Well, having missed it last year, I decided to take in some of the Port Royal Music Festival. I wasn’t really interested in the Celebrity party and the main show on Saturday was not fitting with my calendar, so Sunday’s Jazz on the Harbour was it. I figured it should be nice, open air at Morgan’s Harbour, even though the lineup had not been publicized.

Final assessment? About a B-minus. The overall show was brought up by some strong performances, but the event suffered from some too common Jamaican event ailments. First impression at the gate was positive as we were greeted by barcode scanners to verify our tickets - technology is wonderful. Unfortunately, only a few people would see this as the turnout was very low. Arriving at the venue 20 minutes before showtime of 6pm, we were among the first 10 people there. Not even the sound people were ready yet. And don’t hope for food. The “lovely” hand-written sign listing the menu was a bit misleading as we were informed that the food would be ready when the chef brought it out. Hmm.

At about 6:15, we headed to grab our seats, only to be subjected to about 10 minutes of buzzing, crackling speakers. Finally some music sprung forth from the black towers so we had something to entertain us for the next hour. At about 7:20, a disembodied voice informed us that they would be starting in about ten minutes. By this time soup had appeared to help warm the lonely souls in the audience.

The show began “on time” at 7:30 with the young Esso dancers who ran out to do their jazz thing clad in the silver top hats and coattails. The first act was the Desi Jones band, a collection of excellent musicians. This was spoiled for me by the harsh clang of the solo pannist’s instrument. It is always disappointing to see talented musicians settle for mediocre instruments. I don’t know if there are any other musicians in Jamaica that do this to themselves. Unfortunately for me, he continued to play while the band backed the next couple of artistes.

Strong young female voices followed as Misha of Rocky 5 performed a couple original songs and a cover or two. She was immediately followed (and showed up) by Empress of radio fame who demonstrated her multiple talents. Her performance was vibrant and energetic, involving the crowd in the singing and providing amusement as she fought over “Her Rastaman”. Sliding up the scale, the next performer was Suzanne Couch, the first singer musician of the night. Her rasping voice filled the venue (all the way out to the ocean) as her fingers danced over the keys.

Following a long-awaited intermission (those white plastic chairs are not designed for hours of sitting), we were again treated to the Esso dancers before welcoming Della Manley to the stage. Though I enjoy her singing, I don’t find her to be a particularly engaging performer. I think she needs to sit on a stool and play her guitar - it would go with her vibe. But her set was enthusiastically received with calls for “Book of Rules” as an encore. The final act for the night was Dr. Kathy Brown. By this time it was almost eleven and I couldn’t stay to see all of her set, so her magic fingers escorted us out.

While I question, as always, the definition of jazz at these events, the night though long was enjoyable for those of us that attended. But the event execution leaves a lot to be desired and the organizers have a way to go before the Port Royal Music Festival can be held in high esteem with other music and jazz festivals in Jamaica.