Rory Frankson, friends brought holiday cheer to Hard Rock Cafe
Published:Tuesday | December 26, 2017 | 12:00 AMJanet Silvera
Contemporary classical singer Rory Frankson and his friends tenor David Feare, soprano Marsha K and baritone Orland Bailey, brought a spirit of Christmas to Montego Bay, which was otherwise lacking, entertainment-wise. Tagged 'An Evening with Rory Frankson and Friends', the event which took activities in western Jamaica several notches up over the holidays, was well received by an intimate group of persons who turned out at the Hard Rock Cafe Montego Bay, recently. Frankson promised a night the audience would remember, and David Feare was the first artiste on the roll to deliver on that promise.
Presenting a medley of his favourite Christmas carols, Feare created magic with his rendition of This Christmas, before he was joined in a duet for Some Day at Christmas by Marsha K, and Frankson for The Christmas Song. If Hard Rock had chestnuts, they could easily roast them on the fire that the three ignited during their performance.
Frankson, who actually has an MBA from the University College of the Caribbean, and who could have followed the wrong path, had he not been discovered by Jamaican musicologist Noel Dexter, said he wanted to bring a spirit of Christmas to Montego Bay. "Something I thought was lacking and could become an annual event."
Having taken over the scene in the hotels throughout the island, it would seem as if the entertainer, who was born in the Second City, also wanted to share this pleasure with locals.
Their response, he said, was "wholehearted warmth". They were "happy and excited, and left wanting more", he added.
His friend, Marsha K, the sole female among the three men on the showcase, came prepared to impress. Dressed in the colours of the season, the woman, who walked away with second place in the Digicel Rising Stars competition a few years ago, wore red strapless dress, red pumps and red lipstick.
Her 'fabulousness' was coupled with powerful vocal chords, and she added perfect harmony where needed, bringing total joy to the stage.
Given the opportunity to present her own set, Marsha K did justice to the Clay Aiken, Mary Did You Know, before she was joined by Frankson, who sang the popular children's carol, Away in a Manger. The two did this in a playful mood, pulling for an even more popular Do You Know What I Know, eliciting the audience's participation in clap and singalong.
Orland Bailey then joined the two, as they took the audience down memory lane with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, everyone's favourite, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, closing fittingly with We Wish You A Merry Christmas.
At the end of two hours of excellent renditions, Hard Rock Cafe's Andre Dixon, full of energy and enthusiasm, committed to staging events of this nature at the popular attraction.
"If we create the environment to give Jamaican talent the right type of exposure, this is something we can do on a recurring basis," said Dixon, adding that the world needs to know that Jamaica has world-class talent, "and this was proved" on the night.