Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival to be Held June 2 through June 4, 2011
The seventh annual Bonaire Jazz Festival is coming up, so be sure to mark the calendar for these dates. This year’s festival promises to provide another event featuring many great international musicians with bands from Portugal, Brazil, Slovenia, the United States, the Netherlands and Curacao, mixing with Bonaire’s top musical talent to provide an excellent variety of jazz, Latin jazz, blues and funk.
Thursday June 2 is opening night with the popular Jazz & Poetry evening at beautiful Fort Oranje. Featured musicians include vocalist Nina Strnad & Trio from Slovenia and Curacao, followed by Henk van Twillert and Vento do Norte, from the Netherlands and Portugal. The entrance fee for this event $15.
Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4 will be the main concerts, to be held at the Tipsy Seagull on the beach at Plaza Resort. Friday’s headliners feature Brazilian vocalist Kenia, followed by the lively singer Merietza Haakmat, originally from St. Maarten, who now resides in Curacao along with the well-known Curacao group Jazz 2 Soul, who play a variety of jazz, blues, Latin jazz and soul. Saturday’s headliners include the Pablo Gil Jazz Ensemble with guest Dave Samuels, an American well recognized for his percussion skills as a top mallet player, along with the vibraphone and marimba. Pablo Gil who is a renowned jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist, currently lives in Caracas, but has lived in both Europe and New York and played throughout the world. New York trombonist Conrad Herwig is a twice-nominated Grammy musician. He and his Latin All-Star Band, will finish what promises to be a delightful evening of music. The entrance fee is $30 for one evening, or $45 for both.
For those looking for more musical entertainment, After Party Jam Sessions will be held Thursday night starting at 11:00 PM at Little Havana in the main part of town, and Friday and Saturday at Sense, just across the street from Plaza Resort, with the Island Music All-Stars, a group comprised of of event performers and local artists. Admission is free.
Sunday June 5 features a new event for the Bonaire Jazz Festival, the Lazy Sunday Jazz Afternoon, to be held at the Divi Flamingo Resort starting at 4:00 PM, featuring Madeline Bell of the US, with Frits Landesbergen from the Netherlands. Madeline Bell is an American soul singer based in Europe, known for her incredible range and diverse styles. She will be performing with Frits Landesbergen, an internationally known Dutch percussionist and vibraphone player. The two play and tour together often. Admission for this event is free, and a BBQ is available for $17.50.
Tickets will be sold at Addo’s Bookstore, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort, Flamingo Bookstore, Hotel Rochaline, It Rains Fishes, Little Havana, Plaza Resort Bonaire and Sense. Students with an ID card may purchase a ticket at half price at the entrance. (Source: Bonaire Jazz Foundation)
