From: One Caribbean
With the countdown on to the staging of Saint Lucia Jazz, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board marks the 20th anniversary milestone with still another exclusive festival package – the GOLD PASS.
Where the Premium Package targets the corporate segment in respect of the two Jazz nights at Gaiety on Rodney Bay, the new GOLD PASS is designed for an all-inclusive ultimate Pigeon Island experience, offering patrons a supreme class of hospitality within the setting that has become emblematic of one of the world’s best music festivals.
Pigeon Island shows run from Friday evening through to Sunday. The Friday evening show carries a Gold Pass cost of EC $345 or US $125 per person. Friday opens with Saint Lucia’s Mervyn Wilkinson, followed by Carimi, Angelique Kidjo and headliners Morgan Heritage.
The Saturday and Sunday Gold Pass packages are priced at EC $385 or US $140 per person. Saturday’s line up offers an eclectic mix of music genres. Saint Lucia-born internationally acclaimed reggae/poet Taj Weekes opens with his distinctive and enigmatic vocal and lyrical styling, which coupled with a typically poignant social commentary is more of a conversation than strict entertainment. The critically acclaimed Yellowjackets, which has consistently released compilations since 1981 to today, will lead off the jazz segment followed by Maceo Parker whose compelling performances never fail to thrill with its charismatic funk and soul jazz rhythms. Pop icon Trey Songz blends in the contemporary appeal.
Patrons savour a different blend on Sunday. It will include Cuban folk fusion delivered by the all female Anacaona band; the Saint Lucia Collective featuring Saint Lucian music icons Barbara Ann Cadet and Emerson Nurse with a showcase of their original music and accompanied by a talented group of national musicians; best jazz guitarist (Guitar Player 1993) Mike Stern with Jazz bassist Richard Bona, followed by Grammy nominated (2010) Chuck Brown, the inventor of Go-Go music. Nine-time Grammy winner John Legend, back on the Jazz main stage for a second time, will headline, bringing down the curtains on a landmark edition of Saint Lucia Jazz.