Jinkies, the definition of "jazz festival" continues to mutate, in this case containing artists who either actually play some variety of jazz or who have heard the word "jazz" used in conversation. Nonetheless, it's a fine lineup and will doubtless be a great time for one and all.

The Jazz Channel and St. Lucia Tourist Board present the 14th annual St. Lucia Jazz, April 29th-May 8th, 2005. Called (by themselves) the "best party in the Caribbean," St. Lucia Jazz attracts over 10,000 visitors a year.

St. Lucia Jazz features multiple shows daily, including acoustic, new age and straight-ahead jazz, soul, fusion, R&B and reggae. Unique to St. Lucia Jazz are the festival¹s "fringe" events, which are held in a variety of locations and venues around the island, which provide an opportunity for travelers to experience the entire island and its culture along with musical performances. For example, concerts will take place in the venue of Balembouche, an old colonial plantation and cultural heritage site, and free performances at noon on Derek Walcott Square in the capital of Castries.

The lineup to date for St. Lucia Jazz 2005 includes R&B artists New Edition (with Bobby? is Whitney coming too?), The Isley Brothers featuring Ron Isley, Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore; great UK reggae band UB40, dancehall legend Beenie Man; veteran jazz saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, son of John and saxman Ravi ("don't call me Chi") Coltrane, trumpeter Chris Botti, vocalist Kevin Mahogany, smooth jazz guitarist Earl Klugh and smooth saxer Dave Koz.

The venues (click for map):

Pigeon Island - Home of St. Lucia Jazz, Pigeon Island is one of the Caribbean's most historic landmarks and certainly one of the most beautiful spots in St. Lucia. Connected to the mainland by a causeway and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, Pigeon Island serves as the ideal venue for the 2 closing days of Jazz. While its rich history dates back to the pre-Columbian times, Pigeon Island is most famous for its role in the 1782 Battle of the Saints. Patrons to this venue, will want to explore its 44 acres of sloping grasslands, dry tropical forests, beaches and twin peaks, wandering around its landscape and taking hikes up to the Fort Rodney to see where the Atlantic Ocean joins the Caribbean Sea. Many entertainers have said that this is the most beautiful venue that they have ever performed at and many have returned.

Gaiety on Rodney Bay - is a new venue to St. Lucia that brings the level of performing arts and entertainment to a new plateau. This new venue is ideally located between Pigeon Island and Gros Islet with the ability to seat almost 2500 persons. Gaiety on Rodney Bay boasts plush seating in a luxurious atmosphere offering jazz patrons the option of cabaret seating or tiered balcony seating. The advanced acoustics of this venue will guarantee superb performances, which bring out the best of the jazz artists performing at this venue.

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