To the uninitiated, there was a bevy of choices for entertainment last Friday night. But for those in the know and feeling the holiday spirit, there was only one real option: Mahalia’s Corner Special, Christmas Edition. Those in attendance were treated to a night of good old Bajan tunes and rich talent.
Fresh off her tour of the Middle East, featured artiste and vocalist extraordinaire Rhesa Garnes treated patrons at the packed Bagatelle Great House to a medley of Bajan staples, including songs by Red Plastic Bag, Bumba and Drayton’s Two, as well as a cover of Pink’s song Try, a selection Garnes said was inspired by Jamaican songstress Tessanne Chin’s mighty performance of it on The Voice.
Later in her set, she would have her daughters join her on stage to perform one of the first songs she was featured on, The Gift Of Love.
NexCyx opened the night with a selection of season-specific songs including their own We Don’t Have Snow, as well as staples such as Tidings Of Comfort And Joy and Little Drummer Boy. Lead vocalist and host Mahalia also performed an emotionally heavy rendition of Ave Maria, a song she said she wanted to perform for her late father’s funeral.
Earlier in the night, Debbie Reifer performed a selection of songs from her new Christmas album Noel, including a cover of the ever-popular song What Child Is This, as well as her own version of The Christmas Song. “I’ve never smelled chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” Reifer jokingly admitted, singing instead of roasting breadfruit and other iconic Bajan activities.
The audience probably would have been stunned to silence at the quality of newcomer Pasquin’s vocals during his performance of the Donny Hathaway tune This Christmas, but he didn’t give them the chance.
Instead, he engaged them in fun-spirited and at times complicated call and response. The crowd laughed and giggled as they struggled to keep up with his vocal acrobatics.
The open mic alone was probably worth the price of admission, featuring the likes of veteran performers such as DJ Simmons and Janine White. The former performed a tongue-in-cheek version of Carol Of The Bells, while the latter performed her NIFCA award winning piece I’s A Bajan, extolling all the virtues and traits one possesses as a regular Bajan.
Meanwhile, Luci Hammans and Yomi Oredien proved that Mahalia’s Corner remains one of the premiere places to hear young talent.
Hammans delivered a spoken word piece on the topic of love with a cadence and delivery that was undoubtedly Bajan and undeniably powerful.
Seemingly quiet and reserved when approaching the mic, Oredien’s performance of O, Holy Night would bring about the first call for an encore for the night. It would not be the last.
