The weekend of June 08-10, 2012 – a sampling of Caribbean Jazz from the Woodshed

This weekend in Caribbean-Jazz – a sampling

This was a very busy weekend for Caribbean Jazz aficionados here in the Caribbean and in the United States of America, particularly in the DC area.

Trinidad’s Etienne Charles & Kaiso floated its brand of Kaiso-Jazz as opening act for Jamaica’s Monty Alexander’s Harlem Kingston Express that doubles Classic Jazz with one-drop Reggae to produce not so much a fusion of styles but a bifurcated marriage. Charles and Alexander’s joint musical exposé of the Caribbean’s musical experiments was The Hamilton’s contribution to the city-wide DC Jazz Festival, which ended Sunday, June 10, 2012.

Twins Jazz is another venue where  Caribbean Jazz could be heard during DC Jazz Fest. One of the several events and venues inside of the Jazz Fest concept, Twins Jazz hosted the USVI’s Reginald Cyntje Group (Amin Gumbs – drums, Herman Burney – bass, Victor Provost – steel pan, Christie Dashiell – vocals and of course Cyntje on trombone) on the Sunday.

This was Cyntje’s second appearance at Twins Jazz on 1344 U St. NW, DC in as many days, having featured with the Kenny Rittenhouse Quintet together with Jay Jefferson – drums, Cheney Thomas – bass,  Sam Prather – piano and the leader playing trumpet.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, June 09, Provost was front and center in a television broadcast of a November 26, 2011 performance of Dion Parson & The 21st Century Band on WTJX, Channel 12 in the United States and British Virgin Islands. The regular 21st Century septet – Parson: Drums, Ron Blake: Sax/Flute, Rashawn Ross: Trumpet, Reuben Rogers: Bass, Victor Provost: Steel Pan, Carlton Holmes: Piano and Alioune Faye: Percussion – was on hand for Jazz Meets Quelbe, a two-some with the premier Quelbe (string band) Band of the US territory, Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights, executed at the Island Center, St. Croix.

Further south of St. Croix, in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe was Première Rencontre autour du piano 2012. This piano summit, starring Alain Jean-Marie, started on June 04 and ends on June 13.

Further still in the south Caribbean sea, Trinidadian fans, Sunday, 10th June, 2012, flocked to The Little Carib in Woodbrook for Poetic Vibes, a special edition of “Synergia: A fusion of Art, Jazz and Poetry” featuring artists Mikhail Salcedo and The Salcedo Quintet plus Freetown Collective and to the St. John Ambulance Headquarters in Port of Spain to support Rotary Jazz, In Service to Youth. Rotary Club of St Augustine West hosted its annual Jazz Brunch for the eighth time there. Elan Parle, Chantal Esdelle and Moyenne were there too.

Back around to the middle of the Caribbean arc, there was Walkin’ In My Own Shoes – Jazz and Vocal Showcase curated by Kellie Cadogan. This showcase at the Frank Collymore Hall, Spry Street, Bridgetown, was one for Kellie’s protégé Voices 101 and Kellie Cadogan herself – one of Barbados’ finest Jazz singers. The 1688 Orchestra is a unique Caribbean musical ensemble of big band and steel pan dedicated to the craft of instrumental performance.  1688 was Kellie’s back up band on the night.

Partnering with the London School of Music, Cadogan has had phenomenal results mentoring a range of people across the Caribbean to excel in voice and drama. Walkin’ In My Own Shoes is a culmination of  that effort. Cadogan’s own East Point Productions Inc, a voice and drama development company that offers a range of services customized to educate, entertain and ‘inspire lives through the arts‘ produced and presented Walkin’ In My Own Shoes.

Elsewhere in Barbados on Sunday were some smaller pieces of Jazz action, the Jazz Brunch Buffet at Naniki Amphitheatre in the Lush Life Nature Resort, Suriname, St. Joseph and dinner entertainment at Lanterns in Bougainvillea Beach Resort, Maxwell Coast Road, Christ Church.

Patrons who attended the Naniki Jazz Brunch experienced Claudio Debourg’s Latin saxophone styling. Barbadian pianist Stefan Walcott accompanied the native of Caracas, Venezuela.

Jazz seekers also found saxophonist Andre Woodvine, also of Barbados, at Lanterns accompanied by accomplished guitarist Stefan Van den Bossche.

Another one of those busy times for paternal Jazz fans all over is Fathers’ Day. The Woodshed abounds with listings planned for that day, June 19.  However, the Jamaica Ocho Rios Jazz Festival has more to come, Jazz daily in the lead up to Fathers’ Day.

Coming back north, Miguel Zenón presented Caravana Cultural, the music of Duke Ellington at Centros de Usos Múltiples in Vieques, Puerto Rico on the Sunday.

Jamaica Ocho Rios began on Saturday, June 09 with Opening Jazz Day at the Courtleigh Auditorium, Kingston. This auditorium became awash with the sounds of Jamaica, namely the Jamaica Big Band, Desi Jones (drums), Marjorie Whylie (piano), Karen Smith (piano), Ladies of the Keyboard (Dr. Carol Ball, Kamla Hamilton, Dr. Kathy Brown, Joy Brown) and the Energy Plus Mento Band; and Brazil (Ba-Boom).

Ocho Rios jazz fest opens in fine style by Basil Walters

THE opening night of 2012 Jamaica International Ocho Rios Jazz Festival at the Courtleigh Auditorium, New Kingston, on Saturday, was an eclectic mix of musical expressions across borders and cultures. Jazz, mento, samba, and salsa were the strong doses of musical offerings….

The ladies of the keyboard were adventurous, individually and collectively. Power of the dynamic Dr Kathy Brown, the smooth elegance of Dr Carol Ball-Thompson, the dazzling mastery of Kamla Hamilton, and the superb Joy Simons-Brown delivered outstanding jazz standards [and a jazz-mento medley].

Each was an extraordinary serving from Dr Ball-Thompson’s renditions of My One and Only You and They Can’t Take That Away From Me to Kamla Hamilton’s interpretation of Home Sweet Home, Joy Simons-Brown’s take on No Where No Better Than Yard, and Kathy Brown’s original Afro Blue as well as Jammin….

The perennial Karen Smith gave another amazing and energetic set with the 1963 Grammy Award Song of the Year, On A Wonderful Day Like Today, written by Anthony Newly made popular by Shirley Bassey.

The dynamic diva captivated her audiences with The Way You Look Tonight, but her most profound artistic execution came with her classy remake of John Holt’s rocksteady anthem Memories By The Scores.

Festival director Myrna Hague was her usual fabulous self as she entertained with the Bob Marley’s hit Waiting In Vain backed by the Jamaica Big Band….

A Jazz Brunch at Hotel Four Seasons on Sunday, June 10 kept the J-Fans fed and psyched up for the week ahead and the prospect of the Big Day that all fathers usually look forward to for familial reasons only. This year, Jamaican fathers will have one more reason to celebrate.