Patrons were, clearly, very electrified by the performance of former Grenada Police Band Superintendent and Band Director, Bryan Hurst, as he serenaded them, on saxophone, recently at the first gala ceremony, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, by the Brooklyn-headquartered Grand Council of the Independent United Order of Mechanics (IUOM).
While guests dined on sumptuous Caribbean and American cuisine, at IUOM’s 12th Annual Luncheon, at Paradise Caterers Catering Hall on Avenue U in Brooklyn, Hurst thrilled them with his wide selections.
Among them were: “Save the Last Dance for me” (The Drifters); “Feel Like Making Love” (Roberta Flack); “So Amazing” (Luther Vandross); “Sway” (Dean Martin); “Vivir mi Vida” (Marc Anthony); “Trouble By” (Ray Lamontagne); “The Girl is Mine” (Michael Jackson); “Smile Jamaica” “(Cronixx); “One Love”, “No woman No Cry” and “Is This Love (Bob Marley); and “Havana” (Camile Carbello).
“My impression of the luncheon last Sunday was phenomenal,” Hurst, a third-generation musician in his family, who also plays the clarinet, told Caribbean Life.
“I thought I delivered an excellent performance at the function, and it was lovely to see people coming out to support a worthy cause and to socialize with their friends and family, considering the present situation with the pandemic,” added Hurst, who performs solo, with backing tracks, at weddings, cocktails and Balls in the US and Canada.
“I always enjoy and love performing at these functions,” he continued.
The sold-out ceremony — organized by IUOM’s Resource and Finance Commission, chaired by Grenadian-born Commissioner David Williams — honored American-born Sis. Ricci Maggette, a member of Lily of the Morning Chapter #4, under the jurisdiction of Composite District Grand Lodge #2; and the Venerable Maurice F. King, former executive grand secretary.
Other honorees were: Hon. Roger Kirton, district grand master of New England District Grand Lodge #1; and Sister, Jamaican-born, Hyacinth Robinson-Goldson, community liaison of the Order to the Executive Committee of Grand Council.
Williams told Caribbean Life on Tuesday that Hurst “played a very important role for the moment because, seeing we had so many people to feed, the way he played the music kept the people in a composed situation.
“The music was on time,” Williams said. “The music – his type of music – was electrifying. It took away the focus on the food and put you in a mode of celebration. It was good.”
Robinson-Goldson said: “It was quite obvious that the guests were enjoying his musical presentation.
“Quite frankly, for a moment, they seemed to forget that we were still in the middle of a COVID pandemic,” she said. “Although he is from the Caribbean, his repertoire is diverse; and so, everyone was enjoying the presentation.
“In fact, one guest, an older gentleman, commented that ‘he plays the saxophone quite similar to the late Jamaican trombonist, Don Drummond,’” Robinson-Goldson added.
