COORDINATORS of the Guyana Festival 2014 certainly should be applauded for their efforts after they staged a remarkable ‘Night of the Legends’ Saturday night last at the National Stadium.
Michelle ‘Big Red’ King certainly added a certain sizzle to the event
Dancer Muntaz Ali was certainly entertaining
From the opening to the closing of this very reverberating initiative, it was a brilliant fusion of intoxicating Caribbean sound, soul and ‘flava’ that left everyone beaming with delight as legendary artistes took the large gathering down a memory lane that oozed of teenage romance, yesteryear pulsations and star-trimmed memories, dancing upon a moon beam.
So engulfed in the ‘musical memories’ that were emitting from the stage, patrons continued to dance and sing in unison, even when the rains came down, and some used their chairs as umbrellas, not leaving for fear of losing that special feeling unfurled by the ‘melodious galaxy’ that had them entranced.
By the time MC Ron Robinson would have taken the microphones by 21:30 hrs, the crowd was already all hyped and ready for the legends as they performed alongside the Shatki Strings Band.
First to take the stage was legendary and very talented dancer, Muntaz Ali who has been in the performing arts for over fifty years. He quite comfortably executed a medley of Kathack, Soca and other dance genres and was energetically applauded for his efforts.
Next to come was Karen ‘Queen Maceeba’ Bennett who performed one of her very melodious pieces, ‘Haiti Shall Rise Again’ and this was quite fitting for the occasion. But Bennett turned the night sour when she decided to do her calypso selection, ‘Man looking fuh Man’ which drew frowns and murmurs of disapproval from sections of the audience.
Though she infused suggestive dance moves and ‘touched her private parts’ over and over, no amount of gyration and sexually suggestive lyrics could move the audience which heaved a sigh of relief when she left the stage.
With that unpleasant part of the show over, Michelle ‘Big Red’ King certainly took things to the next level when she came on stage with Caribbean Fire as she belted out her popular reggae hit, ‘Cry like the Rain’. Then it was ‘wining time’ as this soca diva rolled her curves and shook her rear as she wowed the audience with ‘Guyanese Wine’. She left the stage to resounding applause.
Johnny Braff slowed things a bit, and smothered the audience with ‘liquid love’ as he delivered with great finesse ‘Same Time, Same Place’, before stirring up sultry tones with ‘It Burns Inside’.
Gordon Benjamin brought hope to broken hearts and soiled romances when he belted out, ‘That Wonderful Sound’ and ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’.
Desmond Atherly delivered a special serving of ‘Brazilian Flava’ when he performed a pulsating piece in the Brazilian genre, before doing the popular ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ which was well received.
Winston Caeser was exciting and truly spicy as he softened onlookers with ‘I Think I’m in Love’ and ‘A flower Named June’. Ravendra Pooran was a mind teaser, and sent a certain cooling on the festive crowd with an Indian selection, and his rendition of ‘Guyana is a Paradise’.
Ceclia Samaroo was scorching with probably the best vocals for the night. She took the audience up gritty mountains, and then made them soar into open valleys, before causing them to soak off their ‘party fever’ in lakes filled with rolling waves of ‘chutney fever’.
The Yoruba Singers Band served up a rich platter of traditional songs, bringing the Guyanese folklore back to life. The crowd was enticed and sent into hysterical laughter when their ‘Sista Anita’ executed, ‘Meh holla Why’, rolling her buxom, mountainous curves.
Ivor Lynch, Carol Graham, J. Lall, Glenn ‘Fluff’ Miller, Sach Persaud and the others were very entertaining, but it was the Trinidad-based Terry Gajraj who sealed the deal for the night.
With experience and great crowd manipulation moves he had the audience on their feet in no time. The crowd wailed in delight, and ladies were taken on stage as one lucky girl challenged him to a ‘Guyanese Wine Down’ and it was clear that he could barely control her undulating hips.
He teased his supporters with sweet lyrics, soca essence and tones associated with the countryside. He had the audience playing with their ‘ding-a-ling’ and screaming their heads off in wild abandon, adding a feverish aura to the occasion.
May left the venue in smiles, hoping that more concerts of this nature will be hosted here regularly.
Written By Alex Wayne