Dominica’s own, Michele Henderson, is among the line up for this year’s Jazz ‘n Creole slated for Sunday, May 24 at the Cabrits National Park.
She and three other acts, Barbadian Aturo Tappin, Ronald Tulle and Ralph Thamar of Martinique, were announced on Thursday.
Tulle is a pianist, author, composer and arranger. He has been described as “one of the greatest pianist from Martinique” and has earned best album and arranger of the year several times.
Thamar is a singer, composer and arranger. He is the lead singer of the group Malavoi and has contributed to albums of Kassav over the years. He also sings in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Tappin is a Saxaphonist. He has been described as a “cross between the Teddy Pendergrass and Kenny G,” and is referred to as the “smoothest, saxiest horn man the Caribbean has to offer.”
Henderson, at 15 joined, the Jazz band, Impact as the lead singer and flutist. Her repertoire is “varied and endless” and she has performed in the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) Jazz ‘n Creole, St. Lucia Jazz Festival and Grenada Spice Jazz Festival.
CEO of Discover Dominica Authority, Colin Piper, said the festival has seen a 100 per cent growth since its inception in 2010.
“Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole is growing to be one of the signature events on the annual calendar and attendance has grown over the years from 600 in the first year in 2010 to over 1,200 in 2014,” he said. “The evolving success of the festival is due to dedicated team and partnership with our sponsors.”
Telecommunications Company Digicel, announced its gold sponsorship for the event and Dominica Brewery and Beverages Ltd (DBBL), came on board with a silver sponsorship.
Kubuli will be the exclusive beer of Jazz ‘n Creole.
“I certainly want to thank our partners Digicel, gold sponsor and silver partner Dominica Brewery and Beverages Ltd (DBBL) with the Kubuli brand, who has been with us from day one for coming on board,” Piper said.
Very interesting though that this year the artists are coming from so very close and we only have two overseas acts. Does that say something about the festival this year? Is it dying a slow jazz death? Or is it that there is no money to stage it as in previous years. It has been growing so well in the past, what happen?
I applaud this venue – but thinking of it we festivals upon festivals; nearly every month in the calender now has a festival of some sort – but really what we want is a job or employment festival!!! lets try to work on that so we can see creole ‘n’ jazz grow not by a 100 percent but 500 percent.
She’s great. She must break into a wider market.
that not new, she is maybe the only jazz artist in Dominica, so obvious