ANGUILLA -MAR21/01- A special Jazz and Arts Festival is being held at Frangipani Beach Club on Saturday, March 24. It is being sponsored by Frangipani and is being organized by Managing Director Valentin Davis. Guest artists include jazz pianist Marshall Vente and his Ensemble from Chicago and Neville York, well-known pan player from St. Maarten. They have performed together many times previously.
Davis told The Daily Herald he is presenting the Festival for two reasons--to entertain and to raise money for charity. "Throughout the year charities ask for donations and I want to present it in a creative way, so I decided to have the Jazz and Arts Festival and give all the ticket sales to the Anguilla Community Foundation and the Anguilla Tourist Board," he said. He chose these two organizations as he believes they will most benefit the island.
Marshall Vente is a pianist, bandleader, composer, MC and entrepreneur who is one of the best jazz pianists in the city of Chicago. He leads an incredible variety of ensembles, including the one he is bringing to Anguilla, "Jazz Tropicale." He includes Brazilian and Latin music in his programmes as well as Latin-American jazz. His ensemble includes a drummer, bassist, congas, timbales and three vocalists.
Neville York has been described as one of the top steel drum players in the world and performs with symphony orchestras in Holland and Europe. He is a native of St. Maarten and a graduate of Northern Illinois University. World renowned pianist Monty Alexander characterizes Neville's style of playing, "Steel pan is a truly incredible musical innovation and when it is in the hands of an artist such as Neville York it is no less a vehicle for the expression of virtuosity than so-called `legitimate' musical instruments."
The Jazz concert on Saturday promises to be a very lively and exciting one, with top quality versatile artists performing in the beautiful setting of Frangipani Beach Club pool and its surroundings.
Prior to the concert Joe Dominique, who has lived in St. Maarten for the past 15 years, will be showing 35 of his latest works inside the restaurant area at Frangipani. It is his first exhibition outside of St. Maarten and is being promoted by Valentin Davis, who was very impressed with Dominique's work last year when he saw it at the Nanette Bearden Fine Arts Gallery.
Dominique's favourite medium is pastel and he uses both soft and oil pastels. A characteristic of his work is the use of unfinished curved lines. He enjoys painting portraits, landscapes and abstracts and recently has found a new art form in collages; some of his pieces use this medium.
It promises to be an exceptional show with a great variety of art displayed. Davis will be donating 10 per cent of the sale of the paintings to the Community Foundation and the Tourist Board.
Frangipani is putting on a special dinner before the art show and concert, with choices in each course especially prepared by Chef de Cuisine Scott Lucas. American Airlines has sponsored the air fares for Marshall Vente and his ensemble, while all other funding is from Frangipani Beach Club.
The art exhibition starts at 8:00pm and the concert follows at 9:00pm.
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