Diana Ross rules the night By Vashty Maharaj Sunday, April 27 2008
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Peabo Bryson . . . captured hearts with his ballads...
SHE CAME, she sang and she conquered. All over again. But this time she was able to do her full one hour presentation, complete with dramatic costume changes and the assurance that Tobago was “her house” and she was going to live it up right here, right now.
Lady Diana Ross, the diva of divas, captured the hearts of the more than 9,000 strong audience at the Plymouth Jazz Festival on Friday night with a seemingly effortless performance as she segued from hit to hit to hit, much to the delight of the crowd that had surged to their feet the moment she made her dramatic entrance on the Tobago stage.
Included in that crowd were the likes of President George Maxwell Richards, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife, Local Government Minister Hazel Manning and, most noteworthy given his recent fallout with Mr Manning, Diego Martin West MP Keith Rowley.
There were claims by some in the VIP section that Dr Rowley was shunned by some of his Cabinet colleagues there that night, but the MP made his presence known as he was seen laughing and chatting and glad-handing patrons at the front of the VIP section and in full view of the media. Dr Rowley charmingly (really!) declined to speak to the media but said he was “feeling fine”.
It is doubtful whether Prime Minister Manning and Dr Rowley encountered each other at any point since the PM and most of his Cabinet colleagues and THA members were in a VVIP section located at the back and above the general admission section. It was near impossible to see those who were in that section and photographers were denied the opportunity to take any pictures of the elected people’s representatives.
It was suggested, though, that they had the worst seats in the house since one would have needed binoculars to properly appreciate the show from that position. Some ministers may have agreed as the likes of Colm Imbert and Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira were seen enjoying the ambience of the regular VIP section. Minister Tesheira in particular seems to have had a ball.
But even though the movers and shakers were out and about, lively with drink and bonhomie, the night truly belonged to Diana Ross. At the Plymouth Jazz Festival in 2007 the predictably unpredictable songstress sought the sympathy and raised the ire of her audience when she told them that she had been asked to cut short her performance. A stunned and bewildered crowd was then left with the departing notes of “I Will Survive” as the woman they had all come to see left the stage in a true diva-like huff. She returned triumphant to Plymouth this year, starting her performance with her signature opening number “I’m Coming Out” and easily moved into hits from her Motown days including “Baby Love” and “Stop In the Name of Love”. From there it was a move into hit upon hit including “The Theme From Mahogany”, “It’s My House”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and ending with her closing number “I Will Survive”.
There were those last year who said that when she was forced to cut short her performance she was denied the chance to appear in the national colours of red, white and black to show her appreciation for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Whether this was true or not the international icon did make three costume changes from a vibrant red, flamenco style costume to a stunning besparkled white number and then a glitzy black. number.
But Ms Ross was not the only artiste of the night who stirred the 9,000 plus audience members, the highest recorded on a Friday night in the four years of the jazz festival, according to organisers.
James Ingram crooned his way into the hearts of the audience as he presented his hits including “100 Ways”, “Just Once”, “The Music Never Ends,” “I Don’t Have the Heart” and many others. Ingram’s voice was as strong as ever, his passionate tones as rich and vibrant as ever. It is no wonder that his hits continue to be played over and over again on local and international radio stations. His music will never end. Ingram, the only artiste of the night to agree to speak to the local and international media gathered for the event, said that he had enjoyed his time in Tobago and was ready to come back whenever he was called. He described Tobago as “da bomb”.
Peabo Bryson, looking stunning in a white suit, captured the hearts of the ladies with his many hits, beginning with “Can You Stop the Rain” and including his international charting “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)” which he originally sang with Regina Belle.
But if there was a man of the night it was Diana Ross’ longtime pal, Smokey Robinson who had the crowd in the palm of his hands as he presented his amazing body of work. Looking spiffy in a pale blue suit, complete with ruffled shirt, the 68-year old artiste spent about an hour on stage, seemingly as in love with his audience as they were with him.
Audience members sang along with most of his hits and he at times gave them free rein as they sang entire lines of hits like “Tears of a Clown” and his enduring hit “Cruisin’” which even the youngest members of the audience seemed to know well enough to sing along to. Smokey smoked up the night and he may remember this one as fondly as his audience will.
Kes the Band closed the night on a high note, although, as last year, most audience members chose to leave after the final foreign act. It was their loss. Giving a high-energy performance worthy of any international stage, Kes and Nadia Batson and band sang their hearts out for “the true Trinbagonians” who had stayed behind.
And the band took the opportunity to show their versatility when they put down a truly remarkable cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” accompanied by Kes’ mom and another soprano. The local band did the country proud on Friday night.
