Media and Culture

Looking at the Tobago Jazz Experience

The experience of jazz, Tobago Jazz, is here once again. The much anticipated and sort after musical celebration is upon our doorsteps just waiting to pervade our souls. In an effort to highlight every aspect of the beautiful sister isle, the festival will span over one week and will showcase performances at five different communities. From Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th April, 2012, visitors to the Speyside, Signal Hill, Scarborough, Castara and the Pigeon Point Heritage Park venues are promised a musical experience that is unique to the island.

This event is one of the many initiatives implemented to increase the island’s presence across the local, regional and international tourism market. This Tobago brand will act as a stimulant to the island’s economic activity and act as a showcase to the world of everything the island has to offer.

The festival is predominantly jazz but also boasts a fusion of Trinidad and Tobago’s finest musicians as well as other regional artistes. This promises to be an offering that is much more than music, as the Tobago Jazz Experience incorporates the cultural and historical practices that promote the island of Tobago as an ideal tourist get away.

 Tobago’s way of life takes centre stage both during the day and long after the stage lights are turned off as the island presents a plethora of attractions, from the sampling of home-made bread baked in authentic dirt ovens, indigenous to the village of Castara, to simply taking a leisurely stroll off the beaten path into the Main Ridge Reserve. “Visitors can immerse themselves in cultural treats such as the goat races at the Buccoo Goat Racing Facility. Additionally, one can take in a historic lesson during a tour of Fort King George – all the while, interacting with a warm and welcoming people famous for their vintage brand of hospitality.”

The Tobago Jazz experience has featured celebrity performers like George Benson, Erykah Badu, Randy Crawford, Chaka Khan, Joe Sample and Trey Songz. The world famous band Earth Wind & Fire had a memorable performance alongside music legend Sir Elton John back in 2007.  Following that was the late great Whitney Houston alongside “the Legend” Diana Ross, En Vogue, Shakira, Rod Stewart, James Ingram, Smokey Robinson and Steel Pulse all happening in 2008.

Jazz 2012 will feature international performances by Angie Stone, Janelle Monáe, Arturo Tappin and Emeli Sandé, mixed in with a talented cast of local and regional entertainers.  This diverse blend will continue the precedence set in the past by maintaining the high standard that has been instrumental in placing Tobago Jazz on the international event calendar.

You need to be a part of this spectacular occasion and delve into all that Tobago has to offer.  Come for the fusion of music that awaits you, come for the sun, sea and sand or simply come for the infamous Tobago curry crab and lef’ han’ dumpling. Whatever your reason for stopping over in the sister isle, Tobago Jazz 2012 will prove to be a memorable one!

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