BIG JAZZ WEEKEND

Final Shows For Annual Festival Underway.

MUSIC might very well be the food of love. However, it can only play on for two more days as this year’s Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival wraps up at the Pigeon Island National Landmark tomorrow.

Nevertheless, there’s still a lot of music left to sample. Flo Rida, Jon Secada&Timbalive, Arturo Tappin, and Pan Fusion will continue the weekend of music from 3 p.m. today on the Main Stage at Pigeon Island National Landmark.

Other jazz events for today include Dinner Jazz at Rainforest Hideaway featuring Emerson Nurse and Empress Ila from 7 p.m. There’s also Fire Grill Jazz from 7:30 p.m. at Fire Grill Restaurant featuring KensonHippolyte and Dr. Beat. Hang Back Party’s Caribbean DJ Night will also be on at Pigeon Island National Landmark from 10 p.m. Also, the Rapture After Party comes alive at Johnsons Centre in Rodney Bay from 10 p.m.

Main Stage Jazz at Pigeon Island National Landmark will climax tomorrow with performances from Jimmy Cliff, Robin Thicke, Chrisette Michele, Derede Williams and Jesse Billy. Things get underway there from 2 p.m. Given that tomorrow is Mother’s Day, expect something extra special.

Also on Sunday, Hang Back Party’s London DJ Night will be held at Pigeon Island National Landmark from 9 p.m.

For those who just cannot seem to get enough of a good thing, Fire Grill Jazz will climax on Monday evening when Barbara Cadet, Teddyson John and Encore will heat things up at the Fire Grill Restaurant. Next week Sunday, the Vieux Fort MouvmanAnsanm Jazz Finale at Point D’Sable Recreational Grounds will feature Nintus, David Elwin, Shayne Ross, N’Vogue Models and Tropix Band. Also, the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Visual Exhibition at Rodney Bay continues daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and ends on Monday.

Last Thursday evening, a packed National Cultural Centre audience gave appreciative applauses for the two acts that performed at the Jazz Showcase. First on the card was Alain Jean-Marie on piano featuring Grant Stewart on tenor saxophone.

In their set, Jean-Marie and Stewart did a take on Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood” which was nothing less than sentimental for the jazz purists present.

But it was their performance of “Blues For Saint Lucia” with which they opened their set that really set the tone for what turned out to be a great night of music. After their set, Jean-Marie told reporters that just six hours before the concert, he was asked to perform something new and original. That’s how “Blues For Saint Lucia” was born, he said.

“Blues can either be a sad thing or a happy thing,” Jean-Marie said. “But ‘Blues For Saint Lucia’ was our way of saying ‘thank-you’ to Saint Lucia.”

An up-tempo Joey DeFrancesco got right into his set with high-octane vigour, switching things up with his vocals, organ and trumpet as he belted out a few old standards. At times, it seemed – and sounded — like the newly-refurbished National Cultural Centre was a Mississippi Delta jook joint. These are more reasons why the Jazz Showcase should remain a not-to-be-missed show on the jazz calendar.

Last evening’s Main Stage Jazz at Pigeon Island National Landmark featured Beres Hammond, Krosfyah and Meschach Nestor.

Now in its 24th year, the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival has faced some technical hiccups since its opening show of this season on April 30. However, organizers say they are sparing no effort to ensure that such incidents are minimized so that patrons do get value for money. They are also hoping that the sunny weather of late continues to maintain a high note.