BEQUIA 2008 BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL
Last Friday and Saturday evenings, Jan. 25 & 26, close to 2000 people danced the weekend away at De Reef and Dawn’s Beach Café at Lower Bay, the venue for the 2008 Bequia Music Festival. The rebuilt stage area at De Reef was supplemented by a live, closed circuit big-screened video, bringing the entire performance to the outdoor diners and dancers. Residents and visitors alike all agreed that this year’s program of Blues, Jazz and Country music was just about as good as it gets.Giving the Festival a distinctively local flavor, St. Vincent’s own 13-piece Elite Steel Pan Orchestra kicked off the weekend of music on Thursday January 24th at the Frangipani Hotel and from all reports they were better than ever.
Thanks to Basil Charles for once again bringing the Mustique Blues Festival to Bequia and to Sylvester Simmons of De Reef for hosting the event and of course to the indefatigable Wilbert and Nichola whose attention and professional organization and management of thousands of details made this huge event such a success.
Friday’s Blues program opened with Dana Gillespie and her London Blues Band with Julien Brunetaud, Dino Baptiste, Jake Zaitz, Jeff Walker, Mike Paice, Darby Todd, and Enrico Morena, proving that world-class entertainment has a home in the Eastern Caribbean. Additional artists from the world of Blues included Zach Prather, Ronnie Jones, Carvin Jones and London-based guitarists Papa George and Steve Simpson.
A word or two about Dana Gillespie who has become a legend in her own time: Ten years ago,
Dana and Mustique’s Basil Charles, founded and organised a free charity blues festival on Mustique. All funds collected through the sale of the Mustique Blues Festival CDs are used to pay for scholarships for children's schooling in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Few people know that her many talents include not only being a world-class musician with 42 albums to her credit, but numerous radio, theatre, film, television and sports credits as well. She toured with Bob Dylan, played the part of Mary Magdalene in the West End London first run of Jesus Christ Super Star and for four years she was the reigning British junior water-ski champion!
Today, her music has evolved from a folk genre in the 60s to Rock in the 70s to the incredible interpretation of the blues she performed Friday night.
Today, her music has evolved from a folk genre in the 60s to Rock in the 70s to the incredible interpretation of the blues she performed Friday night.
Saturday and Sunday the show carried on: Toby Armstrong and the Mount Gay Blues Band from Barbados performed their unique brand of rock and blues. Another highlight was the international "All-Star" band, including the great blues pianist David Maxwell, Trinidadian bass player Michael Boothman, drummer James Lovell from Barbados and New York trumpeter Jim Coleman.
Attendees also heard a guest appearance by 2006 Digicel Rising Star Winner Kyron Baptiste, reggae and soca from Colin Peters and Friends, a debut performance by singer Amanda Gooding from Bequia and traditional Bequia string music from "The Kings of Strings".
The wrap up was held Sunday afternoon, again at De Reef in Lower Bay and free to all. Entertainers included The Attic Jazz Band from St. Vincent, Scottish fiddlers Sandra and Trevor Buck, The Honky Tonics and friends, the Bequia Blues Band and a Party sponsored by main event sponsor Mount Gay Rum.
The wrap up was held Sunday afternoon, again at De Reef in Lower Bay and free to all. Entertainers included The Attic Jazz Band from St. Vincent, Scottish fiddlers Sandra and Trevor Buck, The Honky Tonics and friends, the Bequia Blues Band and a Party sponsored by main event sponsor Mount Gay Rum.
If you weren’t there, you missed another world-class entertainment event.
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