JAZZ FINALE: WAS IT WORTH IT?

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]umerous attempts by the drizzle to dampen patron enthusiasm proved futile. It would take a deluge to prevent them from getting their money’s worth at the 2018 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival finale. Labeled ‘A Mother’s Day Special’, the event took place last Sunday at the Pigeon Island National Landmark. The open-air venue was perfect, a wonderful change from the hotel setting of earlier held events.

With a solid line-up of highly distinguished jazz artists, the enthusiastic house was in for an unforgettable treat! The day began with a small but growing audience under a blistering hot sun, with the Frantz Laurac Quartet from neighbouring Martinique first to hit the stage.

Saint Lucia’s foremost guitarist, Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson, delivered a très Caribbean performance. He transformed popular soca songs like ‘Full Extreme’ by Ultimate Rejects into a jazz edition that had his audience jumping. Boo invited several other artists to share the stage with him, among them super saxophonist Rashaad Joseph and vocalist Christa Bailey.

Next up was the group R+R=Now, who delivered a set as unique as it was captivating. The band’s pianist Robert Glasper engaged excited fans even as his piano talked its own special talk. Alas, it was during his stint that the umbrellas came out.

Last, but not least, was singer-pianist Avery *Sunshine from the United States. Her set, including husband Dana Johnson on guitar, offered the audience several opportunities to sing along. And so they did. When Avery’s husband took time to gently wipe the sweat off her face, the ohhhs and ahhhs were almost palpable. The crowd demanded, and received, an encore at the end of the impressive set.

The jazz presentation was followed by the unofficial launch of carnival. Numerous local acts, the likes of Arthur (with the EvaLucian band), Hollywood HP, and Ezra D’Fun Machine, among others, graced the stage. Regional acts Dj Puffy from Barbados and Shal Marshall and Destra from Trinidad also performed.