North Coast Jazz is Back in the Groove with Heritage Addition

Film, Jouvert, Jazz

Jazz lovers, the drought is over.

Dust off your folding chairs and pop open a bottle of wine because after two long years without live instrumentation, jazz music is returning in all its splendour and glory to the North Coast Jazz Festival, this weekend, at the Blanchisseuse recreation ground.

There are a few additions to this year’s weekend of festivities jazz lovers should know about, says organiser John Gill. The party starts tonight at Movie Night with a screening of Todd Kessler’s 2015 regional hit Bazodee which stars soca icon Machel Montano.

Tomorrow is designated Family Day in honour of veteran calypsonian Lord Nelson (Robert Nelson). The night’s cast will pay tribute to the 90-year-old calypso maestro among them, guitarist Dean Williams and his band, pannist Johann Chuckaree and his band, a specially put together trio of former Groovy Soca monarch Michelle Sylvester, Revel Lynch and Mista Vybe (Patrick Gordon), pianist Adan Hagley, singers LeAndra Head and Sharon Phillips and new calypso band Freetown Collective.

North Coast Jazz has designated Sunday, Blue Sunday and will introduce a Jouvert party that starts at 2 a.m. and features the Hadco Phase II Pan Groove Steel Orchestra.

After two years of being unable to stage the festival, Gill says its great to be back with a quality jazz production on the north coast of the island. North Coast Jazz was first held in 2017 and repeated annually up until the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Is a fantastic feeling to be able to do this again. We had the show for 2020 planned when the pandemic came so it was a real disappointment we had to cancel. We started planning this show in 2021 and at the time we wasn’t even sure it could happen. But this year, with the return, it’s the best buzz we’ve had since we started the show,” Gill told the Express during a phone call yesterday.

Opening with praise and worship

Gill said like previous years North Coast Jazz will once again open with gospel music featuring the talents of Sylvester, Lynch and Mista Vybe. Gospel acts Michael Dingwell and Gates Praise have opened previous editions.

“When we started this show in 2017 we had no idea how it would be received. I have been to this year’s rehearsals and I can tell you it’s a fantastic show, every artiste is on point. And we’re opening with Michelle and Lynch and throwing in Mista Vybe in there with them,” Gill continued.

Jazz fans will be also elated to note the return of acclaimed vocalist Sharon Phillips to the North Coast Jazz stage, Gill added. Tobago-born Phillips famously delivered a show-stopping performance at the 2019 edition of the festival.

“Everyone who was there that night knows what she did; she blew away the crowd and she is back this year. If you think that night was something, wait till you see what she does on this occasion,” he said.

Freetown Collective will close the show and fulfil Gill’s vision to have the Belmont new calypso band on his stage.

“I spoke to Mud (Freetown lead singer Muhammed Muwakil) a couple years ago about having them on the show and finally we are able to make that happen. I honestly can’t wait,” he chirped.

A dutty mas closing

For the first time there would be paint, mud and dutty mas at the now three-day festival. Gill said its all part of the plan to bring the pan back into the fete arena.

“Since we started Mr Louis Lee Singh, one of our organisers, has always insisted he wanted to do three days. We had put it off for the first three years and he came back again this year asking for the three days. He wanted the third day to be something with pan,” Gill revealed.

Gill said after introducing the movie night a couple years ago as a way to give back to the community with a free screening of a local movie, he decided an all-out Jouvert fete could be the perfect freeing closure.

“I didn’t want to do another long day. Jouvert would make sense. We wanna bring pan back into the party space. This year we starting off with Phase II and with your ticket you get blue paint and breakfast,” he explained.

Gill hopes the combination of film, jazz and Jouvert can bridge the divide between older and younger audiences and attract a mixed crowd.

“Events like this is a way to bring the genres together and introduce younger audiences to a jazz and Blanchissuse. We looking to widen the appeal and connect generations,” Gill concluded.

North Coast Jazz Schedule