In an article published on March 16th, Toronto Sun’s Tracy McLaughlin recounts her 2010 Jazz experience in St Lucia. Here’s what she had to say about the festival.
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A scene on the isle of St. Lucia.
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ST. LUCIA — St. Lucians are known to love reggae and country music. So it made me wonder why the little tropical island hosts an International Jazz festival.
But I came back from last year’s three-day event overcome by the variety of world famous artists who took turns making the audience scream, weep, dance, sing or just chill to more soothing sounds.
The festival is a great excuse to visit this charming Caribbean-flavoured island in spring when the hubbub of tourist season has calmed.
First of all a bit of advice to the ladies: If you’ve always been too shy to wear one of those skimpy little sundresses, this is the place to get over it and slip into one. While the venue on adjoining Pigeon Island is casual, it’s hot in St. Lucia and ladies of every shape and size make it sizzle even hotter as they come dressed in strappy sundresses in dazzling colours. Go ahead and do it. You’re going to look gorgeous.
And by the way, this event is not strictly for jazz lovers. The festival rocks with world artists known for not only jazz but also R&B, soul, reggae and hip hop.
I got to do some back stage introductions and was thrilled to chat with the good-natured Grammy award winner Ne-Yo, whose hero Michael Jackson is reflected in the younger hit-maker’s melodic voice and incredible dance moves. It was a show in itself to watch Ne-Yo woo the younger women who dissolved into tears, screams and — at times — absolute hysterics as he handed out roses at the end of his performance.
The audience slipped into a nice easy mood as it listened to the laid-back, sexy sounds of Corinne Bailey Rae, another Grammy winner, with hits like Girl Put Your Records On. The petite performer with the big voice not only sings like an angel, she gives off an aura of being in harmony with the world.
I expected a ho-hum performance when the old timers did their Men of Soul performance, but I was wrong. These famous ’60s, ’70s and ’80s stars — Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Howard Hewitt and Freddie Jackson — captured the audience and had them swooning.
“You want some more?” howled high-energy R&B artist Osborne as he made some hip-swivelling moves while performing his solo pop hit: Can Ya Woo Woo Woo?
Osborne also sang On The Wings Of Love.
The grand finale of the event was when worldwide reggae wonders Shaggy and Maxi Priest who had the place rocking.
During intermissions it was fun to try the local party food — fish cakes, shark bits, green-banana salad or a cold Piton beer, an island lager named after the stunning Pitons, St. Lucia’s famous dormant volcanoes that rise out of the sea — or just roam the grounds of the 300-year-old ruins of a seaside fort.
I left realizing the friendly people of St. Lucia are not just in love with country, jazz, blues, soul or reggae — this is an island where the people are in love with music.
And it seems they are always up for a good party.
IF YOU GO TO ST. LUCIA
The 2011 St. Lucia Jazz Festival — which is marking its 20th anniversary — takes place April 30 to May. 8. For details, see stluciajazz.org. For travel information, visit the St. Lucia Tourist Board website at stlucianow.ca.
This story was posted on Mon, March 14, 2011
Link to the Article: http://www.canoe.ca/Travel/Caribbean/2011/03/08/17534496.html