Live music at its best from Benjy Myaz and friends

Sunday, November 22, 2009 12:46 AM

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Basil Walters

Friday, June 19, 2009

For singer, musician, producer Benjy Myaz, it has all come full circle, and that is the revival of jam-sessions where musicians perform in small, informal spaces. It was in this setting, he along with friends, gave a celebratory performance at Christopher's Jazz Cafe located inside the Quad in New Kingston, last Thursday.

Myaz. a picture of consistency

Whether on vocals or on the bass guitar, the versatile entertainer was at his best during his stint at the event he hosted a week ago in keeping with the re-emerging trend of live music. Smooth jazz blending with reggae and R&B seldom sounded better.

In casual wear reflecting his laid-back mood, Benjy Myaz was a picture of consistency as he repeatedly provided a texture of easy-listening grooves. To be on the receiving end of his musical styling of old jazz standards like Teach Me Tonight, R&B stuff such as People Make the World Go Round, Bob Marley's Turn Your Light Down Low, Small Axe and Get Up Stand Up, was an experience to cherish.

Tugging at the strings of his favourite guitar, Myaz continued to strike the right chords on The Closer I Get to You and What's Going On. Every now and then the eclectic performer would diversify his musical menu by displaying his vocal efficacy with offerings such as his 1995 reggae cover of Randy Crawford's smash Love Me Higher, via which he broke into the mainstream idiom, Till The End of Time, Love Has Found Its Way, with a few originals like Lovers Paradise and Time thrown in for good measure. His segment in tribute to rocksteady was also appealing and his duets with special female vocalists Leiba and Alisa, with whom he performed Give A Little More Loving and Eternal Love were no less entertaining.

For the patrons, the rendition of Eternal Love was a sneak preview of the single to be out shortly featuring Alisa. The duet will be released by Music Werks Productions. In her own right Alisa enlivened the gig with Stepping Out of Babylon and Vice Versa Love. And so was Leiba in her take of Let's Stay Together.