Live Music: RICH MUSICAL FEAST FOR A “JAZZ FAREWELL”

Bajan multi-reedist Arturo Tappin (right)  is but one of the stellar acts to be featured on a

tremendously rich bill for “Jazz Farewell” , the closing feature of the UWI’s 70^th Anniversary Celebrations as well as the Chancellor’s Week, show  to be held July 29 at the Mona Visitors Lodge*.

Adding even more jazzy gravitas to the lineup are “Jamaica’s First Lady of Jazz” Myrna Hague, multi-instrumentalist Marjorie Whylie, pianist-composer-bandleader Peter Ashbourne and the Desi Jones Band.

From her formative days with the legendary Studio One to performing in the best jazz clubs and venues around the world to her own highly anticipated “Simply Mryna” series, a Myrna Hague date is a guarantee of excellence in vocal performance and musicianship

Closely associated with Myrna (and indeed, all the musicians on this show) Marjorie Whylie is integral to the Jamaican sound and yet also transcends it. As pianist, percussionist, educator and musical director (most notably for the National Dance Theatre Company), she has a powerful force for the advancement of Jamaica’s music and culture at home and globally.

Whether classical, jazz, pop, reggae or even dub, Peter Ashbourne encompasses it all as a musician and composer. Indeed, whether as the composer (and performer) on over 700 commercial jingles, film, television and theatre scores and hit songs for the likes of Karen Smith, A.J. Brown, Della Manley and more, the “Ashbourne sound” is all around us.

Desi Jones has long been a household name on the live music circuit as drummer, bandleader and arranger. But few may know that he initially joined the Salvation Army Brass Band as a trombonist in addition to playing the drums. Effortlessly spanning genres, there really isn’t any Jamaican musician or vocalist of note with whom he has not performed nor recorded.

Bajan multi-genre saxophonist Arturo Tappin headlines the special Hailing from Barbados, Tappin had formal training at the renowned Berklee College of Music and has also been drawn to the Jamaican culture and sound, as reflected in his first two albums. Tappin has performed for former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and late Cuban President Fidel Castro. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in the Arts by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson.

 He has played and recorded with a wide cross-section of artistes, Ellis Marsalis, Luther Vandross, Eddy Grant, Ernie Ranglin, Roy Haynes, Monty Alexander, Pete King, Dean Fraser, the Wailers and more.

Cocktails will begin at 6:00 pm on the evening, with showtime set for 7:00 pm. Admisssion is USD100 for general and USD 150 for VIP.