Jazz at Sunset making music magically

by Maralyn Ballantyne LLB. Hons.

The February pre-Valentines edition of Jazz@ Sunset, sold out several days before the event, remains on the minds of fans as an epic celebration of love. Living it added more spice to the exciting Vincy music landscape.

But there will be more as fans can now prepare to come out on Sunday, March 24, 2024, to enjoy another chapter of this beloved monthly Jazz Tropical Project event, led by passionate musician Dexter Rose, journalist and former SVG diplomat.

The March edition of Jazz@Sunset came mere days after the Basil Charles Foundation Blues Festival, where an international posse of accomplished musicians, including guitarist par excellence Dennis Jones performed at the same venue, Basil at Villa; and so, music lovers were fresh from the output of very accomplished music makers. Jazz Tropical Project- JTP- kept the music playing, clearly demonstrating that local musicians and musical productions do stand up to international standards.

Bear in mind that the JTP philosophy, as this reviewer understands it after deep association with the ensemble, centres on original composition, creativity in musical arrangement, sensitive improvisation and integrity to music as art form. JTP is not overly concerned with ratings and competition. Indeed, there is no need to be so preoccupied, particularly in the face of wide acceptance and an ever expanding all age fan-club!

A golden sunset signalled start time. The strains of JTP magic slowly and gently permeated the air while couples toasted each other, lovers reaffirmed, whispering soothing words, mystery and romance dominated. Even those who remain sceptical about the love thing were moved in one way or the other.
This reviewer is encouraging JTP to keep in place as they did a sort of ritual by opening with a gospel song.

The ensemble opened keyboardist/ vocalist Juan Carlos Cepeda executing a soulful rendition of the Jonathan Butler song ‘We need you Lord’ to much appreciation by the rapidly growing crowd of Jazz@Sunset patrons.

Then JTP sprung two impressive firsts! Dexter introduced Toronto-born Latvian descendant, Maia Kuze-Dougan, who sings in various languages including French, Spanish and English; she was welcomed as a Vincy woman in the local community, and then came young Vincy music icon, Saeed Bowman, who was invited to display his artistry on pan.

JTP makes deliberate efforts to showcase Vincy talent, by generously including other musicians on their JTP stage. XTA-C, a new vibrant band was featured late last year as was veteran Ken Isles, and the Bequia based duo Louis and Jan.

Maia delighted the house with her engaging style; here is an experienced singer who has been formally trained and her renditions were fitting testimony. She delivered a unique Fly Me To The Moon, Bechame Mucho in Spanish, Autumn Leaves in French and did not stop there, if only because Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It” and the famous “My Funny Valentine”, were too apt to be omitted a mere days before February 14.

By then the standing room only audience had put on dancing shoes and the versatile JTP treasure, Juan Carlos Cepeda, fully aware, burst into a rousing Latin ballad. The mood altered from intimacy to sheer exuberance.

Keeping the flame ablaze as a sense of duty, Maia reappeared with the Pointer Sisters hit “Fire”, but only after dedicating a special song to all female attendees, the song “Cry Me A River”. How compassionate and full of empathy Maia was, displaying great vocal skills gained from her formal classical vocal training at Humber College and York University, and a visible selflessness. She earned herself an encore!

The entire JTP JAZZ@SUNSET pre-Valentines performance, can best be described as delivering gems and memories to all, given the range of offerings- from earthy to partially gritty, emotional, soulful, heartfelt, even at times slightly cloaked in pain. But mainly thoroughly joyful without a doubt, a throwback to the golden years of live Vincy entertainment, when Bobby Brisbane presided over his Crow’s Nest, Ricky Hillocks over his Rick’s Discotheque and Dr. Edgar Adams over his various clubs, Stilly Fraser over the Aquatic Club, and his brother Ken Boyea, over his Attic Jazz Club.

JTP seems bent on reviving the best in Vincy music which Earl “Big C” Stephen in a Facebook comment dubbed-music with “more than a Touch of Class”.