After an evening of exceptional entertainment, two of reggae's most classic minstrels, John Holt and Freddie McGregor were honoured on Sunday by the community of Fort Lauderdale in Florida for their contribution to the development of reggae music, at Broward Centre for the Performing Arts.

Living up to, nay, surpassing some, if not all expectations, the sold-out black-tie affair with the theme Reggae Symphony, under the patronage of Jamaica's Consul General (south-east USA) Ricardo Allicock, was indeed a showcase of elegance in terms of ambiance and the blending of the pulsating reggae beat with classical strings.

"...Thanks to you John (Holt) and your friend Freddie McGregor for providing our community with this classical music fusion . we love and thank you," after the many whereas in the preamble in the first of two citations in the special tribute on behalf of the South Florida Community to the two iconic reggae troubadours.

Then after the screams of approval subsided, Jamaica's Commissioner Hazel Rogers of the City of Lauderdale Lakes, concluded as she handed Freddie McGregor with his awards, "on this day, Mayor Simon Brown and myself present this tribute on behalf of the Caribbean community to both you and John".

It was like the icing on the cake of this stellar event that the capacity size mature audience consisting primarily of Jamaicans migrants in a frenzy from start to finish. With only two acts, one in each half, satisfying this well supported concert for more then three enthralling hours, Reggae Symphony had the ingredients that make for a souvenir live record collector's dream.

The glitzy event could be seen as a tribute to Harry Mudie, veteran Jamaica record producer now living in Miami. Master of ceremonies, Winston Barnes, reminded those in attendance that Mudie was the first producer who put strings to reggae music and one of those groundbreaking songs was John Holt's Tide Is High.

More such historical notes on reggae were shared by Barnes, the Florida-based Jamaican broadcaster now a council member, and whose brother well known sportscaster Ed Barnes was in the audience.

Coming after introduction of the orchestral outfits of the bandstand including the hometown Reggae Strings ensemble under the direction of Jamaica's Jon Williams, Lloyd Parkes and We the People aggregation whose opening stanza Officially followed by saxophonist extraordinaire Dean Fraser's superb execution of Redemption Song, set the tone for an evening to remember. Not much of the strings was in the musical offering, partly because of the overwhelming nature of the pulsating reggae beat, and apparently some of the songs were less accommodating to the crossover musical fare.

Freddie McGregor, the first of the two headliners, in one of his more memorable stage outings was captivating to the point where he had the stately dressed patrons out of the their seats dancing to his beck and call.

With his mellifluous vocal delivery and stage mobility, the exciting event was transformed from a concert to dancing gig of sorts, as too many of the music enthusiasts were unable to remain seated to his performance of irresistible numbers like Loving Pauper, I Was Born A Winner, Randy, If Want Go You Must Go (If You Want Stay, Come My Way), Push Come to Shove, Prophecy, So Many People Want To See Me Stop Loving You, Big Ship, To Be Is Poor A Crime, that reverberated the packed venue before changing the tempo with two numbers he described as special which touched the packed three-story auditorium emotionally and spiritually. These were Somewhere and Why Me Lord.

After those two songs of reflection, pandemonium broke loose as the opening strain of Let Him Try resonated with the intoxicated audience. Having his welcome extended via a duly requested encore, Freddie McGregor accepted the honour with Love Have Found It's Way and I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely.

At the end of a well measured intermission, John Holt demonstrated the advantage of having an extended catalogue of timeless classics. At first, not enjoying the best of his usually crisp singing voice, and coming after Freddie McGregor's exhilarating first half, John Holt took a little while to settle into his own. But with each song from his vast reservoir of unforgettable gems, his stocks kept soaring, so much so, that if Freddie McGregor had the crowd dancing, then John Holt was the chorister (or choir master) whose tonality and virtuoso magic had them singing along even without any prompting on his part.

John Holt ended on a high casting his magical spell with a string of his irresistible hits Want You To Want Me, Impossible, The Further You Look, Help Me Making through the Night, In The Morning of Life, then he teased in accapella Mr Bojangle, Stick By Me, It May Sound Silly, A Love I Can Feel, Stealing Stealing, Take My Hand, On The Beach, Wear To The Ball, Wildfire (in tribute to the late Dennis Brown with whom he recorded it), Tide Is High and many others before he and Freddie McGregor in combination on a couple of tunes put the lid on things for an event that was a "sell off" in every way.

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