 350 songs, the Cari-Folk Singers has grown into one of Jamaica’s premier folk groups, showcasing a variety of folk forms inclusive of revival, kumina, dinki mini and mento. The 2002 Silver Musgrave Medal for excellence in music, and gold and silver medals at the 2000 Choir Olympics held in Linz, Austria, are among the group’s main honours. Notably, they followed up the inaugural Olympic success with gold and silver medals at the 2004 Choir Olympics in Bremen, Germany.
Simply Myrna is again under the patronage of Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Hall. Desi Jones serves as musical director, with Len Crooks as executive producer. Part proceeds go towards the Sonny Bradshaw Foundation.