Culture: Introducing Cervantes [To Jamaicans]

Author of the 2nd most translated book after the Bible, and considered by many to be the "father of the modern novel" Miguel de Cervantes is nevertheless largely unknown to Jamaicans. 

THE Embassy of Spain, in partnership with the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation and the Edna Manley School of Drama, present a dramatic play reading at Redbones Blues Cafe on Argyle Road in St Andrew, on Thursday. Start time is scheduled at 7:00 pm.

The event, which is free to the public, is entitled Cervantes Celebration and is part of the 400th anniversary celebration of the death of Spanish writer, who died in 1616 at age 68.

Directed by Pierre Lemaire, director of School of Drama at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, Cervantes Celebration will feature Michael String Bean Nicholson, Jean Paul Menou, and Edna Manley College’s drama students.

Carmen Rives, chargé d’affaires — Embassy of Spain, said the aim of the occasion is to introduce Cervantes to the Jamaican public.

“His writings deal with every day challenges of the human experience.

Rives said she’s hoping the occasion will be a personal one and that a discussion segment will be held after the readings.

“It’s all about enjoying Cervantes,” she added.

Cervantes is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language. In addition to Don Quixote, his other works include Novelas ejemplares (Exemplary Novels), the Viaje al Parnaso (Journey to Parnassus), and Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda (The Works of Persiles and Sigismunda).

He was born September 29, 1547.

Live Muisc; Bent x 2 +1 = Great musical experience

Its not all t hat often that members of a musical family this talented appear in the same venue at once (the title equation refers to Rupert Bent Sr and Jr and Jana Bent (daughter of one, brother to the other), who played to an appreciative audience at Redbones last Wednesday. The "official" occasion was to mark the start of a new Wednesday residency by Bent Sr at Redbones (once a month; he also has regular gigs at Morgan's Harbour and at the Pegasus) and unofficially to join Jr in celebrating 15 years of marriage to wife Michelle. With such a pleasant confluence of occasions, spirits were bound to be high and no one left disappointed

Fittingly, Bent Sr started off the evening, in Marley mode with "Redemption Song" thereafter proceeding amiably through covers spanning the gamut of rock and pop. He hit an early high on Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do (You Do For Love)" and I say this because on that piece, his playing not seemed more robust, but the balance between his guitar and the accompanying track seemd more harmonious than in the earlier selections, when it appeared that he was almost drowned out at times. Bent Sr. would scale even greater heights with a one-two punch of Santana - "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va" that kept him on his feet and had the audience tapping theirs.

After a brief intermission, it was family time. Despite having two full-length albums to her credit, songs placed in international TV shows ('The Hills") and a bonafide hit in "You So Fine", Jana Bent has spent more of her time and energy in recent years in the corporate (or statutory) world, working with gaming regulator the Betting gaming and Lotteries Commission. Musically, she has put her abilities and experience ot a very notable "side project" - the Shaggy Parrot series of enviro-themed children's books, which are proving very popular. So she has been busy. But when Dad asks, one can hardly say no, so there she was, belting out "Natural Woman" with much gusto, this accompanied by Bent Jr, who wento on to his own dynamic guitar exposition (was it Sting's "Fragile"?) before playing in tandem with his father.

Famalail duties of my own called me away at that point, but not after having had a very welcome refresher on the musical gifts of the family Bent.

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