4 hours ago
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It was an evening filled with smooth syncopated rhythms and clear improvisations as the Blend Bar at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel hosted a gathering of jazz enthusiasts who turned out to enjoy Thursday Night Jazz last Thursday.
Conceptualised and hosted by musicologist Herbie Miller, the event was in its fourth staging at the New Kingston location and by all indications, patrons were soothed and satisfied with the offering.
Each week, different guest artistes perform to a small yet captive audience, and this time it was Johnathan Gordon’s Fusion Quartet, which performed, providing a medley of time-honoured jazz pieces fused with popular Christmas songs and carols.
The repertoire chosen in the spirit of the season featured the interplay of early jazz influences that shaped the evolution of the genre, which offered not just entertainment, but a deeper appreciation of the balance between creativity and musical expression.
The quartet consisted of Johnathan Gordon on drums, Joseph Wilson on guitar, Evad Campbell on piano, and Alejandro Keating on bass, played two sets with roughly eight pieces in each set.
The group delved into classics like Watermelon Man, Blues March and Midnight Voyage, before kicking things up with Joshua Fought the Battle at Jericho and the classic Angels We Have Heard on High. Their second set was equally satisfying, and this time they treated patrons to their interpretation of the late Jimmy Cliff’s Sittin’ Here in Limbo and The Harder They Come, which segued into Breezin’ and Drum Song.
The weekly musical gig had its roots in downtown Kingston at Swiss Stores along Harbour Street, but COVID and other factors necessitated a relocation. As Miller explained, the event has “made a strong comeback, and they are hoping to make The Jamaica Pegasus their new home.
“Kingston Creative was happening downtown, so it was a great location. It was also a good feeling seeing uptown people enjoying downtown vibes in the night, with everybody integrating,” said Miller. “We are now on a Thursday, which presents a little challenge, because people are still in work week mode and thinking about the next work day, but we have been working on that.”
The Blend Bar’s capacity of 60 was not maximised, but enough of an audience was present to make it cosy. The mostly mature gathering definitely shared Miller’s affinity for jazz, which he stated is the ultimate musical expression. “Why? Because, as arranged as it is, it also leaves space for spontaneously infusing into a composition your understanding of that song. Each individual now has this openness to interpret the composition in their own way through the solo, so it is very democratic and free,” he said.
“Yes, we have dancehall and reggae, etc., but when you go to a jazz event, it is seldom real jazz as the repertoire of the art form is generally limited. Here, you get the fullness of the genre, packaged in such a way that surprises and delights.”
English (US) ·