Features
Paint It Jazz
The festival is to continue through Sunday, with performances by Chaka Khan, Earl Klugh, Brenda Russell, Dave Koz, Ian Alleyene and Valdes with the band Irakere.
Osborne took to the stage of the Garfield Sobers Complex on Wednesday, drawing a near-capacity crowd on the third day of the weeklong “Paint It Jazz”festival. He wooed the audience with his repertoire of hits spanning the past three decades.
The singer displayed the showmanship honed from his years with the group L.T.D. Some audience members sang along, and Osborne said they had “great harmony.”
He then jumped into the crowd and encouraged audience members to sing into the microphone. Osborne got his greatest response though when he performed the hit “On the Wings of Love,”and he finished the show with several encores.
The festival on the Caribbean island began with an outdoor performance on Monday by singer Oleta Adams at Heritage Park before a crowd of about 700 people.
The audience showed enthusiasm when she performed hits from her “Circle of One”and “Evolution”albums. They were less responsive, however, to new tunes from her current effort, “Movin’ On.”
During the act, she serenaded her husband and drummer John Cushon. Adams ended her set with the performance of the signature tune, “Get Here,”written by Brenda Russell.
Barbadian guitarist Andre Donawa also performed on Monday, impressing many in the crowd with his blend of afro-calypso jazz.
Trini Posse, a group from the neighboring island of Trinidad led by guitarist Michael Boothman, performed as an opening act on Tuesday night at the Sunbury Plantation House.
Fusionist Dan Siegel performed as the main act that night, playing with an ensemble that included acclaimed vocalist Kelly Coleman.