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Short review: Afro Beat at the Boathouse
Wow, what a night of impromptu brilliance all the way from London and Bulawayo and Jamaica to the shores of Ventnor.
Led by Thabani Nyone, Zimbabwean line up called "T Bone Afrika", supported by the magnificent lady singer, Italee on tour in the UK for a couple of months from Jamaica, plus Islanders Mick Smith, Rob Berry, Jamie Thorpe, Faber Cunningham and Leila Misani, sure did have some fun at Ventnor's Spyglass Inn Boathouse.
With recognisable songs, put out with an Afro Beat lilting rythymn, mixed with totally unrehearsed improvisation belted out with all the power and pazazz of mainstream diva Italee, scattered with the drumming and the clicking of southern African native languages and finished off with the rotating hips of tribal dance moves, the audience, which swelled to well over a hundred, roared for more and the night just went on until the bell rang for bar closing time. On the shores of Ventnor, transported to the beaches of the Carribean and led back time and time again to the townships and national park and bars of Bulawayo, nobody wanted the night to stop. "More of this" everyone said to Phil and Geri, who had got the gig going last minute when Thabani announced he was on the Island with his team for a night.
Not only was it a truly memorable and unrepeatable impromptu night but £250 was raised for the charitable support of African children. So a big thanks to all those who contributed towards that.
As for "more please" - the answer is a resounding "yes", so watch this space and keep an eye on next April's Isle of Wight Jazz Festival line up for Thabani and Italee too!
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