Benjy Myaz' 'Werks' delight at RedBones

[Benjy Myaz]

published: Wednesday | October 8, 2008
Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer
At times Benjy Myaz relaxed on a high stool and led with his guitar, at other points he came front and centre and led with his voice, still with plucking the strings. Sometimes his voice stood on its own, at one point it alternated with special guest A'lisa, at others it gave way to Charmaine Limonius, just as he did with the guitar and saxophone of Courtney Fadlin.
In all cases the musician and singer, along with the band, delighted the overflowing turnout at RedBones Blues Café, Braemar Avenue, New Kingston, on Friday night, the 'My Werks' man also presenting his new and improved website.
When the instruments led the harmony of Connie and Sherida, both decked out in black and seated on high chairs, helped keep the rapt audience up to speed on the songs that were being played. Not that many would not have recognised 'Just My Imagination' and 'My Girl'.
It was a justifiably pleased looking Myaz who eased off his perch to officially greet everyone and introduce Fadlin, who he joshed about being a lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. The saying that those who can do and those who can't teach definitely did not apply, the ladies holding the harmony of In My Dreams as the horn came through clean and clear. Guitarist and saxophonist stood shoulder to shoulder and played at first, then Myaz retreated as Fanti took it away, returning front and centre to scat as he played.
Fadlin switched to clarinet for a higher pitch on Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone to very good effect.

Nice touch
Before intermission, Myaz sang of loving matters, informing all that it's "never too late to stop and love". An off-stage host, a nice touch to the presentation, ran through some of the songs that had been played, including People Make the World Go Round and announced the 2008 Digicel Rising Stars winner, an outcome which seemed to satisfy most.
Myaz did more vocals in the second segment, requesting "come on and give it up" and crooning about Time, then cutting to AJ Brown's My Father My Friend. Love You Higher got an early restart as the crowd cheered and then Myaz left it largely up to his Friends. Fadlin returned, making way for Charmaine Limonius who stepped up in an impressive floor length purple dress over high heels. She played as she sang Should I, acknowledging the song's writer Dwight Pinkney, who was in the audience, giving her distinctive lilt to the standout number to good effect.
A'lisa took the house down repeatedly, taking on Barrington Levy's high-pitched Vice Versa Love to begin and closing also in the upper realms with Many Rivers To Cross. In between it was rockers to a rocking audience with Too Experienced and a Beres Hammond into Marcia Griffiths combination as Can You Play Some More ran into Feel Like Jumping and a touch of One Scotch.
And Myaz combined with Alisia for their recording Eternal Love, starting with R&B, going into reggae and coming back to R&B to end.
Myaz took the successful night out with more vocals, the Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love following The Gleaner out of RedBones onto Braemar Avenue

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