Grange: Sanchez was wonderful

An excited crowd filled the amphitheatre at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, in St Andrew, to sing along to the songs of Sanchez on Thursday (last night).

The entertainer, considered one of the best Reggae singers, performed on the second day of Reggae Month. His show titled ‘Sanchez Live: One in a million you’ was presented by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in celebration of Reggae Month.

“Tonight was wonderful. Sanchez sang his heart out,” said the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange. “He has a fantastic voice. He has had many hit records. And tonight we were able to sit and enjoy Sanchez from beginning to end.”

Sanchez said it was an honour to perform during Reggae Month. “I must thank Minister Grange for inviting us to something like this. Every time I perform Reggae music I feel good, but when we get to perform Reggae music during Reggae Month we get to show the world [and that makes me] feel good. We treasure what we have. We nurture what we have.”

Among the guest performers was Richie Stephens. Sanchez and Richie Stephen have been fans of each other for a long time and wanted to work on a song together. That came when Stephens wrote “Double for My Troubles” — which they performed to the delight of the large audience on Thursday night. “Tonight makes me realise how big of a fan I am of Reggae, because to sit and listen to one of my all time favourite singers was very joyful,” said Stephens.

Other performers included Leroy Sibbles, whom Sanchez praised for originating several Reggae baselines; and Flourgon who performed the hit song ‘Love Mi Lover Bad’ which he recorded with Sanchez.

Minister Grange was pleased by the response to Sanchez Live and says the Ministry wants “to do more of these concerts, just highlighting individual performers and to let them perform, an hour, and hour-and-a-half.”

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Alando Terrelonge, was elated by Sanchez’s performance and is anticipating upcoming events for Reggae Month.

“I mean it was really just a phenomenal show. And this is just what, Day 2 of Reggae Month?” asked Minister Terrelonge.

Reggae Month is filled with activities across Jamaica, including a tribute to Bob Marley (on February 6), JARIA Reggae Wednesdays, Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes Series (on February 10 and 18), Grounation Series on Sundays, Remembering Alton and Hortense Ellis (February 18), the Reggae Gold Awards (on February 25), as well as the Reggae Month University Series.

Minister Grange is encouraging the public to download the Reggae Jamaica mobile app to get more information on all the events being staged by the government and the industry during Reggae Month; and to tune in to Reggae Month TV daily between 8pm and 11pm (except on Sundays when the broadcast begins at 6pm) on CVM, PBCJ, the JamVision cable channel, as well as the Facebook page of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (@mcgesjamaica).