Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago

Last edited by Geyla Queen on Thu May 01, 2008 6:55 am; edited 2 times in total

Whitney Houston Returns and En Vogue Reunites in Tobago

The Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago welcomes past and present musical greats

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-whitney-180x240

(April 27, 2008; Plymouth, Tobago) Pop diva Whitney Houston took center stage at the fourth annual Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago.

Houston couldn’t have asked for a better audience. After festival goers
were treated to Caribbean sunsets for three consecutive days, the
festival's grand finale was a highly-anticipated performance by
Houston. More than 3000 music lovers witnessed the six-time,
Grammy-winning singer’s return to stage.

Dressed in a single-strap, white column gown, Houston’s flawless appearance immediately brought attendees to their feet as they sang along with her first song selection, the inspirational mid-tempo “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.”

During Houston's 30-minute set, the audience responded with warm words of encouragement and support of her performance. “She’s come a long way," says Patrice Mitchell from Tobago. "I’ll always love her.”

But for Diane Willis-Reid and Sophia Campbell, who traveled from Jamaica with six other friends to see Houston, her participation in the festival was triumphant and tell-tale sign of the diva's inevitable journey back to the top.

"I love Whitney and I'm just happy to see her on stage," says Willis-Reid. "There's no way she'd come this close to the Caribbean and I not see her. This is a huge success. She's back!" Although Houston has a long road ahead of her, the fans in Tobago are sure to be cheering her on from the sidelines.

Earlier the festival brought out another anticipated performance--the reunion of the original members of En Vogue: Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson. Nearly a decade has passed since the quartet shared a stage together. The group's last album was 1997's album EV3. For years, rumors circulated that the ladies went their separates ways because of Ellis and Robinson's estranged relationship, but backstage before their set, Robinson started to explain that the reason for the group's split was "a little
complicated."

However, Ellis abruptly set things straight. "There was never a breakup. Dawn wanted to go solo and we were all pursuing different things at the time and that's just what it was."

While there are no immediate plans for En Vogue to embark on an official reunion tour or produce an accompanying album Robinson says, "We'll take it from here and see how things go."

Current member Rhona Bennett, an actress and singer whom most will remember from her acting stint on the defunct The Jamie Foxx Show as his jingle-writing co-worker, did not perform. According to Ellis she's still a part of the group and will perform "as we need her." Both Jones and Herron take time off from touring to raise their respective families.

On stage, the group performed signature hits such as "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," "Whatta Man," "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," "Free Your Mind," "Don't Let Go (Love)" and closed out the set with their debut hit "Hold On."

For the last three days, the PJF had the best mix of old school R&B, Motown, reggae, soca, and pop. Other artists on the bill were Shakira, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross and Steel Pulse. Overall, it was the men who didn't disappoint. Stellar performances by Smokey Robinson, James Ingram and Peabo Bryson prove that like wine these legendary soulsters simply get better with time.

http://www.essence.com/essence/themix/entertainment

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-whitney-240x340

Regal in white, Whitney Houston kicks off her 30-minute set with the hit “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.”

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-envogue2-340x240

En Vogue becomes one again as original members come together for the
2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago, West Indies. Backstage, from
left, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Dawn Robinson and Terry Ellis.

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-envogue-340x240

"We're like sisters who haven't seen each other for a long time.
[Coming back together] has been natural," says Dawn Robinson about
reuniting with En Vogue members, from left Robinson, Maxine Jones,
Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-smokey-240x340

Smokey Robinson showers the audience with Motown classics and ballads
on Friday night at the 2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago, West
Indies.

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-diana-240x340

Diana Ross opens with her feel-good anthem, "I'm Coming Out," as she
hits the stage Friday night at the 2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in
Tobago, West Indies.

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-bryson-240x340

Peabo Bryson soothes the night as he performs Friday night at the 2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago, West Indies.

Whitney Houston Returns, En Vogue Reunites & more in Tobago Jazzfest-ingram-340x240

James Ingram gets into the groove by kicking off the Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago.

Doggit..that must have been a blast. Would love to been there. God bless Whitney. she is a remarkable vocalist..one of the top five in the world.

Geyla Queen wrote:: Diana Ross opens with her feel-good anthem, "I'm Coming Out," as she
hits the stage Friday night at the 2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in
Tobago, West Indies.

i love D Ross' music.. but why in thw world does she love these feathers and ruffles so much???

i hope Whitney keeps her groove on thsi time....

candygirl wrote:

Geyla Queen wrote:: Diana Ross opens with her feel-good anthem, "I'm Coming Out," as she
hits the stage Friday night at the 2008 Plymouth Jazz Festival in
Tobago, West Indies.

i love D Ross' music.. but why in thw world does she love these feathers and ruffles so much???

Me...I love her too...but she look like like a big ball of cotton candy. Shocked

Nica wrote:: Me...I love her too...but she look like like a big ball of cotton candy.

so true

Don't talk to my sister like that Nica... She sweet, that's she dresses as a ball of cotton candy.

pls. so u all ran away from me

RossWorld wrote:: Don't talk to my sister like that Nica... She sweet, that's she dresses as a ball of cotton candy.

pls. so u all ran away from me

you boy you aint see what she wearng??
she did the same thign last year on American Idol. almost trip on the darn thing

itz called showbiz, haters Laughing

the lady was stepping out-directly from the candy shop :D

candygirl wrote:

RossWorld wrote:: Don't talk to my sister like that Nica... She sweet, that's she dresses as a ball of cotton candy.

pls. so u all ran away from me

you boy you aint see what she wearng??
she did the same thign last year on American Idol. almost trip on the darn thing

krazzy wrote:

itz called showbiz, haters Laughing

the lady was stepping out-directly from the candy shop :D

candygirl wrote:

RossWorld wrote:: Don't talk to my sister like that Nica... She sweet, that's she dresses as a ball of cotton candy.

pls. so u all ran away from me

you boy you aint see what she wearng??
she did the same thign last year on American Idol. almost trip on the darn thing

fada have mercy. hahahahaha...

» WHITNEY HOUSTON (1963-2012)....RIP
» Exclusive: Whitney Houston opens up to Oprah--9-14-09
» Debbah Returns to Indonesia
» Ray J on Whitney and Lil' Kim
» Ashanti: The Princess Returns to Reign