Musician Rupert Lay breaks down the “Caribbean Stake” in jazz history following a spectacular wrap-up of Pure Jazz in Saint Lucia
As the final night of Pure Jazz under the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival got underway, Rupert Lay, a jazz U.K-Caribbean musician of fifteen years, highlighted the significant relationship between the jazz genre and the Caribbean. “Jazz is part of the Caribbean. We have a stake in the contribution to jazz through our culture.” […] The post Musician Rupert Lay breaks down the “Caribbean Stake” in jazz history following a spectacular wrap-up of Pure Jazz in Saint Lucia appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
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As the final night of Pure Jazz under the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival got underway, Rupert Lay, a jazz U.K-Caribbean musician of fifteen years, highlighted the significant relationship between the jazz genre and the Caribbean.
“Jazz is part of the Caribbean. We have a stake in the contribution to jazz through our culture.” Lay noted.
Lay explained that several prominent jazz artistes like the Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Sony Rollins grew up around West Indian musicians who helped inspire the music. Lay added that several of these West Indian musicians would play with these famous jazz names on the band stand.
“Others were born in the Caribbean and migrated to the United States bringing their culture with them.” Lay said.
Legendary Afro-Cuban trumpeter Mario Bauzá was also pioneer in fusing Cuban music with big band jazz, influencing the rise of Latin jazz. Dizzy Gillespie, though American, collaborated extensively with Caribbean musicians, famously working with Bauzá and percussionist Chano Pozo to create Afro-Cuban jazz classics. More recent names to rise in the jazz world include Pianist Monty Alexander from Jamaica who brings a vibrant island flair to his performances, merging reggae, calypso, and jazz seamlessly.
When it comes to the essence of jazz, Lay stated it is more than music describing jazz an entire language by itself.
“Jazz is a way of life and more importantly I see jazz as a consciousness. So, the importance of jazz has a lot to do with the wellbeing of people as we live our lives. Jazz offers an avenue to be more aware and to negotiate challenges or events we engage in.”
Lay added that Jazz is also about community bringing people together.
“I’ll go so far as to say it ought to be something we teach or expose young people to at an early age.” Lay said.
The Pure Jazz aspect of the festival kicked off the main stage events on Tuesday April 5th with Ladies in Concert. Headlined by international jazz bassist and singer, Esperanza Spalding, the night also featured performances by Chanal Esdelle and Moyenne both of Trinidad. Local acts included Camille Charlemagne and Leandra Modeste. Pure Jazz concluded on Thursday April 7th with a performance from pianists and drummer Jesse Billy and Echoes-Fusion of Arts, an African drums and percussion group. The night ended with a performance from world renowned Branford Marsalis Quartet.
The post Musician Rupert Lay breaks down the “Caribbean Stake” in jazz history following a spectacular wrap-up of Pure Jazz in Saint Lucia appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
