Magical symphonies

The (Waterford Music and Cultural Society) WMCS Concert Band took the spotlight at the annual Tin Pan Alley show on Saturday night, and rightly so.

The mostly brass band was superb during both of its sets staged before an audience in the Major Noot Hall, at Combermere School. The event formed part of the activities leading up the annual Combermere Week which is being celebrated this week.

The combination of alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, along with trumpets and trombones, accompanied by drums, guitar and keyboard made for one beautiful symphony. One would have thought there was an orchestra playing on the stage at times. The band, ably led by Pernell Farley, rendered such melodious and soothing music it was angelic.

The set included The National Anthem, A Fifth of Beethoven, Tribute to Whitney Houston, Three Shades of Crop Over, the theme song of Hawaii Five O, Don’t Get Around Much, Take Five, Isn’t She Lovely, Sing, Sing, Sing and Uptown Funk.

But while the WMSC Band provided the majority of the entertainment, there were other fine and stellar acts who shared the stage with them. Winitrey Harper sang Imagine. The St Leonard’s Boys band called The Executives were great as well. They sang Superstition, All Night Long and Feting Family. The band is made up of vocalist Theirry Taylor-Shepherd, Romel Parris and Josiah Cheltenham on keyboard, Justin Cox on bass, Joshua Yearwood on guitar and Tariq Ellis on drums.

They were followed by an equally impressive Alleyne School trio called Harmony. The combined vocals of Aaliyah Cumberbatch, Malik Stuart and Yahandje Daniel were excellent as they performed Tico Tico, Dune Tune and Tropicality. The group seems to be getting better and better each time they perform.

Then there was the sweet-sounding youth band, Kloud 9. Band members Kofi Gilkes, Kymani Gilkes, David Scott, Nicholas Roach and Kemal Braithwaite gave a  good showing of themselves.

Songstress Gabrielle Williams did a captivating and infectious rendition of Tina Turner’s Rolling on the River. The former Combermere student was dancing and singing as she gave a few minutes of solid entertainment. She also sang Can’t Help Falling in Love.

The duo of Adrian Clarke and Mary Weekes, two members of the band Nemesis, closed the show. Missing was Anderson Mr Blood Armstrong. They surely had a fun time on stage and the audience loved it.

They belted out Clarke’s 1995 tune Nice Time, Ah Like It and Soca You from 2018. Mary showed her versatility when she delivered a Latin American piece which Clarke jokingly dubbed: Desperate Tito. (IMC)