C SHARP unleashed pandemonium or at least some ecstatic derivative of it in the auditorium at the School of Music at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts on Friday night.

The band was the closing act of a popular music concert that was a fundraising initiative for the school, a part of three concerts held from Thursday to Sunday. With students and past students of the School of Music, the concert showed the skills of the next generation of musicians and vocalists, some like C Sharp, who are already carving their niche.

SENSE OF FAMILIARITY

It was a school performance and there was a tangible sense of familiarity between the audience and performers, who sometimes interchanged as performers made their way into the audience after their set. The sense of familiarity was highlighted as members of the audience called to band members, who often could not help giving in to a smile.

The seats in the auditorium were half empty as many of the patrons opted to stand at the back of the room where they could better show their appreciation for the performances. Appreciation ranged from mock runs at the stage, lit cellular phones, screams and when the appreciation raged really high, chairs were hoisted into the air.

GUEST APPEARANCE

C Sharp's performance began with a guest appearance by Michael Harris whose set in-cluded a wonderful rendition of Cold Play's Fix You. At the end of the performance, one young man in the audience declared, "Wow!" paused momentarily then added, "Lovely".

Harris' performance ended with his awesome original piece Voices. At its start it seemed the song had touched on a religious spark as in her excitement one young woman proceeded to 'turn her roll'. The piece was played heavily with East Indian rhythms and was miles beyond ordinary. C Sharp also played Step Aside Now, Who the Cap Fits and some of their original pieces, including the title track of their album What A Day.

C-sharp poised to deliver new note Sharon Leach, Observer writer Tuesday, October 26, 2004 The landscape of the Jamaican music industry is about to be turned on its ear with the official launch of the music band C-sharp on Saturday, October 30 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston. The five-member all-male group, comprised of graduates of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts - Aeion Hoilett (bass), Mark Bradford (lead vocals), Dwain  Campbell-Fletcher (keyboard), Randevon Patrick (Drums), and Lamont Savory (guitar)-is in fact no stranger to the entertainment scene, having been in existence now some 3 1/2 years. "Most people know C-sharp to be a backing band," bassist Hoilett says. Indeed, the list of entries on the group's resume is impressive, including work with artistes of the ilk of Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson, and tours with Tony Rebel. They have done concerts in Europe, Suriname (Carifesta), the Bahamas and Haiti. But now the members of C-sharp, who have recently been doing the rounds in media appearances in Kingston, are set to move from supporting role and take the spotlight as a main act. "We're ready to provide Jamaicans with entertainment that is second to none," Hoilett explains. "What C-sharp brings to the table is versatility, in that we can play dancehall, we can play reggae, we all sing, but we also add a whole dramatic presentation to a show, not just the ordinary show where you just set up the boxes and a man come on and sing. We are here to do a performance." The group, who lists Third World as one of their musical influences, refuses to be pigeonholed about their sound. Although their music is predominantly indigenous reggae in nature, the group is determined to take it beyond the geographical confines of home-their upcoming album, due in stores in January 2005, will feature two Spanish/French language songs-so there are other flavours that spice up a delectable gumbo of eclectic offerings, including salsa, hip-hop, and gospel. The members of the group, whose mean age is 22, have all come from a religious background. "All the roots spring from the church," keyboardist Campbell-Fletcher says proudly. Lead vocalist Bradford concurs, pointing out that the group's music is, importantly, wholesome family-oriented entertainment, in a time when popular music seems to be going the route of vulgarity, profanity and debasement. Without a clear-cut mandate to preach, however, the group is nevertheless committed to making its mark and fulfilling a long-term goal of packing auditoriums and concert halls with people and seeing them transformed by "the healing power of music". The launch on Saturday night should inspire a new chapter in the musical biography of Jamaica. It is not an album launch, the group's former manager, Robert Stewart of Alternative Music, stresses. He sees the band being a catalyst for change within the music industry. "It's really the first time Jamaica will see them perform as C-sharp, and not a backing band. We just want the country to know that. this is what we're coming to give Jamaica," he adds.