To sing is to soar, to cry, to share, to pray, to love, to give, to laugh, to protest, to breathe, to live... To sing is to be!" Sharon Martini

As part of the inaugural Treasure Beach Bread Basket Festival, classically trained chanteuse, Sharon Martini, and classical pianist, and Jamaican folk afficionado, Denny Davis, present an eclectic evening of melodic musical meandering. From Mozart to Puccini, Harry T. Burleigh, to Porter. With opera arias, sacred and art songs, Jamaican folk, Negro spirituals, show tunes, jazz and more

Organized by Treasure Beach Women's Group Benevolent Society member, Sharon Martini, and produced by "The Ladies Who Dare!" "An Evening Of Song!" is in support of abused women in St. Elizabeth, in particular, Ms. Patricia Brown, a fire and domestic abuse victim of Black River.

Donations will be gratefully accepted. Monies raised will be used to repair a one room structure destroyed by fire.

The event was a fabulous success. Three encores later and they finally allowed us to leave the stage!

Here's what they had to say at Treasure Beach.net:

"An Evening of Song should be renamed to A Delightful and Thoroughly Entertaining Evening of Song. In spite
of the very hot temperature Sharon Martini and Denny Davis turned the heat up even more with their performance.

The night opened and closed in prayer given by Rev. Fr. Peter D. Clarke, Rural Dean for the parish of St. Elizabeth.

Ms. Martini then absolutely mesmerized the crowd with her strong vocal talents with classical selections including Pie Jesu and O Mio Babbiono Caro, Jazz and Musicals selections including Night and Day, I Could Have Danced All Night, and had some help from two young ladies in Lonely Goatherd (Sound of Music).

Her renditions such beloved Negro Spirituals as Steal Away, Honor, Honor and Deep River were deeply moving. We were even treated to one of Ms. Martini's own songs, Black Angel.

But I think everyone's favorite part of the night was the sing-along with old Jamaican favorites including Evening Time, Fan Mi Soldier Man, and what was supposed to be the last song, Walk Good.

When Walk Good was completed there was a standing ovation from the standing room only crowd which had gathered. And encores were demanded. I believe there were three encores in all before the audience finally allowed Ms. Martini and Mr. Davis off the stage.

Wow!! What a fabulous evening of song! Bravo!!" Watch a video snapshot

See more photos here.

The Treasure Beach Bread Basket Festival, May 27-29, 2011

The community spirit is alive and well in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, with members coming together to stage the Treasure Beach Bread Basket Festival, May 27-29, 2011. The festival will feature a smorgasbord of cultural, culinary, musical, literary and visual art events at various locations. The Treasure Beach Bread Basket Festival seeks to build on the wonderful vibe created by the Calabash International Literary Festival that ran from 2001-2010 and had become an international calendar event, which was also an essential activity for the Treasure Beach community.

About Abuse

The"Ladies Who Dare!" TheARTer for Healing" provides a forum for individual and community healing
andsocial justice through creative expression in all art forms. "Recognizing and realising, the healing power of art and performance in my own life, I wanted to create a vessel for sharing, learning, experiencing and ultimately, healing, for others."

"Chanteuse!" copyright 2011 Sharon Martini. Acrylic paint on paper.

Love the art? Buy notecards, buttons or pillows featuring "Chanteuse!"