AT TIMES IT was flirtatious and playful and at times pensive and sentimental, but it was always great jazz.
The ladies of Honey Jam painted the Frank Collymore Hall red for over two hours with various shades of the blues to a near-full auditorium last Sunday evening.
Influences of Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Chrisette Michele were easily traced in many of the pieces impressively performed by Faith Callender, Mandy Cummins, Debbie Reifer, Erika Alexei, Kyzz, Christal Austin, Lyn’l, Rhesa Garnes, Gigi Ma’at, Adaeze and Lexi, although some of the ladies pulled inspiration from other preferred genres.
Garnes gave one of the more outstanding performances with a deeply reflective version of Sam Cooke’s A Change Gon’ Come. Dressed like pure African royalty, she sat on the edge of the stage and delivered effortlessly the song she dedicated to the late I’Akobi Maloney.
Drawing on images of a love that would never be, fellow alumna Lyn’l rendered I Who Have Nothing with enough emotion to make Shirley Bassey sit up and take note. The audience responded with rapturous applause to her heartfelt effort. She also did an incredible job of Nina Simone’s My Baby Just Cares for Me.
Gigi Ma’at is unrivalled in onstage presence.
Stirring a little trouble with Whatever Lola Wants, she searched for a “new boo” to serenade in the audience. Seeming a bit shy, he was more than game to be the object of Gigi Ma’at’s affection. She dressed the part of the seductress, rocking a black suede dress and black bob-cut wig. She also opened the show, singing God Bless The Child.
Adaeze and Lexi mixed their rap/hip hop flow with jazz in their more upbeat offerings.
Lady in pink and featured act of the evening, Kellie Cadogan brought versatility to Frank Collymore Hall, starting a sweet, romantic flow with an original, The Nearness Of You. She worked the crowd into her performance of Boom Boom, which was infused with kaiso rhythms.
The ladies were backed by the exceptional 1688 Nonet, under the musical direction of Shawn Layne.