To get my pores and the hair on my arms raised when you sing, and evoking an impulsive urge to stand and applaud whenever you sing, means you can really sing and I compare your voice with some of the best I have ever heard. This is the involuntary emotion LeAndra Head stirs in me every time I hear her sing.
It was no different last Saturday night when Head premiered the 2018 series of Women in Jazz, at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain.
To avoid any obvious reaction, I obscurely sat at the back of the venue and was again blown away by the purity and richness of this young woman’s vocal ability.
It was the largest turnout at the Plaza to witness one of these annual, free concerts and not an available seat could be found, not even 45 minutes before the show’s scheduled 8.30 pm beginning.
One of the things that amazes me about Head is that she reminds me of a sculptor, the manner in which she shapes notes, smoothly transitions into descending or ascending octaves and how she creates a mood by simply massaging or sustaining a note.
Head opened her set with Sade’s Sweetest Taboo followed by the time-worn Etta James standard At Last, the selection she sang 14 years ago, at the age of ten, when beat several adult rivals at the WeBeat St James Song Contest.
As her set seemed to hasten by, Head sang Simply Red’s Holding Back the Years, Michael Jackson’s Human Nature, Chris Brown’s Don’t Wake Me Up, Burt Bacharach’s Say a Little Prayer and Patsy Cline’s immortal Crazy.
Head is one of the vocalists with J9, an aggregation led by composer/ keyboardist Jeanine Ruiz and the one backing the very talented vocalist on Saturday night. For a finale, Head rendered Chronnix’s I Can and tried to exit the stage at 9.22 pm. But the audience, now on its feet with a standing ovation, enticed Head to return for a lagnaippe with Voice’s Far From Finished, beautifully arranged by Ruiz.
I totally agree with late television Twelve and Under host Hazel Ward-Redman when she said, on hearing Head sing on her programme many years ago, “Her voice is a gift from God.”
A NEW TALENT CONCEPT IS UNCOVERED
Uncovered Live is happening at Kaiso Blues Cafe, Newtown, courtesy A Millien Concepts, from tomorrow evening. For 2018, the Uncovered series has a live component added to its movement. The event series features up and coming singing talent who specialise in genres like R&B, Pop, Indie, Reggae and Gospel.
Producer A Millien Concepts is a company that designs, produces and supports events and projects in the creative sphere is the entity responsible for hosting the series of six live performance shows to be held at Kaiso Blues Cafe on the followingdates:
Show 1: Saturday, April 14
Show 2: Friday, April 27
Show 3: Friday, May 25
Show 4: Saturday, June 2
Show 5: Sunday, June 24
Show 6: Sunday, July 1
Each of these events will showcase two artistes performing a range of musical selections to compliment their incredible voices.
Tickets are available at $100 per artiste showcase. For more information, contact 462 7931 / 620 1331.
For updates on The Uncovered Series, follow them on Facebook and Instagram at Uncovered TT.
THE UNCOVERED SERIES
Show 1: Saturday, April 14: Takeisha “The VoiceQueen” Huddlin / Aisha Noel
Show 2: Friday, April 27: Daniel Griffith / Janika “Jay Renee” Perez
Show 3: Friday, May 25: Stacey “Kalika B” Baldeen / Keron “KHRSTVN” Ramsey
Show 4: Saturday, June 2: Gregory “Greg B” Burris / Sherville Clarke-Lewis
Show 5: Sunday, June 24: Heather Dickson / Safia Mitchell
Show 6: Sunday, July 1: Sherma “Aisha” Bass / Yasha “Yasha H”
NON STOP LAUGHTER
If you want to laugh till yuh belly buss, or yuh false teeth fallout, then visit the cartoon exhibition put on by Keith “Keithos” Anderson and Nalis before it ends this evening.
Billed as Keithos Returns to Town, the exhibition features comical interpretations of events in Trinbago from 1956-2018.
The exhibition was launched last week Tuesday, and was well attended. Calypsonians Contender (Mark John) and Will B (William Ballantyne), editorial cartoonists in song, brought their A-game with songs Ah Love Meh Country and Love Party respectively.
John Antoine as MC kept a tight programme with addresses by Nalis Executive Director the affable Catherine Romain, and Tony Fraser, journalist and political commentator.
At the launch were many personalities including First Citizens Bank chairman Anthony Smart, guitarist Theron “Terrific” Shaw, oldest female pan pioneer Daisy James Mc Clean, Harold Thompson of Radio 97.1FM, calypso poet Brother Valentino (Emrold Phillip), his lovely wife, former national netballer Peggy Castanada, boxer Michael Paul, rapso artiste Brother Book and Pan Trinbago’s Angela Fox. A great time was had by all in attendance.
STEEL IN MOTION IN SIPARIA
It’s that time of year again when Siparia explodes with the sweet sounds of the National instrument. Diatonic Pan Institute will be staging its Eighth Annual Steel in Motion on Saturday, April 21, beginning at 6 pm.
Steel in Motion is held in collaboration with Siparia Regional Corporation and this year will feature 12 bands. The event is held on the occasion of Siparia fete which is a religious festival held in honour of the patron saint La Divina. In addition, a calypsonian who has contributed significantly to the art form is honoured every year at the festival and veteran Johnny King will be the 2018 honoree. As such, bands are required to perform a religious song and a Johnny King piece.
The route will begin at Diatonic Pan Institute on Mary Street and proceed onto Coora Road and High Street, Siparia. The bands will be judged on their repertoire presentation along the route. The route culminates at Harry’s Furniture Store, where adjudication will take place for the Religious, Johnny King and Dianne Dupre Flag Waving Competition. The Siparia Rhythm Section will close the day’s proceedings after the parade.
Over the years, Steel in Motion has paid tribute to Baron, Crazy, Iwer George, Lord Nelson, Calypso Rose (before her recent national and international recognition), Ronnie Mc Intosh and Black Stalin.
This event continues to attract national and international interest.
STEEL IN MOTION STEELBANDS AND THEIR JOHNNY KING SELECTIONS
1. Arima All Stars Steel Orchestra — Wet Mih Down
2. Blanca 47 — Darling
3. Curepe Pholphonics Steel Orchestra — Wet Mih Down
4. Gonzales Sheikers — Wet Mih Down
5. Harlem Syncopators — Nature;s Plan
6. New Pioneers — Doh Rub Meh
7. San Juan All Stars — Appreciation
8. Scrunters Pan Groove — Ah want it all the time
9. T&T Fire Services — Ah want it all the time
10. Trinidad East Side — Nature;s Plan
11. Uni Stars — Darling
