Carnival of Soul

The 2020 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival Produced in Collaboration with Lincoln Center has added Patti LaBelle, Chucho Valdéz and other top names to this year’s event.

Taking place in Saint Lucia on May 7-9, the three-day festival encompasses Saint Lucian and Caribbean music and International Jazz — with sounds such as calypso and R& B — and with performances held in intimate venues and public settings across this Caribbean island.

The event also marks its second time that the festival is partnering with Jazz at Lincoln Center as a collaborative effort in putting on this annual musical gathering.

Festival acts are from across the United States, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean. They have also participated in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s season concerts, touring initiative, and global outposts, as well as have appeared in the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival over the course of its 28-year history. 

The diverse lineup includes:

· Chick Corea Trio with Carlitos Del Puerto and Antonio Sanchez

 · Willie Jones III Quintet

· Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings

· Ruben Fox’s London Brass Band and Theon Cross and Mark Kavuma

· Lisa Simone

· Maher Beauroy

· Poppy Ajudha

· U.S. Embassy Arts Envoy Sheléa Soul of the Great American Songbook 

Standout Performances

Noted performers will take the stage as solo acts or pairings featuring first-time sets.

Singer and songwriter Lisa Simone, the daughter of the iconic singer Nina Simone, will have her performance at Gros Islet Park on Thursday, May 7. 

The 2020 edition of the “A Special Evening with Patti LaBelle” will feature the famous songstress at The Ramp on Rodney Bay on Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9. 

On May 9, at Gros Islet Park, Chucho Valdés and Esperanza Spalding will perform together for the first time in a concert known as “Chucho Valdés Summit with Joe Lovano and Esperanza Spalding.”

On May 8, Chucho will appear as a special guest on “Celebrating Roy Hargrove” with Willie Jones III Quintet featuring Renée Neufville. For this performance, Chucho will reprise tunes that he and Roy Hargrove recorded on the album “Havana,” which earned Roy his first GRAMMY in 1997.  

Each night of the festival will feature a “Late Night Jam Session” at Rodney Bay, with free admission. These sessions will kick off with Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings on May 7, followed by Theon Cross and Ruben Fox on May 8, and concluding with Horne, Ruben Fox and Friends on May 9.

Tourism Hits a High Note

At a 2019 media event, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism Dominic Fedee spoke of how the island’s annual jazz festival has not only boosted visitation to the island but also evolved into a well-respected music festival within the Caribbean. 

Started as a way to extend Saint Lucia’s tourist season into May, the St. Lucia Jazz Festival was launched in 1992, with four locations. In 2019, Saint Lucia Tourist Board officials announced their partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center, a New York City nonprofit whose mission is to expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy.

In addition to these performances, the jazz festival will feature “Artists In Education” initiatives, including master classes, professional development, and live performance collaborations with Saint Lucia School of Music students and local jazz artists. 

One of the Windward Islands of the West Indies’ Lesser Antilles, Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions. They encompass the Piton Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Sulphur Springs Park, Castries Market and the La Soufriere Drive In Volcano.

Tickets for the 2020 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival Produced in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center are available via www.stlucia.org/jazz. Hotels and resorts throughout Saint Lucia are offering packages with special rates and tickets; find out more via the Specials section on stlucia.org.