In spite of a disappointing turnout of spectators, the stylish Bobby Jones and Friends gave a masterful performance at Praise In Paradise Friday night at the Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
Jones, who celebrates his 73rd birthday next Sunday and has been producing his show on BET for an uninterrupted 31 years, gave a performance that belied his years and explained his longevity in the gospel music business.
Taking every opportunity to sing the praises of Barbados and its people, he spent a lot of minutes interacting with the audience which will make sponsors, the Barbados Tourism Authority, smile even broader when the taped show is aired to 147 nations.
Jones said he often gave chances to local talent to travel to the United States and be part of his show. That should be the hint for the First Baptists Chorale to start packing their bags for such a trip.
Led by Steven Leacock, of the famed Leacock family, the chorale gave a performance which was wasted on such a small gathering. But, small or not, the spectators danced and waved as the group took to the stage.
The resplendence of First Baptists Chorale’s black and red outfits was surpassed only by their awesome renditions of Hallelujah Salvation And Glory, He’ll Welcome Me and the lead presentation by the talented Joycelyn Taylor who delivered Lord I Believe In You.
At the start of the show, spectators in the stands were invited to join those on the floor since the event was being taped for international airing and there was a need to show an audience more than empty seats. That invitation worked two-fold as the appreciative audience had more room to dance and wave.
Included in that audience were Isaac Carree, who is currently No. 1 on the gospel and Christian charts; Byron Cage, who was invited to co-host with Jones, and Barbadian gospel star Paula Hinds.
Di’An Cia opened the show with moving presentations of We Need A Word From The Lord and Alabaster Box, which were enhanced with occasional words from the Gospel.
Next up was KC whose rap style and that of J Moss and curtain closer, Isaac Blackman of Trinidad and Tobago, were high energy but appealed more to the younger generation and those who wanted a beat to jump and move.
Genita Pugh’s Open My Eyes, I Need To Hear Your Voice and I Can’t Live were well accepted.
However, those mature and international talents were well and truly matched by the home product of the youngster Ki’Ann Browne, who filled the Gym with her strong rendition of Lord You Are Holy. Browne would be forgiven if she applied for a US visa tomorrow.
Local artiste Hosziah Hinds, who rendered Lord Come To My Rescue, Giving Up Is Not An Option and None Ah Dat, was also well received.
When Jones took to the stage with the Nashville Super Choir, the audience would have already gotten their money’s worth but he tossed in the dessert of more than 20 minutes of tunes with medleys of He Is Holy, I’ll Fly Away, Down By The River Side and Oh When The Saints Come Marching In.
Some individual performances by Denise Tichenor and Emily Harris, who have been with Jones for 30 years, capped a wonderful night of gospel music in paradise.
Â
