The Anguilla Tourist Board has announced the third annual Anguilla Tranquility Jazz Festival, November 9-13, 2005. The stellar lineup of artists scheduled to appear includes vocalists Marlena Shaw, Freddy Cole and Claudia Acuna, vibes man Stefon Harris, pianist Mulgrew Miller, tenor saxophonists Eric Alexander and David Sánchez, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton.
Stated Amelia Vanterpool-Kubisch, Director of Tourism for Anguilla: “It is incredible how quickly the Tranquility Jazz Festival has evolved into a first rate event. Anguilla has the right formula to experience ‘tranquility’ – idyllic resorts, stunning beaches, great cuisine, and genuinely warm people. Add to that mix some legendary artists, and talented musicians, and you have the Tranquility Jazz Festival – the ultimate event for jazz purists and jazz aficionados.”
The festival begins Wednesday, November 9, with a reception, followed by four days of straight ahead jazz beginning Thursday, November 10, at the Cuisinart Resort and Spa, with a performance by charismatic jazz vocalist Marlena Shaw.
On Friday, November 11 at the island’s nightspot, Rumza Night Club, it’s an evening of Bossas & Ballads, a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim & Stan Getz, featuring vibraphonist Stefon Harris, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez and Chilean-born jazz vocalist Claudia Acuña; saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and his quartet; and local artist Clive Alexander.
On Saturday, November 12 at Rumza, the suave and elegant vocalist Freddy Cole featuring saxophonist Eric Alexander; pianist Mulgrew Miller with special guests alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and trumpeter Nicholas Payton; and Concord Jazz Artists Erin Boheme, Christian Scott, and Taylor Eigsti.
And on Sunday, November 13, it’s the festival finale, the “Jazz on the Beach” performance returns to Johnno’s Beach Stop in Sandy Ground from 12 noon until… featuring the Anguilla All-Star Band and the Concord Jazz Artists . The complimentary performance is a swell opportunity to jazz out on the beach, soak up rays, and get in the mood for an Anguillan sunset.
Anguilla, in the British West Indies, is a “pristine and private escape wrapped in a beautiful and brilliant turquoise sea.” The island features 33 powder-soft white sand beaches, a wide range of first-class lodging and dining options, activities including diving, snorkeling, parasailing, windsurfing, boating, fishing, and all that kind of stuff, and entertainment.