Jazzed up in Barbados!

Despite coming at the end of one of Barbados’s most electrifying general elections in recent history, hundreds of Barbadians and visitors alike did manage to turn out for the seven-night and day jazz festival that is now in its 15th year.

Beginning on Monday January 14 and ending on Sunday 20 it was a feast of local Bajan music and North American jazz and R&B. There were no other Caribbean entertainers invited to perform as the promoters sought to give the most play to their local performers. The week saw the likes of Bajan performers The Almond Band, Nexcyx, David “Ziggy” Walcott, Andre Forde, Stefan Walcott and Clifton Glasgow.

While the bands were all well appreciated it was David “Ziggy” Walcott who won the approval of the jazz connoisseurs as he played all original music and took the fusion of pan and jazz to new heights. Trinidad’s national instrument was also well-represented by young pannist Andre Forde who told the media that he studied pan at his Barbados high school but he was inspired by TT’s Jit Samaroo who visited the school to work with the students. Forde has also been privileged to play with some local bands during the Carnival season, including Neal and Massy All Stars.

A man with some interest to Trinidadians, especially the more mature amongst us, is Clifton Glasgow who emits an old-world charm not found so often among younger entertainers.

Glasgow enchanted his older audience at the charming Sunbury Plantation House with his old standards which included songs from The Sound of Music, My Way, Mr Bojangles and others. Glasgow told the media that he has some Trini connections since he had worked back in the 60s with the likes of Sparrow and Lord Melody.

North American jazz and R&B came from the likes of Vanessa Rubin who herself has Trini roots, The Rippingtons, Lee Ritenour, Kenny Garrett, John Patitucci and Bob James. There were some acts that were not seen by the media, including Bob James who appeared on the Monday night while the media coverage began on the Tuesday. Vanessa Rubin was the draw at The Dinner Set at The Crane Hotel on the Thursday night and this, we were told, is something to which the media is traditionally not invited.

However, any disappointment over not seeing some of the acts was more than pacified by the chance to see Erykah Badu perform on the Friday night amidst the beautiful grounds of the Farley Hill National Park. Badu’s clear, full-bodied voice and her new attitude captured the audience from beginning to end of an almost two-hour long performance.