Roger rocks the house

As he took the stage, he welcomed all present to the experience that is Roger George.

“I don’t get the chance to do this too often here,” he said, before dedicating his first number to all mothers, Boyz II Men’s song “A Song For Mama”. George then delivered Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and then from the pen of Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together”. The audience was already sold given his melodic voice with such a vast range.

He continued with Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”, then picked up the harmonica to play the 1946 classic, “Autumn Leaves” composed by Joseph Kosma.

Changing music genres, George sang the Latin song “Sway”, a Luis Demetrio/Pablo Beltran Ruiz composition.

George told his audience: “I promise to give you different genres tonight. These are the songs that I do in Florida.” He then sang “If I Give My Heart to You” (Jimmy Brewster/Jimmie Crane/Al Jacobs).

Telling a bit of his life story during songs George said to patrons: “I started crying and broke down when I started writing this song for my country in 2006. I Hoped it could have made a difference for TT but up to now I’m still hoping it will make a difference,” before passionately rendering “These Are The Days”, with opening lyrics:

Lord oh lord I cry, Send me a sign yes before I die

To try and help my nation, No quest for unification

Lord it means a lot to me, Yes everyone and their family

Free our hearts and our minds, From these mental chains that we cannot see

We’re blinded by money, power and greed, when we could just help to feed

The ones who in need of a helping hand, Is hard to survive in this land.....

George then related how he got into the business. He said: “Straight out of school, when I was in St Augustine Senior Comprehensive, I was always in trouble for singing in class. The principal told me why are you always in my office? You like to sing? Then I am going to sign you up for Junior Calypso Monarch. I got the crown in 1988.”

He continued: “My very first band was Rudder and Roots. While in the band I started analysing (David) Rudder and Tambu (Christopher Herbert), and there is no way I could do what I am doing without this song,” before singing Rudder’s “Bahia Girl” and “The Hammer”.

George then stated: “I want TT to see the experience of Roger George when it comes to talent.

“Machel Montano is flying the flag all over the world but there is so much talent here.”

He then went into “Story of My Life” (One Direction), followed by the 176 Eagles classic, and again soloing on the harmonica.

After a very short intermission, just about five minutes, one of George’s fellow frontline singers from Roots Adrian Philbert took the stage and delivered “A Lovely Day” (Bill Withers), “It’s Just A Matter of Time” ( Brook Benton/Clyde Otis), Lionel Richie compositions “Easy” and “Stuck On You”, the 1940 number “B?same Mucho” (Consuelo Vel?zquez), and ended with “Quando, Quando, Quando”, the Italian pop song from 1962, written by Tony Renis and lyrics by Alberto Testa.

Blaxx (Dester Stewart), who was part of the audience couldn’t resist the stage. He got on and tickled the audience when he simply stated: “I just love to be on the stage”, then sang the line: “I Was Born By The River” from Sam Cooke’s song “A Change Is Gonna Come” before exiting the stage.

A relatively unknown artiste going by the name John John then gave the audience a most wonderful rendition of John Legend’s “Ordinary People”, then made way for George’s return to deliver “Stay With Me” (Sam Smith), “All of Me” (John Legend), “What You Won’t Do For Love”

( Bobby Caldwell) and “Lady In Red” (Chris De Burgh), then got the party going as patrons got up to dance to “Trini To The Bone” (David Rudder feat. Carl Jacob), and several other classic calypsos. George closed the entertainment with Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe”.