Trinidad and Tobago’s most unique JAZZ festival - North Coast JAZZ is scheduled for Saturday 25th May, 2019 at the Sir Solomon Hochoy Park in the heart of the beautiful Community of Blanchisseuse onTrinidad’s North Coast.
Organisers of the festival, which is now in its third year, state plans are in place to surpass earlier productions. North Coast JAZZ Festival carries a tagline “Born Here, Played Here,”which is self explanatory and for which local artiste are appreciative.
North Coast JAZZ is a production conceptualized and produced by an indigenousteamheadedbyformerMayorof Port-of-Spain Louis Lee Sing and includes Radio Presenter John Gill and Realtor, Margaret Gittens. The team continues to work at improving the experience for its patrons combining a hand picked cast, in addition to local craft and cuisine set in a picturesqueenvironmentthatenjoysboth the hills of the Northern Range and the Caribbean Sea.
“Some of the feel good experience of North Coast JAZZ has much to do with the natural beautyofthevillage of Blanchisseuse,” says Louis Lee Sing. Continuing, he notes; “There is magic in many places along the North Coast, but none as magical as Blanchisseuse, with its beaches, flora and fauna. Above all of Blanchisseuse’s magic, is its people who seem to possess all the charm thatTrinidad andTobago once had. Today, the sum of all this charm resides in that tiny but unique village named for the ‘Washer Woman’ – Blanchisseuse.”
During the years of the festival, it has not broken with the tagline as its casts have beendistinctlyanall-embracingTrinidadand Tobago cast.The Festival production team underscores that given the huge cadre of local musicians of all genres, it feels it has a responsibilitytonotonlyexposesuchtalent, but to create a stage for the vaults of talents to play.
There is something unique about the North Coast JAZZ Team, which appears tobedrivenbyanumberofpeople-centred initiatives. It’s chairman often speaks of
creating a‘Bed and Breakfast’industry for the villagers of Blanchisseuse and has been aggressive in encouraging residents to add to visitor room stock.
Of this initiative, says Lee Sing; “Each year we are seeing small increases in the number of rooms available and we are workingwiththeCommunityCounciltoboth encourage more rooms and to ensure the standard of rooms offered represent good quality.”
North Coast JAZZ also offers a Friday night “Movie Night and Turtle Watching” programme on the evening before JAZZ, which will be held on Saturday 25th May, 2019. Movie Night andTurtleWatching on Friday 24th May. The evidence suggest North Coast JAZZ is building up a JAZZ season at Blanchisseuse.
The 2019 instalment will be dedicated to the late Dr. Winston Bailey, The Mighty Shadow, which is reinforced in the festival Promotion “Outta De Shadow.” The cast includes the uniqueness of Kashiff Kwartet, Gates Praise, Natasha Joseph, Mya Scott, 3 CanalandSharlanBailey,witheachmember deliveringajazzedversionofmaterialtaken from the wide repertoire of Shadow.
Yes North Coast JAZZ is the place to be on Saturday 25th May, 2019.
