Travel Saint Lucia invites jazz enthusiasts to attend Jazz and Arts Festival

Castries, Saint Lucia: The world celebrated International Jazz Day on April 30, 2023, and on this occasion, the tourism authority of Saint Lucia – Travel Saint Lucia, wished the people and invited them to attend the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival.

Through the social media post, Travel Saint Lucia noted, “Happy International Jazz Day. Join us for the highly-anticipated return of the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival May 5-14.”

“The iconic and historic Pigeon Island National Park provides a waterside backdrop for open-air performances. Don’t miss out on the Caribbean’s biggest music festival, stlucia.org/jazz,” it stated while praising the beauty of the nation and inviting the people to come and participate in the event.

On the occasion of International Jazz Day, music lovers took an international tour of sights and sounds showcasing jazz in all its diversity. The concert featured performances from Beijing, China; Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Johannesburg, South Africa; Marondera, Beirut, Zimbabwe; Paris, France; Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Brazil; Austria; and Fairbanks, New York, San Francisco Honolulu and Washington, DC, USA.

The live-streamed concert event featured performances by some of the world’s famous jazz artists, including Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Emmet Cohen (USA), John Beasley (USA), Thana Alexa (Croatia), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), Bill Charlap (USA), Tom Gansch (Austria), Christian McBride (USA), Sérgio Mendes (Brazil), Cyrille Aimée (France), Marcus Miller (USA), Thandi Ntuli (South Africa), Walter Smith III (USA), Dianne Reeves (USA), Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Somi (Rwanda) and Mike Stern (USA), along with others. Renowned Mbira player Musekiwa Chingodza (Zimbabwe) duet with Oran Etkin from Israel on baritone clarinet; the Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra joined the Global Concert from Beijing; as well as Jazz Women Africa celebrated from Casablanca.

Doris Duke Foundation provided major support for International Jazz Day is provided along with generous support from the Ford Foundation. United Airlines, the airline partner of Jazz Day, provided air transportation as well as additional support for artists and educators.