by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – Patrons who attend Rhythms of Africa are used to hearing music inspired by the Motherland. This year was no different, as the packed house for both nights (March 16-17) at Miramar Cultural Center savored eight hours of quality entertainment.
Etana brought roots-reggae from Jamaica while Barbadian Alison Hinds excited with frenetic soca beats from the Eastern Caribbean. There were also outstanding performances from vocalists Dwisdom, Nicole Yarling, Selena Serrano, Junior Jazz, Shanna Lee, Ronnie Smith and saxophonist Jesse Jones.
Willie Stewart, the master drummer who started the event in 2010, was pleased with performances and audience response on both nights.
“I am very grateful to God Rhythms of Africa 2024, with the theme Strength Of A Woman, was a huge success. There were so many highlights that the whole show was one spectacular highlight,” he told South Florida Caribbean News. “In everything there are always challenges but we overcame them.”
On opening night, appreciative fans heard Stewart and his band — which included an 18-member percussion unit from Miramar High School — cover genres from Brazil, Cuba, South and West Africa. There were standout renditions of Hugh Masekela’s Upside Down, and Afrobeat instrumental by Fela Kuti.
There was also Yarling’s spot-on rendition of Miriam Makeba’s classic song, Pitta Patta; Serrano’s performance of Afro-Cuban legend Cela Cruz’s La Vida Es Un Carnaval, Junior Jazz’s take on Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry, followed by a delightful, jazzy interplay between Jones and Yarling.
The lanky Smith brought the house to its feet with a segment dedicated to American soul music. He did The Temptations’ Lady Soul and Treat Her Like A Lady, Outstanding by The Gap Band and Sing A Song, an Earth, Wind & Fire original.
Lee brought the funk with a rousing performance of Chaka Khan and Rufus’ I’m Every Woman, while original Third World singer Prilly Hamilton paid tribute to that band’s co-founder Ibo Cooper who died last October.
Making a solid impression on her major show debut was 12 year-old Kailani Belle Alcock, daughter of singer Jah Cure and Kamila McDonald, the evening’s narrator. She did Rihanna’s Lift me Up and Cynthia Erivo’s Stand Up.
On the second evening, Miramar mayor Wayne Messam was a guest performer. He did a well-received version of soul singer Anthony Hamilton’s Best of Me, then presented a plaque and Key to The City to Etana and Hinds, respectively.
Rhythms of Africa 2024 closed with band and audience singing along to Bob Marley’s One Love.
