The Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival, celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2017, is delighted to announce that it has forged a link with the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia
home to the internationally acclaimed Saint Lucia Jazz Festival. Specially selected jazz musicians from the island will play at this year’s Festival. There are also plans to offer St Lucian food, rum cocktails and an exhibition of work by the island’s artists in the Elizabethan stately home.
The Jazz & Blues Festival is held at Burton Agnes Hall, East Yorkshire, home to the Hull UK City of Culture 2017 celebrations.
‘I was keen to do something special and different to celebrate our tenth anniversary, and to present some unique cultural activities amongst the Hull City of Culture events.’ explains festival organiser, Simon Cunliffe-Lister.
Through the UK Caribbean Chamber of Commerce, Simon was able to build a relationship with Saint Lucia. The island state was looking for a platform to showcase its rich and diverse culture in the UK. Simon travelled to Saint Lucia in March to audition bands for the festival. Simon also forged plans to bring Saint Lucian chefs and Saint Lucian rum cocktails to his festival, along with an exhibition of work by the island’s artists.
The four bands selected in March are Dynamix, a vibrant young saxophone led quartet; the soulful and sophisticated singer Chrycee; St Lucian gem and household name, Claudia; and jazz guitarist Rupert Lay, who leads a jazz quartet that includes the quintessentially Caribbean steel pans.
Quotes from festival organiser, Simon Cunliffe-Lister, who hosts the festival at his ancestral home, Burton Agnes Hall
‘I am proud to have this exciting and vibrant addition to our well established festival, and to provide an opportunity for these talented St Lucian musicians to come to the UK and participate in a much-loved festival.’
‘I’ve long been aware of the excellent and widely admired St Lucia Jazz Festival. What a thrill to be able to travel to St Lucia to audition jazz acts, and invite them to East Yorkshire to inject their island’s vibrancy into the stately setting of Burton Agnes Hall.’
‘Dynamix have such a mature and sophisticated sound. I was flabbergasted to discover that the four boys are all between 15 and 19 years old, playing well in advance of their age. The soulful Chrycee, and the St Lucian household name, Claudia, are two exciting singers who work modern St Lucian styles into well-known songs and their own creative compositions. When auditioning bands, it was a compelling twist to hear the Rupert Lay jazz guitar trio, with drums and double bass, playing a bebop classic, and joined by that quintessential Caribbean instrument, the steel pan.’
Published on 11 April 2017 by Ben Robinson
