Though the connection to "jazz" is tenuous - this is really about artists who get played on "smooth jazz" and "quiet storm" radio stations, which is something different from "jazz" jazz entirely - there are worse ways to spend a few summer days than at the very first Cayman Jazz Fest, which runs June 17-19 on Grand Cayman island in the Caribbean.
Roberta Flack, David Sanborn, Bob James, Freddie Jackson, BeBe Winans, (Cleveland's own!) Eddie Levert, Cuban big band Charanga Habanera, and contemporary Caymanian artists will all gently rock the beautiful Pageant Beach location.
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, June 17
Noon 2pm:
Free Lunch Time Concert
7pm - 12am:
After Dark
BeBe Winans
Eddie Levert
Friday, June 18
8pm - 1am:
Intransit
Charanga Habanera
Freddie Jackson
Saturday, June 19
6pm - 11pm:
Notch & Club Dred
Bob James
David Sanborn
Roberta Flack
Bios of the artists are on the festival site here, and here are bios on the local Cayman groups who will be participating:
Intransit
The band Intransit has been around since the year 2000. During that time the band has performed at every major venue on Grand Cayman and due to its busy schedule, has found it difficult to even get to the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Intransit has quite a following and is known as the first call band for any major occasion. This is due to the fact, that the members are in the top echelon of musicians on the music scene in the Caymans.
Leader, saxophonist, percussionist and backup vocalist of the band Gary Ebanks, is Caymanian and has been around the scene for quite some time. Though only starting to play music in his mid twenties, he had studies with the internationally know saxophonist, arranger and educator Bobby Watson and also bassist Curtis Lundy both of whom actually inspired him to start playing music while studying architecture at the University of Miami. Gary has worked in Florida and New York with local bands. He also led his own groups in New York. This is a period that he considers his growth period, while looking all the time to return to his islands to help develop the scene and expand the musical concepts of the musicians on the islands. He has been at the forefront of the development of jazz in the Caymans since the early seventies. Gary is also a prolific composer. He has several tunes which have had airplay and can also be heard on many local recordings.
Article comments
1 - Frank Harris
By any chance would you know the dates for the 2005 Cayman jazz fest
2 - Eric Olsen
Hi Frank, the site lists the dates of the 2005 Jazz Fest as still TBA - I would guess it would be around the same time as last year, though.
3 - LORI
IS THERE GOING TO BE A 2005 JAZZ FESTIVAL THIS YEAR. REALIZING THE
HURRICANE DID A NUMBER ON THE ISLAND.
ALSO WHO IS THE LINE-UP.
4 - Eric Olsen
I still don't see any announcement up about the dates or the line-up - perhaps contact the tourist board through the link above?
5 - Dani
The dates for the 2005 fest are Dec. 1 - 3. Line-up is still TBD.
The number for Cayman Island Tourism is 345/949-0623, we can start to call and bug them.
6 - cathy cole
I was trying to use the number 800-go-to-gcm it thens saids dial 800-400-talk which is a sex line. I didn't appreciate that. I don't know if that is a mistake but I called twice and got that. What is the 800-go-to-gcm for.
Thanks,
Cathy Cole
7 - Eric Olsen
Cathy and all, just tried this number: 1-800-468-6426 and it is correct to book travel to the Caymans.
Also, see this post about the 2005 show