Sand, Sea and Jazz...Tobago Jazz Festival takes the spotlight!

Music is a language everyone can understand, that everyone can speak. It's a source of expression and escape, of learning and exploring emotions. It's a motivator, a comforter, a part of every soul...you know when you hear your favorite song it's like a refreshing drink of chilled coconut water on a hot, dry day.

So when I heard that Maxwell was a headline act for the 2016 Tobago Jazz Festival...I was like...

Then we have Ms. Lauryn Hill and J.Cole to spread positive messages about change, love, revolution and peace. You know, what we're used to hearing from them.

But as I look to the other featured acts, I find myself wondering...'is this Tobago Jazz or a Soca Monarch tribute concert?'

With the exception of Carijazz night (a mixture of jazz and caribbean sounds) the lineup for other nights are a bit puzzling. Destra Garcia and the Bacchanal Band on the same night as J.Cole? How did that conversation go? And no disrespect, but, Dil-E-Nadan? Really? This doesn't even make sense, it's like having Michael Bolton performing at a Lady Saw concert...

I know there are artists that perform Jazz in Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean, and maybe they're not featured because they won't 'pull a crowd' or because they're just not popular enough. Well maybe it's because of things like this. Every time we have a concert that may garner international attention, we seek out our known Soca artists and turn our backs to the throngs of talented and very capable singers and musicians that will actually make sense in an event like this.

So I sulk as I continue reading the line-up, my heart breaks into a million pieces when I see supporting acts for Ms. Hill and Maxwell are IMIJ and Co. and Adana. How about that for variety, huh...we got Soca creeping it's way into every Jazz night. Also...I have no idea who Adana is and apparently no one does, but I blame that on poor advertising.

Please don't get me wrong, I love and respect Soca and if done tastefully, Soca can fit into any genre and add character to it, so having a legend like David Rudder on stage is a treat to see. But let's face it, as it stands...come Jazz night...it's going to be jump and wave, cock back so, looser than Lucy, feeling mehself and the only Caribbean locals we have that offer Jazz pieces would be The Arturo Tappin Band and Etienne Charles & Creole Soul. Don't know who they are? That's because locally, if it makes sense, it's not going to be played on our radios or talked about in our media. Our great big pool of talented musicians and singers are neglected for a much smaller pool of one tracked minds and regurgitated lyrics....damn that was harsh, but true...no? You think it, I say it!

So maybe, just maybe, we can put some attention and effort into our local music, of all genres not just Soca. Why is it, that in order to get recognized, our artists have to go out of Trinidad and Tobago, because it's not Soca or Dancehall, but when we have events such as Tobago Jazz, we go outside for acts to headline, because our local 'heros' just can't cut it. I don't know if it's just me, but that's just stupid. We limit ourselves and fight against our own creative beings and for what, to show the world, that we have nothing else to offer?

Oh well...I'm sure one day we'll get the opportunity to explore a successful combination of our culture and other genres of music. Until then...we will continue to enjoy international music superstars that send out positive messages through lyrics and tones that make us dance and just bring good vibes.