T&T Jazz Festival

The Jazz Alliance of Trinidad and Tobago (Jatt) has announced the 2010 line-up for its “spring” celebration of jazz music—The Trinidad and Tobago Jazz Festival—to be held March 12–14. The main concert will be held in the lush setting of the UWI’s Centre for Creative and Festival Arts—Greens, in St Augustine. Patrons will not only get to enjoy top-class international and local musicians, but also get an opportunity to interact with the artistes at workshops.


The musical feast, which Jatt calls the country’s only true jazz festival, opens with a free outdoor event hosted at the Brian Lara Promenade from 3 –5 pm on March 12, followed by Jazz at Spalkers, Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s, at 9 pm. Proceeds from the Festival will go towards the Jazz Alliance’s Music Scholarship Fund, helping to make the dreams of our musical youth come true. Tickets are $200. Entrance for children under 12 is free. For more information and tickets, visit www.jazzalliance.org or call 632-3061/689-4298/478-9948.

About the Jazz Alliance of Trinidad and Tobago
Jatt is a non-profit organisation motivated and dedicated to the development of jazz, blues and soul in T&T. Its aim is to develop an appreciation for these musical art forms and to engender informed audiences throughout the country. In so doing, it is hoped that the preservation, development and promotion of the music would also be ensured.

Music Scholarship Fund
The Musical Scholarship Fund provides financial support to students of music, so they may have access to educational opportunities, to ensure the continued professional development of our local musicians. This is part of Jatt’s mission to develop, preserve and promote the music of Jazz and Blues in Trinidad and Tobago.


T&T Jazz Festival Diary
Friday, March 12:
Poetry, Flamenco and Tap Jazz Fusion (free)—Brian Lara Promenade, Port-of-Spain (3 pm – 5 pm), featuring poet Muhammad Muwakil; tap dancer Candace Ellis; flamenco dancer Nalini Akal; guitarist Larry Lee Luck; percussionist Modupe Onilu; bassist Russell Durity; keyboardist Wayne Guerra; and drummer Sean Thomas.

Jazz @ Spalkers (free), Spalkers Restaurant and Sports Bar, St Ann’s (9 pm – 11.30 pm); featuring keyboardist Wayne Guerra; bassist Russell Durity; guitarist Jeffrey Pataysingh; pannist Mikhail Salcedo; vocalist Marissa Gomez; and drummer Sean Thomas.

Saturday, March 13:
Master Class conducted by saxophonist Grace Kelly (free to all musicians)—Centre for Creative and Festival Arts, St Augustine (11 am – 1.30 pm).

Main event ($200)—Centre for Creative and Festival Arts—The Greens, St Augustine (5 pm – 10 pm), featuring Moods Steel Orchestra; UTT Faculty Jazztet, directed by pianist Dave Marcellin; guitarist Gene Lawrence and Friends, featuring pannist Ray Holman, Brazilian guitarist Antonio Valdetaro; Kernal Roberts Crew; US saxophonist Grace Kelly Quartet, featuring drummer Sean Thomas.

Festival After Party (free jam session with local and foreign musicians)—The Corner Bar, Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook (12.30 am) .

Sunday, March 14:
Jazz Movie Blue—Note A Story of Modern Jazz (free)—The Corner Bar, Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook (8.30 pm), featuring Kernal Roberts performing his greatest soca hits in jazz, plus a historical photo shoot of T&T local contributors towards jazz.

Source:Guardian.co.tt