At the top of the second week of July, Cuban saxophonist/clarinetist Arturo Sandoval brought his act to Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz, CA., Make that Monday, July 09. Also on that day, Trinidadian drumcussionist Modupe Onilu & Dayo Bejide Musiq was back on stage, at La Casa de Ibiza, 163 Tragarete Rd., Woodbrook, Trinidad, delivering their self-styled Organic Jazz.
The show was seen by Nigel Campbell who thumbed the following (edited by the WEC) on his “elementary” Blackberry.
The brothers Onilu (Modupe Folasade and Baba Ayinde) and Kepha Yaseph who are Dayo Bejide make World Music that spans continental influences. The trio has morphed into the Dayo Bejide Jazz Project. This Jazz Project has a bright new sound. As for Kepha, in my mind, he is a Trini Bob Dylan.
Audiences are awed into stasis when listening to Dayo Bejide’s Neo-folk with that African influence in the rhythm. In this regard, the small Ibiza audience was no different. Maybe the art of listening is as important as commerce for local musicians. In this context, Jazz Quarters makes sense as a part of the local music biz.
Anyway, Antonio Mitchell on a muted horn, woke up the audience! The Jazz fusion had Modupe and crew animated and the audience bopping heads. Busco Reno’s guitar sounded great too.
John John sang “Afro Blue” with some beautiful solos by Antonio and Busco – very Steely Dan in harmony and execution – and “Let’s Make Music,” an unsubtle metaphor for rainy day sex. Good tune though. John John says it was recently released on the radio. You know, he reminds me of MusiqSoulchild with his voice in good stead.
Jazzstep?! I like the funky guitar and Modupe working his drumcussion.
A purely organic set of original instrumental music like this would have worked well in the new melting pot of London 2012. The quick fix by our HC in London to assuage shame would have been given a boost by this interesting trio.
Trinidad is missing an opportunity not validating this group commercially.
Dayo Bejide isModupe Onilu – Multi Organic Instrumentalist; Kepha Yaseph – Voice, Guitars, woodwind; Baba Ayine Onilu – Organic Percussionist.
Tuesday, July 10, another Trini, trumpeter Etienne Charles, was busy jamming with pianist Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis and Richie Barshay at Zinc Bar in New York. Charles was in the Big Apple through Thursday, July 12, making two more stops with Howard Fishman, one on Wednesday at Radegast, the second at the Jewish Museum.
Meanwhile, Onaje Allan Gumbs & Friends‘ Outdoor Jazz (BAM) Concert featuring musicians Roger Byam, Gregory Jones, George Gray and Gary Fritz with special guest vocalists Dennis Collins and former WNBA star Kym Hampton took place at Greenway Coop City in the Bronx, NY on Tuesday, July 10.
Bringing the curtain down on the week’s action, Friday, July 13, were Martiniquan pianist Mario Canonge and the Cuban composer and pianist Alfredo Rodriquez. Canonge featured Guadeloupean saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart at Mirelle’s Restaurant on Long Island, New York whileAlfredo Rodriguez Trio‘s North Sea Jazz Festival headlined a show at Q-park Westerpark, Van Bleiswijkstraat 8, 1051 DG Amsterdam.
A couple of CD’s were released within the first two days of this week. Alexis Baro, a Cuban trumpeter residing in Canada, launched his album “Blue Skin” at the Lula Lounge in Toronto on Monday. And Arturo O’Farrill‘s solo piano album, “The Noguchi Sessions,” came out on July 10.
Original post, February 08, 2012
Update 2, May 02, 2012
On Thursday, January 26 2012, the twentieth edition of St. Lucia Jazz was launched live on radio and television – for the first time. Stakeholders of the festival gathered ‘in-studio’ at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa and Beach Resort on the Pigeon Island Causeway to await the much-anticipated announcement of the line up for the purportedly pared down event.
As background, St. Lucia Jazz actually started in 1991 as theSt. Lucia Jazz Festival, as it was called then. It was – and still is – a marketing ploy to boost tourism in the off-season.
In the ensuing 20 years of its existence, St. Lucia Jazz has become a world-class event that has featured the biggest and heaviest names in Jazz, Cadence, zouk, reggae, pop, R&B and everything in between. Name them and they have been to (Anita Baker, Boys II Men, Kenny G, Rihanna, Santana) and performed at (Boo Hinkson, Luther Francois, Shane Ross, Teddyson John) St. Lucia Jazz.
Speaking at the launch, St. Lucia’s Director of Tourism, Louis Lewis stated that the country has “…every reason to be proud… It has not been an easy road. We have many challenges.”
Referring to the idea of carrying the launch live, the Director of Tourism rationalised that the goal was to “…reach out to people who cannot participate in the Jazz Festival.”
As for the festival, Director Lewis revealed that St. Lucia Jazz has now opted for a wider embrace of the so-called fringe events – he prefers to call them “community events” – by bringing together the ancillary community organisations that have produced those ‘outfests’ at venues in Castries, the East, South and elsewhere on the island under one banner, one festival, St. Lucia Jazz.
This fresh approach comes with some well-needed changes to the format, the point being that St. Lucia Jazz is no longer living up to the original objectives. To address this issue, a different track is proposed, one that focusses on a tighter festival. The result is a reduction in the number of acts to address the problem of the increasing length of the festival days. With shows ending as late as 10:00 pm at the Main Stage on Pigeon Island for instance, it is felt that the character of the national park has been so stultified as to eliminate the lure of a picnic and the child and elderly-friendly atmosphere it fosters.
Regarding the so-called Community Events like Jazz on the Square, it was noted that they have steadily outlived their usefulness. Singling out the Derek Walcott Square (Jazz on the Square), complaints abound that it is hot, parking is limited and the businesses in the area have not embraced it. Apparently, the surrounding business houses are harping on the noise and the perceived disruptions to their mercantile activities. So…the action has been moved to Pointe Seraphine just outside central Castries.
The St. Lucia Jazz producers claim to recognise that the Jazz Festival is not living up to the original objectives, hence the formation of a core group of people who were tasked with the responsibility of doing some brainstorming. They have concluded that the Jazz Festival is not living up to the original objectives and that the focus should be on tightening it up. Therefore, the decision was made to reduce the number of acts in part because the increasing length of the festival days has stultified the event.
As an added incentive for patrons interested in attending the weekend of concerts at Pigeon Island National Park and to cater to the high demand for an “up scale” VIP corporate experience that gives patrons a premium view of the stage, a Gold Pass is being reintroduced.
Looking further forward into the future, St. Lucia Jazz believes some bold steps need to be taken if for no other reason but to reinvigorate the festival and transit this marquee event to something that is more truly St. Lucian.
The expectation is that they will continue to enjoy the logistical support of the sponsors, particularly Platinum Sponsor, Digicel, which has just renewed its association with St. Lucia Jazz for a second three-year term. Digicel’s Country Manager for the Eastern Caribbean, Geraldine Pitt, told the launch party that Digicel is “excited to put on a show as never before” this year, stressing that their sponsorship is gratitude for the support of the St. Lucian people to the company. That relationship, she noted, strengthens the company’s resolve “to provide an avenue to market the event throughout the Caribbean… This is the commitment of Digicel!”
The launch was impressively choreographed and MC’d in spirited fashion. However, if I am afforded one pet peeve, it would have to be the appearance of Mervin Wilkinson and 1090 who was a waste of time, playing pop and reggae at the launch of a Jazz Festival. The chatterboxes on Scruffy TV agree.
April 28: Coconut Bay Resort & Spa: Sisterhood (Barbara Cadet), Loula Trio featuring Ricardo Francois |April 29: Black Antz Jazz Combo, Rupert Lay Quartet, Etienne Charles
Tuesday May 01: Rudy John Beach Park – Cameron Pierre (Dominica/UK) featuring Fred Nicholas (Dominica) Ricardo Francois, Emerson Nurse (both St. Lucia); Miki Telephe (Martinique); Alibi (St. Lucia) featuring Richard Payne, Teddyson John and Francis John; Loula Trio featuring Ricardo Francois; Laborie Steel Pan Project (St. Lucia)
Thursday, May 03: Saint Lucia School of Music, Castries, 4pm – 7pm – Master class with Cameron Pierre, UK-based Dominican guitarist, a stalwart of the British jazz scene since the 1980s, who recently released his fourth CD, ‘Radio Jumbo’.
Friday, May 04: Independence Square, Vieux Fort – Mushy Widmaier (Haiti); Alchimik’s (Guadeloupe) Cancelled; Sisterhood (St. Lucia)
Sunday, May 06: Coconut Bay Resort & Spa, Gil Tony’k (Martinique) featuring Tony Chasseur and Gilles Voyer; Sakésho with Andy Narell (US), Mario Canonge (Martinique), Michel Alibo (Guadeloupe) and Gregory Louis; Rupert Lay Qtet (St. Lucia); Black Antz Jazz Combo (St. Lucia)
Wednesday, May 09: Gaiety on Rodney Bay – Ronald “Boo” Hinkson
Thursday, May 10: Gaiety – Luther Francois followed by Mario Canonge
Friday, May 11: Main Stage, Pigeon Island National Landmark – Derek Yarde Project ‘DYP” – En Kweyol
Saturday, May 12: Pigeon Island National Landmark – Alison Marquis Nonet featuring Andy Narell
Sunday, May 13: all-star cast of Richard Payne (St. Lucia), Joel Widmaier and Jean Caze (Haiti), Sonny Troupe (Guadeloupe) and of the The Wespe Pour Ayiti Project; Hugh Masekela
Jazz on the Grill: (Fire Grill and Lounge Bar, Rodney Bay, May 07-09, May 11, May 14)
Monday, May 07: St. Lucia School of Music
Tuesday, May 08: Rob Zii & The Vibe Tribe
Wednesday, May 09: Carl Gustave & BMF Band
Friday, May 11: Luther Francois, Emerson Nurse Band
Monday, May 14: The Encore (Jam Session)
JAZZY RHYTHMZ: (JQ Rodney Bay Mall, May 07-11, May 14)
Mario CANONGE et Michel ZENINO Duo Jazz, Le Baiser Salé, PARIS, April 25, 2012
Mario CANONGE et Michel ZENINO Duo Jazz
Mario Canonge – piano, Michel Zenino – cbss.
Le Baiser Salé – 58, rue des Lombards – 75001 – PARIS
Martinique pianist Mario Canonge is in duo with Michel Zenino playing “Jazz standards” at Le Baiser Salé in Paris this and most every Wednesday from 19:30 hrs (Paris time).
Canonge’s pianisms are endowed with a Caribbean accent that perfectly aligns Zenino’s double bass with clarity and empathy.
More than just a gifted pianist, Canonge is a musician whose distinctive feature is his adaptability, whirling from one style to another, Jazz, zouk, salsa, you name it!
Dominican musicians, home-grown and foreign based, have for decades flocked into label studios in Barbados, Trinidad, the French Departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, North America and the UK as well as home studios on island to produce everything from Cadence-lypso, Calypso, Country and Western, Bouyon, Dub Poetry, Folk (Chorale and Jing-ping), Pop, Reggae etc. Taken together, the artists have made the Nature Isle a fountain of musical innovation and transformed its shores into a musical capital of sorts.
But there is one style of music that Dominica is not known for…Jazz. All that changed in the latter half of 2011 with the release of Radio Jumbo, a guitar-led date by Dominican-born, UK-based guitarist Cameron Pierre. Maybe not coincidentally, this ground-breaking CD is a collaboration between Pierre and Martinican pianist Mario Canonge, Martinique having helped wean Dominica’s Cadence-lypso, create a much-needed gateway to the French market and launch its subsequent ingestion internationally.
CAMERON PIERRE
Radio Jumbo
featuring Mario Canonge
(Destin-e World Records 77754462011)
From the first spin of Radio Jumbo, it’s impossible (I say, impossible) to miss the conversational style that Cameron Pierre eschews on his axe. That said, take it from me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of a diatribe by the likes of “Ma Molly”. Don’t believe me? Take a listen to the transcription of said telling off by Pierre whose flurries of single notes and chords, configured into shifting patterns and time signatures, at once frenetic or otherwise stilted; and those supple runs up and down the fret board, never straying too far from the melodic hook which he deposits in the middle of his conversation.
Pay attention and you won’t miss Mario Canonge, egging on the leader by just doing the simple things right, that is not letting the intensity drop when Pierre clutches to change gears. Canonge adeptly fills in the brief spaces between Cameron’s phrases by slightly raising his volume, hinting to the soloist as it were, that he is ready to enter the fray…whenever.
Get into the zone and the strings will seep unobtrusively into your consciousness. Largely remaining flat under the rhythm – the violins, viola and cello bubble up here and there – adding harmonic fills that make you think this recording could not possibly succeed in their absence. This is important for it tells you that the string quartet is not on the date as window dressing.
Being aware of Pierre’s reverence for the music of Malavoi, Canonge’s alma mater by the way, it is to be noted that by suppressing the strings on “Radio Jumbo”, Pierre does well not to copy Malavoi’s typically predominant string arrangements.
The mark of a well-thought out record is in the style: is it discernible on Track 1 and manifest through Track 10? “Radio Jumbo” is constant throughout, due in large measure to the virtuosity of Cameron’s featured soloist in Canonge who throws his enormous arsenal of chops at the project.
The pianist can be heard essaying pop-like strums on “Big Foot”, rolling Blues figures on the title track and hints of avant-garde measures on both. With regard to the latter, the left hand is not used merely as a bearer of chords. But because the track, “Radio Jumbo”, is based on traditional Antillean dance, the integral element of which is always the drum, Canonge puts on his percussive hat here.
Canonge does not stop there though; he goes on to inject some Salsa sensibilities into this performance as is pretty much the norm in the French Caribbean where Latin is more prominent in the language of music when compared to the English-speaking countries like Dominica and St. Lucia where French patois is widely spoken.
This brings us to the concept behind this recording. As Pierre explains – and I do recall – “Radio Jumbo was a French (Martinique) radio station based in Dominica [that] flooded its listeners with heavily-syncopated beats, Konpa from Haiti, Mazouk and Beguine from Martinique, Kwoka Drums from Guadeloupe, Merenge from the Dominican Republic and Columbia, Afro Cuban from Cuba and Cadance Lypso from the Commonwealth of Dominica…” Cameron’s stated intention, therefore, was to draw from these formative influences in defining his CD. By the evidence on this outing, Canonge got it. So too does drummer Wesley Joseph.
Joseph under girds “Radio Jumbo” with the Beguine shuffle accented on the snare drums, the Quadrille tambou via “Traditional”, Kadans hi-hats sans the off-beat snare on “Solomon” and with the typical clave rim shots added on “Like I Remembered”, “If Only”, “Room 115” and “Another Star.”
“Traditional” and “Solomon”, taken together, are arguably Pierre’s way of paying homage to the core rhythms that shaped his musical identity early on in Dominica. His approach from song to song varies. In so doing, he avoids replication while adding something fresh to the tracks.
“Traditional” is for the most part a narrative of headline issues of Dominican life inhis youth. “Solomon“? Pierre stumps those of us who know the hook of this trad song by delaying the statement of the melody with a faux intro for a minute-and-a-quarter only to deviate from it just as quickly. However, it is the inventiveness of this piece that is really off the chain.
To balance out the album – and I might add, for good measure – Pierre throws in an all-out vocal by Michele Henderson, arguably the most outstanding Dominican female of the modern era, doing Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star” and a straight rendition of “Soul Eyes” [Mal Waldron], showing off the guitarist’s tender and contemplative side.
Don’t forget the strings, which are ever-represent, lingering appropriately under the mix – outside of providing strong harmonic counterpoint – with bassist Bailey and percussionist Gamble for company.
Credit must of necessity go to engineers Courtney Pine and Cameron Pierre for dulling Gamble’s cowbells and Courtney Pine’s keyboards (Track 4) to distinguish Pine’s playing from that of Canonge’s acoustic piano and capturing Cameron’s picking as he switches from a soft and mellow tone to sharp and edgy, from guitar to banjo.
While writing this review, I listened to Radio Jumbo for six hours straight, hoping to pick up on any nuances that might be lost in the excitement of the first few spins. You may not be so inclined, but beware, you will have a hard time hitting either pause or stop once you strike play. Go ahead…prove me wrong.
“I love Jazz music and its tradition for it offers me the unique opportunity of self-expression unmatched by any other art form,” says the Dominica-reared Pierre, who had only one day of rehearsal with the musicians prior to recording the live album. Radio Jumbo consists of ten tracks, two of which see vocal contributions, one each by Dominicans Michele Henderson and Dave Joseph.
Henderson, hugely popular in the French West Indies, masterfully covers Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star,” while Joseph gives a stirring narration on the track “Traditional.” Pierre debuts his banjo playing skills on “Traditional” as well as the title track “Radio Jumbo.” A staple of the Jing Ping bands he listened to as a child; Pierre says he always dreamt of incorporating the traditional African instrument into his music.
Recorded in just one day at London’s Holodeck Studios, and featuring renowned French pianist Mario Canonge, Cameron Pierre’s Radio Jumbo is a mix of French Antillean rhythms and influences fused against a backdrop of jazz interpretation.
The album was named after a radio station from his teenage days in Dominica called Radio Jumbo and reflects the Creole heritage of both Pierre and Canonge (who hails from Martinique). Sharing a love for sounds such as zouk, cadence, kompa, and beguine and influenced by bands such as Tabou Combo, Magnum Band, Malavoi (of which Canonge was a member) Grammacks, Exile One and others, working together was easy. Pierre, who first saw Canonge perform at a party in Paris in 1994, found his way to the Canonge’s band’s rehearsal the following day. It took 16 years, though, for the two to actually get together to record any music.
During the recording of Radio Jumbo, Canonge was instrumental in getting Pierre’s ideas across to the musicians (including a string quartet) who were not familiar with some of the French-influenced rhythms. Still, they all shared a Caribbean sensibility: drummer Wesley Joseph is of St. Lucian descent, and the bass player Michael Bailey and percussionist Donald Gamble have a common Jamaican heritage.
Pierre is hopeful that a European and Caribbean tour with Canonge can take place this year. In the meantime he plays the UK jazz circuit with his own Cameron Pierre Band, and tours with Courtney Pine, who produced the album with him.
Composer, producer, arranger, teacher, Cameron Pierre is a respected staple on the UK Jazz scene. Pierre taught himself to play the guitar at age sixteen and began his musical career in the reggae genre playing for artists such as Barrington Levy, Al Campbell, Dennis Brown and Wayne Marshall. He found his niche with jazz and cites George Benson, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker as some of his greatest influences.
His music unabashedly reflects his rich Caribbean heritage.
To date he has released six albums: Friday Night (1997), Return To The Source (1999), The Other Side of Notting Hill (2002), Devotion (2003), Pad Up (2007) and now Radio Jumbo featuring Mario Canonge (2011).
Pierre has also worked with Pee Wee Ellis, Orphy Robinson, Alex Wilson, Jazz Jamaica, Dennis Rollins, Omar Puente, Junior Walker, Joe Cocker, and numerous others in the jazz genre.
In 1994 he formed ‘Creole’, a multi-cultural mélange of musicians from Africa, Haiti, Cuba and the Caribbean, enjoying wide critical acclaim for their performances at the Glastonbury and Womad Festivals. He is the first artist signed to saxophonist Courtney Pine’s Destin-E label and has toured Europe and the Caribbean with Pine. Pierre’s own The Cameron Pierre Band has performed at the London Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales.
AGSelectPR is a boutique public relations firm specializing in the Entertainment Industry. The company aims to create and execute successful communications campaigns for its clients. Central to the company is the goal of relationship building with clients; as well as media sources, that disseminate AGSPR’s releases; and the general public, to whom we are introducing our clientele. The company is based in Jamaica and is a division of On Target Communications Group.
Maroon Kartet presents the Karlos Rotsen Quartet in concert at Baiser Salé, Paris, France, on May 24, 2011, 04:30 pm Eastern (09:30 pm Paris Time). The Quartet’s performance is part of Caribéennes de Mai, which also features Sakésho, Mario Canonge with Ralph Thamar as his special guest, Tricia Evy, Sonny Troupéand Thierry Fanfant.
Imbued with Caribbean rhythms, embellished with a diverse blend of influences from soul to funk, Rotsen will bring to Baiser Salé this rich personal experience “live” in a unique and unparalleled musical offering.
Karlos Rotsen’s Jazz stylings, though rooted in the rich musical heritage of the Antilles, are nevertheless borne of the kinds of liberal experimentations that have made him a “Jazz Marron.”
It is with a certain impertinence that he teases out elements of the traditional music of Martinique (Bèlè, biguine etc.) and fuses them with other musics from the Caribbean – Cuba, Haiti and so on – as well as soul, gospel and funk.
Baiser Salé is on Rue des Lombards 75001, Paris, France. Soyez tous au rendez-vous!
The Karlos Rotsen Quartet is Rotsen (piano), Arnaud Dolmen (drums), Irving Acao ( sax) and Damian Cortès Nueva (bass).
In case you did not notice, three French-Caribbean Jazz artists – Martinique’s Gilles Rosine (piano) and Chyco Simeon (bass) and Haitian-born saxophonist Jowee Omicil – played Kreol Jazz at New Morning, France on March 12, 2011. A fourth, Guadeloupean Tricia Evy, was back and forth between the Caribbean and France in March – at Moule, Gwada, March 15 and Le Baiser Sale, France, March 29.
Rosine went to the heart of Afro-Caribbean Jazz, combining modern and Cuban Jazz with the inexhaustible riches of traditional music from Martinique. This is no better demonstrated than on Rosine’s 2010 CD “Madin’ Extension.”
Simeon did much the same, mixing popular urban sounds with the traditional on the New Morning stage as he has done on his third record, “Ozanam.”
Haitian-born saxophonist Omicil was reported as a most welcome surprise, igniting New Morning from his very first notes, buoyed by his personable character and good humour.
The inspiring music of this showman, whose groove on stage is a fusion of gospel, negro spirituals, electronica, Jazz and so-called island music, as it is on his latest album “Roots and Grooves,” earned Omicil a standing ovation. (qualified Source:akcentuatethepositive.over-blog.com)
Tricia Evy is a French-Caribbean singer, based in France, who draws her musical influences from Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Mel Torme and Nat King Cole. However, she does not stop short at Classic Jazz in defining her personality and sound.
Evy combines elements of Swing with the Beguine and the Bossa Nova to nurture the themes and melodies that are at the heart of her being. On February 04, 2011, Tricia Evy, Jean-Phillip Bordier (guitar) and Xavier Richardeau (sax) served up that soup at Sunset, Paris, France at a concert not to have been missed. (Source:le bananier bleu)
Evy came home to the Caribbean March 15, 2011 for a performance at Salle Robert Loyson in Moule, Guadeloupe. (Source:lbb)
She was back in Paris, France on March 29 where she gave two concerts at Le Baiser Salé on 58 Rue des Lombards. Concert number one was with French Caribbean pianist Mario Canonge, Thierry Fanfant and Arnaud Dolmen. The second concert featured David Frackeure, Jean Philippe Fanfant and Stefan Filey. (Source:Tricia Evy)
The quartet, including Frakeure, Jean Philippe and Tierry Fanfant was at Baiser Sale on May 17 for Festival Baiser Salé Caribbeennes de Mai. And that is only the Beginning. Oh, Beginning is the title of Evy’s latest offering on CD.
La talentueuse Tricia EVY (accompagnée de Xavier RICHARDEAU et de Jean-Philippe BORDIER) lors du concert “Jazz and Biguine”, Tricia EVY trio et les Copains d’Accord. 3h de concert live au restaurant Hemingway à Deshaies le Samedi 19 Mars 2011.
Tricia Evy était en tournée en Guadeloupe en Mars dernier. Extrait. Live @ Hemingway.
The 2010 Festival Biguine Jazz unravelled in Martinique from August 9 to 15 2010. As outlined by the organizers, “This festival is unique in the world. It aims to bring together the two styles of music, merging them and sharing them with an interested audience.” The mixture of genres has given birth to a cross-cultural phenomenon that remains the essence of the country. This year, the festival aligned the rhythmic traditions and creative expressions of the regions of Martinique, La Guyane, Guadeloupe and Le Réunion.
But note that the term, Biguine Jazz, is not universally accepted among all musicians. Nevertheless, Biguine Jazz has become more and more stylistically identifiable among musicians and music lovers who have a real enthusiasm for the music, which has exploded in popularity over the past twenty years.
Christian Boutant, President of Biguine Jazz, explains: “Biguine Jazz is a generic term, the juxtaposition of two words to produce a genre that derives inspiration from the colours, expressions and compositions of the originators…” such as Alain Jean-Marie, Marius Cultier, Eugene Mona among others. Pursuing the remarkable work of these pioneers re the likes of Fal Frett, Mario Canonge and Bwakoré.
Boutant asserts further that “Caribbean music reveals other identities and innovations of modern contemporary talents, incorporating the influences of Black American music and all the identifiable rhythms of the world.”
Biguine Jazz does just that and more in the form of a festival that is open and sensitive to the diverse creole musical innovations around the world.
The program was as follows:
On August 6 – Master Classes by Michel Alibo and Jacques Schwarz-Bart
On August 9, from 19:00 – Fort-de-France, Court Perrinon: Ronald Tulle, Daniel Ravaud then sO N’do featuring Dominique Berosus and Sonia Pinel Féréol and Ralph Thamar.
A great crowd gathered at Court Perrinon, Monday, August 9 to launch the Beguine Jazz Festival 2010. It was a wonderful evening with people everywhere. (Source: PBK)
On August 11, from 16:00 – Sainte-Marie, Fond St Jacques, Fort-de-France: Zozyo, Nicolas Coyez, Edmard Castaneda then Jacques Schwarz-Bart
On August 13, from 19:00 – Schoelcher, Le Batelière: Grégory Privat, Urban and Twobadou Cinquilo
On August 15, from 16:00 – St. Peter, CDST:
Karlos Rotsen (Cedric Clery on drums, Ilan Abou on double bass Irving Acao on sax)…
(Photo courtesy people-bokay.com)
Despite the rain, a thousand music lovers were moved to attend the final concert on Sunday, August 15.
To start the show, Karlos Rotsen and his musicians quickly chased away the rain. Then Guadeloupean, Tricia Evy and her trio, took over with a style that combines Classic Jazz with Biguine and flavoured standards with an international French flare. (Source: PBK)
The Tricia Evy Trio (Xavier Richard on sax and Jean-Philippe Bordier on guitar)…
Photos courtesy PBK (people-bokay.com)
Sa Ké Sho (Mario Canonge on piano, Andy Narrel on steelpan, Michel Alibo on bass and Jean-Philippe Fanfan on drums)
To close the festival in all its glory, the groupSa Ké Sho set fire to this 8th edition of Biguine Jazz that presented varied musical styles that always impressed the audience – proof that the Jazz festival has become a must in Martinique, according to Christian Boutant, one of the organizers.(Source: PBK)
Sa Ké Sho (Photos courtesy PBK)
Master classes by Michel Alibo and Jacques Schwarz-Bart were also planned. All information about the festival is available on the official website.
The 2nd edition of Gwadloup Festival is being staged on the French Caribbean island from 21 – 29 November 2009. Organized by le Conseil Régional de la Guadeloupe et le Comité du Tourisme des îles de Guadeloupe (CTIG), the artistic and cultural event is the brainchild of long-time musicologist, Pierre-Edouard Decimus.
The Gwadloup Festival is, however, not restricted to the French Department. And so the producers have this year invited Jose “El Canario” Alberto, Josean Jacobo y Tumbao Joseíto and Mateo of the Dominican Republic to the festival.
Gwadloup Festival celebrates 75 years of popular music from Guadeloupe through such creations as “Voyage au Pays des Biguines,” an exposition of traditional music, the Legends concert featuring the band Kassav, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Le Grand Bal with L’Orchestre Jeunesse.
The Gwadloup Festival is also adopting a new format of dispersing the individual events to several communities around Guadeloupe. These include Basse-Terre, Petit-Bourg, Gosier, Abymes, Pointe-à-Pitre and Moule.
In order to make the festival accessible to as diverse an audience as possible, the producers have come up with the concept of “scenes” that they believe should enable every style of music to find its audience.
There was the Caribbean Folk-Jazz acoustic scene, Café Créole Blues, on Sunday, November 22, which showcased the talents of the new generation through artists like Erik, Jean-Michel Rotin and the Fabso Concept. This show began with the Willy Salzedo Trio.
Salzedo is quite a successful composer who has written most famously for Tanya St-Val. Also, he co-founded Moun Karayib with the Jean-Alphonse brothers, Castry and Olivier. And fresh from Festival des percussions de Longueil et Nuits d’Afrique in Canada, K’Koustik represented the traditional drum culture of the Antilles. Among the ranks of this group is percussionist Joby Julienne of Iguane Xtet.
On Tuesday 24, La scène Jazz Caraïbe hosted the Martiniquan pianist Michel Sardaby Trio and St. Lucian saxophonist Barbara Cadet, during the course of an evening punctuated by a “Carte Blanche” granted Guadeloupean percussionist Charly Chomereau-Lamotte. Sardaby’s long list of credits in his fifty-year career includes a 1984 recording with Monty Alexander.
Chomereau-Lamottecame out swinging with an outfit reminiscent of the Caribbean Workshop spearheaded by St. Lucian saxophonist Luther François. He amassed a band of Caribbean Jazz kingpins for Gwadloup Festival namely François himself, Guadeloupean bassist, Raymond d’Huy, and Trinidadian drum impresario, Sean Thomas. Chomereau-Lamotte continues to collaborate handsomely as he has always done, his most prominent outings having been with the Jocelyn Menard “Gwanada” Big Band project, the d’Huy Brothers and Antiguan born, Guadeloupe based trumpeter, Happy Lewis.
Caraïb to Jazz is four young Guadeloupean Jazz musicians who are positioning themselves as heirs to the rich French Caribbean Jazz heritage. Likened to Sakésho of Mario Canonge and Andy Narell, with Jonathan Jurion on piano and Laurent Lalsingué on pans, this band turns out the Calypso-Jazz too (follow the link and check out “Medites”), something that has impressed no other than Jacques Schwarz-Bart who predicts that “…these musicians from Guadeloupe (and Martinique) will give us many reasons to delight us for many years!”
Barbara Cadet of St. Lucia (second from left above) has had a unique experience of her own. She was key to the creation of a steelpan orchestra, “Allegro Pan Grove” and vocal group, “Sisterhood”, all the while establishing herself as a solo artist, armed with her reeds and voice.
Jean-Claude Montredon
Most notably, Biguine-Jazz will be presented by pianist Jean-Max Mirval who, one year ago, had the opportunity to present this music alongside Mario Canonge at Centre des Arts. One of the names Mirval will have on his team on this occasion is drummer Jean-Claude Montredon.
Then there was La Scène Musiques Actuelles that brought together Soca superstar Alison Hinds, Buju Banton and G’Ny on Friday, November 27, 2009.
With such a diverse programming, the Gwadloup Festival is a rewarding link between generations. The artists are from different backgrounds (zouk, salsa, beguine, Jazz, reggae, urban, gwo ka, dance, merengue…) as a common platform with the popular music played in the Caribbean.
Guadeloupe Festival is for everyone, for all ages, all over Guadeloupe.
Dimanche 22 – Pays de la canne à Beauport 12 h – Scène acoustique café créole blues
Jean-Michel Rotin, Willy Salzedo trio (feat: Leedyah Barlagne, Victor Ô, Patrice Hulman, Erik, Olivier Jean-Alphonse, Jean-Luc Divialle), K’koustik, Fabso Concept (Sonny Troupé et Fabrice Troupé), Jean-Max Mirval, Artefact, Kareen Guiock
Mardi 24 – Artchipel scène nationale (Basse-Terre) 19 h – Scène jazz Michel Sardaby, Caraïb to Jazz, Barbara Cadet,CharlyChomereau-Lamotte, Josean Jacobo y Tumbao
Mercredi 25 – centre culturel Sonis (Abymes) 18 h – Scène excellence
Festival des écoles de musique (invité : Sonny Troupé)
Jeudi 26 – place de la liberté (Moule) 19 h – Scène tradisyon voyage au pays des biguines
Big band biguine, comédie musicale de Arthur Apatout « Manuela »
Vendredi 27 – plage de Viard (petit-bourg) 19 h – Scène musiques actuelles
Alison Hinds, G’ny, Saël, Ti Wony, Buju Banton
Source: le Bananier bleu (this link is your starting point; make sure to follow the related links back and forth for all the sub-sources)
L’association Gwadloup Groove, on the initiative of its current President, Steve Nuissier, organised and presented the 1st Piano Summit (1ère rencontreautourdu piano) from June 8 to 18, 2009. The objective was to enable local Guadeloupean pianists the opportunity to present their varied repertoires, Beguine, Jazz and Classical music to the public at several events in different settings.
The idea was also to allow the pianists to give workshops in schools of music such as EcoledemusiqueduLamentin, salle Robert LoysonduMoule, Artchipel à Basseterre and Centre CultureldesAbymes.
Besides the workshops and the concerts, the event was also a tribute to the pianist Jean-Louis Mérault who disappeared in tragic circumstances just one year. “Before his death, I wanted, in my own way, to help Jean-Louis to spread his music because I felt like a good pianist with technical qualities, a sense of composition and virtuosity deserves full recognition. Unfortunately, I have not had the time, but the desire has not left. […]The creation of this event is totally inspired by JEM. It is in my view…the best way to keep alive his vision as an artist while showing him my friendship each year, ” confided Steve Nuissier.
All concerts were filmed with a view to broadcasting them on television and for the production of a documentary on the piano in Guadeloupe.
Five pianists were invited to perform at this tribute, Griffault Clement, Paul Lay, David Fackeure and GillesRosine and Mario Canonge. However, Fackeure had to pull out after suffering a bad fall and was unable to move. His foot was placed in a cast. He was replaced by Mario Canonge for the Sonis concert on June 8. (See program below)
They were supported by les guadeloupéens, Lesdel Jean-Michel, Michel Mado and Jocelyn Marboeuf .
The opening was a triple header on Monday, June 08 at Centre cultureldeSonis. For starters, the young Cyril Kunzelmann, a student of Lionel Benbanaste à l’école Men Art Music executed the compositions of three of his favourite pianists.
Kunzelmann was followed by the Jocelyn Marbeouf Trio. Marbeouf and his cohorts, AtridesClaudel (b) and Pascal Latour (dms), launched into a set of Beguine-Jazz from Guadeloupe.
Finally, Mario Canonge, walked right off his plane into a solo concert tracing the history of Piano-Jazz from the great masters of the past (Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus) to Caribbean compositions by Stellio and Canonge himself) – an exercise he enjoys more and more. The next day, the first part of the concert was performed by Michel Mado accompanied by Philippe d’Huy (g) and Raymond d’Huy (b).
The concert program was as follows:
A Sonis (the Abymes)
June 8: Mario Canonge and Jocelyn Marboeuf .
June 9: Mario Canonge and Michel Mado
On 10 June: GillesRosine and Jean-Michel Lesde
June 17: Paul Lay + Jocelyn Ménard 4tet and Clement Griffault
Robert Loyson (Le Moule)
June 14: Paul Lay duet with Jocelyn Ménard, (Jazz), Clement Griffault (Classical)
Movie theater Lamentin
June 15: Jean-Michel Lesdel / Clément Griffault
Closing night at Lakasa
On 18 June: Michel Mado and Philippe d’Huy, Paul Lay, Clémen Griffault t, Jean-Michel Lesdel, Jocelyn Marboeuf
Workshops:
with Paul Lay (Piano Jazz)
June 14 at la salle Robert LoysonauMoule June 15 at l’école Men Art Music aux Abymes June 17 at l’institut Chopin à Pointe-à-Pitre and finally at l’école de la Clé des Arts à BaieMahault
with Clément Griffault (Classical piano)
June 13 at CEFRIMauMoule June 17 at l’école demusiqueduLamentin
…a sampling of Jazz news deserving of a post rather than a roll, a blogroll
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Martiniquan pianist Mario Canonge was hosted on October 16, 2007 at the Baba Makhan Shah Lobana auditorium in the Indian city of Vyloppili Samskriti Bahvanby Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum and the Embassy of France in India.
Now, he is off to the Bruce Mason Centre in Aukland, New Zealand on November 18, 2007 for a Jazz Concert courtesy of Alliance Francaise d’Aukland.
St. Lucia Jazz took flight to the Maison Des Cultures Du Monde in the Heart of the Paris, France for the 2007 Cibrations Caraibe Jazz festival. The Festival ran from October 3 -7 and featured established and emerging artists from Paris, New York and the Caribbean.
Representing the Caribbean was St. Lucia based Jazz group Bluemango.
Bluemango is really more of a Caribbean band than St. Lucian though, the seven members hailing from and still residing in their respective countries, namely St. Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and French Guiana.
Bringing the curtain down on the week’s action, Friday, July 13, were Martiniquan pianist Mario Canonge and the Cuban composer and pianist Alfredo Rodriquez. Canonge featured Guadeloupean saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart at Mirelle’s Restaurant on Long Island, New York while Alfredo Rodriguez Trio‘s North Sea Jazz Festival headlined a show at Q-park Westerpark, Van Bleiswijkstraat 8, 1051 DG Amsterdam.
Woodshed Entertainment Collective 