Chief Executive Officer of the Discover Dominica Authority, Collin Piper, is hoping that the annual Jazz ‘n Creole event will one day become a week long activity.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Piper noted that the event, which was conceptualized as a means of increasing visitor arrivals during the month of May, has been growing significantly over the past four years.
“We have grown from inception. The caliber of artistes this year would signal our intent in terms of trying to make a little more waves regionally in terms of the artists that perform,” he noted.
He added that plans for the staging of Jazz’n Creole this year are more organised and the fringe events will make the event bigger and better.
The fringe events for the 4th annual Jazz and Creole are set to begin on May 15th at the Evergreen Hotel with a Pan ‘n Jazz Soiree.
They will continue on Thursday (May 16) at the Anchorage hotel with Word, Sound and Power and at the Fort Young Hotel on Friday (May 17) with Happy Hour featuring Caribbean Vybz along with other popular local Jazz artistes. The last such event is scheduled for Saturday (May 18) at the River Stone Bar and Grill with performances by Gregory Rabess and Breve.
Piper indicated that regional marketing has been extended and major advertising was done in Antigua, Barbados and St Martin.
International Jazz artiste Monty Alexander will headline the main event carded for May 19, 2013 at the Cabrits National Park. Beethova Obas, Eric Ildefonse Quartet, Michele Henderson, Joy Stoute, Mel-C, Tiffany Mayne and Phase 5 are also expected to perform at the main event.
Director of the Dominica Festivals Committee, Nathalie Clarke, said that the event promises to be family friendly.
Children under the age of 12 will be allowed free entrance and will be treated to bouncing castles and face painting amongst other activities suited for their age groups.
Musicians can also take advantage of the event by participating in a master class at the Alliance Francaise from Thursday 16th May to Friday 17th, May 2013.
Tickets can be purchased at $50 in advance and $60 at the gate.
when is prize giving ceremony for carnival??????
LOL. answer that question……dem sensai want their money, queens want their money. lmao.
Pipe doesn’t know what next to do! Support Local more and maybe that will help.
Everything can’t be local dumby. Do you have any local grammy award winning artists?
Mr. Piper you are not doing good for our tourism industry. Since the Carnival pulled out tourism has taken a deep plonge which leaves a big depression for six hard months While you continue to enjoy your full salary of how much thousand. What are the visitor and revenue statistics from this event ? You seem to be a tourism director in the middle of the boiling lake grasping at straws. you grsap at scuba diving It sink, you grasp at Creole Music Festival It sink, you grasp at Waitikubuli trails It sink, now you grasping at a saxafone ? lets see how that floats. Lol…
Mr. Piper is not the one sinking these events, The people are. They tired tell the people about embracing tourism with attitude, customer service and cleanliness but they are not listening. The government can do but if we don’t keep it up then we all fall. The guys are trying but it’s not easy to get companies like carnival in when they can go to so many other places that behave better.
oh please piper think again stop sending your staff to las vegas to promote Dominica Are you for real?
Could someone please help! Does anyone know how much foreign(net)exchange is earned from these activities/festivals?
if these people are serious about tourism, then come up with a means of keeping Roseau clean
Roseau is done. Portsmouth is the town of choice now. Portsmouth people are taking a positive attitude. Go Mr. Douglas, Mr. Austrie and others. Love to see possie moving on. Possie people have faith we shall overcome.
creole festival has lost it purpose.creole festival should be an arena to promote our music but now we are having more foreign music than creole music lets live out the reggae and dance hall lets bring more zouk ,compa,soukous,bouyon,cardence,and soca into it all of this music originate from our music
Kuba, times have changed, meaning that music has changed. I agree that festivals should be about the original music of that country. However, we should also celebrate music of the Caribbean regions also. We must move on and stop staying still. Our young people are bought up hearing a variety of music, and they out-weigh the crowds at these festivals. I do understand what you’re saying, but I also want you to understand my message.
I agree with you. Music is the universal language. We must embrace our caribbean brothers and sisters style as well but I do agree that a large part should be local. We have to encourage people to come in and spend money and sometimes you have to think outside of the box. Good Job Mr. Piper.
I just love Mr. Piper
great initiative
and let it be a “jazz in creole”
not reggae, not calypso or any other, just jazz in creole and it will be the best thing happening in DA and the Caribbean, good luck on this one
Nothing wrong with a little spice at the end of the event.
islands competing against each other – dominica have creole festival st lucia have jazz now d’ca having jazz around the same time with st lucia