EVEN before they were announced winners of the Jamaica Best School Band (JBSB) competition last Sunday, celebrations for Seaforth High School erupted  inside  Vera   Moody  Concert  Hall at  the  Edna Manley  College  of the  Visual  and Performing  Arts in St Andrew.

The  St  Thomas school (which did compete under a moniker) was  unstoppable  during  the  grand final with superb  stage  craft  and  an energetic  performance  led by singer Sajay  Smith. It was no surprise  when  the  band  was  declared champions,  amassing 50 points, with Smith named Best Lead Vocalist.

Seaforth High was presented with the JBSB Champion Trophy and $200,000 in cash courtesy of the CHASE (Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, Education) Fund. Included in the  winners’ package  are instruments from sponsors Music Mart, and a recording session at Grafton Recording Studio in east Kingston.

Runner-up was Belmont Academy, whose band goes by the name Rhythm Express. They received a trophy as well as $150,000 from CHASE; in  third was York  Castle  High School, known as Rapture,  which received $100,000 from CHASE.

“I’m   overwhelmed,  it  feels  amazing,  makes  me  feel  wonderful  to know  that  out  of so  many vocalists, I  am  the  top  vocalist, it’s  a great  feeling”  an  elated  Sajay  Smith told  the  Jamaica Observer. The eleventh grade student, who created a stir performing Chaka Demus and Pliers’ Murder She Wrote, plans to pursue a music career.

Bridgette Williams from Belmont Academy, who copped the award for Best Female Vocalist, was at a loss for words  when  the  Observer  caught  up  with her. “It’s a great  feeling, it’s really a great feeling,” she said.

Chadane Daley, leader of York  Castle, said: “This  is  our  first  time  in  the  competition and I am really  excited  about  the  fact  that  we gained the third  place. Going  forward  we will  do more practice  and  we  hope  to come back  next  year  and  gain the first place. I know that will happen if we try  hard  enough.”   

The competition’s conceptualiser/organiser, Rayven  Amani,  is confident her ‘baby’ will continue to grow in its sixth year. “I am   just  amazed  about  the  level of improvement  over  the rounds  for  these  bands…the  amount of work  that  they  put  in, the  enthusiasm,  the passion, (is) amazing,”   she gushed. As for her expectations for next year, she said, “Bigger, better. It can only grow.

Veteran bass player Lloyd Parks, one of the judges for JBSB, was also impressed.

“Overall, it was a great competition. Some  of the  bands  in  the semi  and  quarter-finals  performed  better  than today. Their last performance  was  way  above this one. That  is  why I mentioned  that  you  don’t  come to play, you  come to win.  In every section, when it comes to interaction, preparedness, creativeness, it was Seaforth  High,” he said.

Guest judge, singer Pam Hall, agreed: “It  was absolutely  beautiful.  I wasn’t  at  any  of  the  other  rounds,  so  I  was very   happy  I  was asked  to be  a judge in  the  finals. And  the signs are good, very  good  for  the  future,” she said.

Casey Donaldson, lead singer of 2017 winners Bog Walk High School, told the Jamaica Observer, that it was back to the drawing board for his team.

“The thing about it, the experience was great, even though the two previous rounds we weren’t that good because we gained a small amount of points. Last year we were the winning band. It was good, we enjoy ourselves so much on stage…We gained experience and we are coming back next year for the winning band trophy again,” he said.