Jazz moves to Turtle Beach

The event takes place during the Tobago Jazz Experience which will run from April 22 to 30.

Formerly known as Jazz on the Beach and held at Mt Irvine, the two-day event on April 29 and 30 will move to its new base at Black Rock.

The line-up of artistes include perennial favourite Arturo Tappin, Errol Ince, Vaughnette Bigford, Kay Alleyne, Tobago’s own jazz ensemble Caribbean INXS and young musicians from the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT ). The music journey begins on the Saturday at 11 am with Tobago’s own jazz ensemble, Caribbean INXS followed by veteran trumpeter Errol Ince and a 20-piece UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago) Orchestra doing 50s and 60s big band swing and jazz music, inclusive of a special session with Kelwyn Hutcheon in the mix.

Producer of Tobago Beach Jazz Carl “Beaver” Henderson will make a return to the stage after 25 years to close off the day’s live entertainment. He will perform with the UTT Festival band comprising of veteran and upcoming musicians and singers.

This feature according to Henderson is intended to create platforms for young musicians and undergraduates.

“We’ve partnered with UTT to develop young and new talent in an effort to have graduates actually come out and practise their creative artistic side,” Beaver told Newsday.

“For the last ten years of Jazz on the Beach we have been unearthing new talent so we are now creating platforms now for young musicians, under grads, to come out and get some OJT [on the job training].

So whether you are professional or semi profession, the platform is to assist the performing industry in TT . So I’ve put together the UTT Festival Orchestra.” About his upcoming performance Henderson revealed: “I will be singing and playing and jumping around the stage like a fool like normal, but seriously it is all about giving back to all the requests that I have been getting to perform again.

When I go on stage my session will be like the pop version of the festival.

Basically we will start telling the history of music through a one-hour session with experienced musicians and an all-star cast.

“I will be starting off where I know best, the music of the 70s, the JB’s kind of era for those who don’t know. So my session will be drums, bass, two guitars, three keyboards, a horn section and six vocalists –Kay Alleyne will perform the music of Chaka Khan, Michelle Xavier (Gloria Gaynor), Vaughnette Bigford (Al Jareau), Keith Ajala Sutherland (James Ingram/ Quincy Jones), Jason Fridge Seecharan (Marvin Gaye) and Dereck Patience (Eagles) (and) featuring young guitarist Dax Carter.” Beaver said the festival will also feature vocalist Dereck Patience with Robin Imamshah on the mixing board and himself in the continuation of the journey that started with the Maracas Cool Down and now has Beach House Entertainment on board.

“This thing didn’t start as Mt Irvine Jazz, I started the Ash Wednesday Cool down on Maracas Beach, then went to Mt Irvine, now it is Turtle Beach, the third version of music on the beach.” He said that Beach House is going to reshape the Sunday beach presentation with less live performances and a more cool-down atmosphere with different styles of deejays.

The Sunday Beach Jazz will take the form of a brunch party beginning from 10 am with Caribbean INXS.

Patrons will then be taken back through the years of jazz dance hits by Beach House director DJ CPOP and Japanese DJ and UTT sound engineer Katz Imai.

Food and drinks will be on sale, however, patrons will be allowed to bring their own coolers into the venue until 2 pm.