Jamaica joins International Jazz Day celebrations

It’s International Jazz Day, and Jamaica is joining the celebration at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Hope Road in St Andrew, as the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport partners with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Jamaica Music Museum to host a concert in support of the global initiative promoting the genre. The event will feature some of the finest local and international talents, including acclaimed New York-based multi-instrumentalist Mike McGinnis, pianist Dennis Rushton, bassist Dale Haslam, and the JaMM Big Band, with special guest vocalist Tony Gregory. The concert will start at 7 p.m.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, noted that jazz has always been integral to the Jamaican musical experience, so hosting the local event has been a standard on the calendar for many years.

“Hurricane Melissa has really dealt us a blow...However, we are pleased that we are able to stage this concert in observance of International Jazz Day. We all know the power that music has to heal, so as we continue our journey following the hurricane, this is one of the means to restore the spirit of the nation,” Grange said.

In November 2011, UNESCO officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.

International Jazz Day is chaired by the UNESCO Director-General and led by legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and as chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Institute is a non-profit entity charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration.

This global musical celebration brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts to celebrate and explore jazz, its roots, future, and cultural impact. It also raises awareness of the importance of intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding, while strengthening international cooperation and communication.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com