By SEETA PERSAD Saturday, October 10 2009

FOR jazz lovers who may clamour for an encore, or for those who may have missed the magic of “Jazz on D Hill,” The Errol Ince Quintet will be playing at 110 Jazz and Calypso Lounge, Cipero and Robertson streets, San Fernando tomorrow night. Showtime is 7 pm.

According to mas man and producer, Dawad Phillip, keyboardist/arranger Leston Paul’s stunning rendition of Lord Kitchener’s “Pan in A Minor” was, by far, the defining moment of the recently concluded San Fernando Jazz Festival which celebrated the music of Kitchener — Aldwyn Roberts.

“Paul’s show-stopping climax as part of the Ince Quintet’s set took the evening’s proceedings to another level. From the opening act of Lord Superior’s ‘January Girls’ to Ray Holman’s “Pan in Harmony” and the sultry voice of Vaughnette Bigford-Griffiths’ duet with bassist Douglas Redon made Sando Jazz a memorable event,” Phiilip said..

He praised Witco Desperadoes saying the panside is not to be outdone as they gave patrons a flawless set of Kitchener’s ‘music for pan’ atop the scenic plateau of the San Fernando Hill.

The Ince Quintet, accompanied the surprise act of Kernal Roberts who channelled his father’s antics and energy on ‘12 Bar Joan’. Ince and his group features Paul on keyboards; BJ Saunders on bass; Earl Carruth doing saxophone and Vonrick Maynard on drums).

The group will be doing such songs as Quincy Jones’ “Killer Joe”, Jobim’s “Girl from Ipanema”, and Roberts’ “Carnival is Over”. By the end of 1958, Errol Ince Musicmakers had gained a huge following at the popular dance halls nationwide and Ince’s popularity led the top Carnival bandleader of the period, Irwin McWilliams, to sign him up to provide road music for his mas’ band for Carnival 1960 and 1961. By the end of Carnival 1961, Ince went to the UK.

Ince formed the New York incarnation of Errol Ince Musicmakers and as bandleader/arranger collaborated with the likes of The Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Black Stalin, Baron, Melody, Swallow and just about every major calypso star.

Along the way he penned the immortal “Sweet TnT” for young Natasha Wilson and “Sweet Soca Man” for Baron.

Ince has toured extensively as arranger/bandleader with The Mighty Sparrow and has been musical director at several calypso tents during the Trinidad Carnival season and continues to write, arrange and perform worldwide. At 70 he shows no signs of slowing down and Caribbean music is that much better for it.