evening's opening to Jazzscape could have went on for days and it would still have ended too soon.

Armed with promising young local talent, a perfect venue and amazing performances from two jazz greats, Jazzscape is here to stay.

The concert started at 7 p.m. sharp with the Bermuda Youth Orchestra Jazz Ensemble.

Under the direction of Shine Hayward, the ensemble played amazingly and begs the question, why is Bermudian talent so shamefully under-supported? This group may stand as a testament to the wonderful possibilities of nurturing home-grown musicianship, i.e. more funding for the arts.

The youth of the ensemble, and the director, for that matter, should be praised for the remarkable progress made in such a short period.

The group opened with a bouncy rendition of the theme from The Flinstones, but the crowd seemed most impressed with "Birdland'' and the "Mission Impossible'' theme which couldn't have been played better by seasoned jazz veterans.

The group also highlighted local jazz stars such as Winston Degraff on trumpet.

Opening for Jazzscape is hopefully just the beginning in a long line of achievements for this ensemble.

After warming up the crowd it was time for saxophonist David Sanborn, who came on around 8.20 p.m., blowing stronger than the wind.

Set against a beautiful backdrop of the harbour, the stage was built over the water just inside the dock, giving the performers a larger-than-life feel.

"First Song'', a Charlie Hayden piece, was made Sanborn's own as he opened the mellow song with a relaxing solo and the band came in one instrument at a time.

"Full house'', from Sanborn's latest album, quickened the pace and caused locals and visitors of all ages to jam to the tune.

Then Sanborn announced the next song, "Ricki'', which was written for his wife.

"Just makes you want to throw up don't it.'' he joked, as he moved into the soft love ballad.

Sanborn's charisma and wit put the crowd so at ease that his time on stage seemed like catching up with an old friend.

Shortly before 10 p.m. the lady most people had come to see took the stage.

The sultry voice of Nancy Wilson filled the Royal Naval Dockyard with sounds that seemed to have come straight from heaven.

Performing a wide range of songs from her 60 albums, Wilson's style and grace matched the incredible atmosphere of Dockyard. Ms Wilson showed her playful side as she rubbed the bald head of her bassist John B. Williams, a former Arsenio Hall posse member.

John B. coolly played while she improvised a love song that jokingly professed her love for him.

From there she went on to "Miss Oldest Regrets'', a song about a woman who catches her lover with another woman: "Darling did you Miss your train/or were you caught in the rain?''. The song muses before busting the unfaithful lover.

Wilson thanked the "gentlemen'' in the crowd for, "keeping the song valid all these years.'' On a more serious note, Wilson, who was dressed in a classy white suit, sang a tribute to female jazz greats like Sara Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Dina Washington with "Lady With A Song''.

Horror stuck the crowd at 10.45 p.m. as the audience wondered if that would be it. However, Wilson walked back to the front of the stage and was greeted with a well-deserved standing ovation.

Then she went to the middle of the stage and attempted to sing her hit song "If I Could'', but she could not remember the words.

Undaunted, she made up for it in grand fashion by taking a request from the audience and singing an impromptu version of Sammy Davis Jr.'s', "Mr.

Bojangles''.

Ms Wilson finished her set at 11.10 p.m. leaving the crowd both satisfied with the show, and at the same time wanting more.

ANTOINE RAYNOR REVIEW REV