COB Colour of Harmony Honours John Berkley "Peanuts" Taylor

Tue, Apr 7th 2015, 03:55 PM

If you have ever seen John Berkley “Peanuts” Taylor perform, then you are likely never to forget it.His effervescence and energetic skill as a dancer, singer and drummer are legendary.

His stage has been any number of the historically famous entertainment enclaves around Nassau - Jungle Club, Confidential, Junkanoo Club, Spider Web and the Drumbeat Club – among others.

At the recent 26th Annual Colour of Harmony, held at The College of The Bahamas under the patronage of the Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, the man who has left audiences in awe of his talent accepted another distinguished honour.

COB’s School of Communication and Creative Arts (SCCA) presented the renowned entertainer with the E. Clement Bethel Award for Excellence in the Arts. SCCA bestows the honour on an exceptional and distinguished artist every year. Mr. Taylor has joined a fraternity of notables including: Mr. Percy “Vola” Francis, Mrs. Joann Behagg, Mr. Roderick Pinder and Mr. Kendal Hanna.

For over 70 years “Peanuts” Taylor has been entertaining people from all walks of life. And he has loved virtually every moment of it. At the ceremony held at the Performing Arts Centre, the academic and artistic community paused to shine the spotlight on his contributions to the development of the performing arts in The Bahamas.

“It is fitting to honour Mr. John Berkley “Peanuts” Taylor who has contributed tremendously to the development of the Bahamian culture,” said Chair of the School of Communication and Creative Arts Mrs. Lottis Shearer-Knowles.

Mr. Taylor, a Justice of the Peace, was pleased and honoured to accept the E. Clement Bethel Award. He has been honoured by the Queen and dubbed Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), and has received the Laureate Seal of Honour from the National Trade Union of Cuban Culture in conjunction with the TURARTE agency.

Paying homage to “Peanuts” Taylor was one of the highlights of the Colour of Harmony event. The rest of the evening was dedicated to the broad depth of student talent in the performing and visual arts. Under the direction of Mrs. Audrey Dean-Wright, the COB Concert Choir skillfully performed favourites like “This is my Country”, “O Zion”, “Pieta Signore”, “I Can Go the Distance”, and “Ride Up in the Chariot”. The COB Concert Band also demonstrated its diversity and passion by performing “Prophesy”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “As Winds Dance” and “Rolling Thunder”. The band performed under the direction of the Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department Mr. Christian Justilien.

“It’s always good when our students have opportunities to showcase their talents and we are happy that the Colour of Harmony consistently provides those opportunities,” Mrs. Shearer-Knowles said. This year, the best in student artwork was again on display in the two exhibition spaces of the Performing Arts Centre which came alive with the vibrant and creative paintings, ceramics and drawings.

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