Celebrating World Music Day

FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE, otherwise known as World Music Day, celebrated by French people all over the world, was also observed here by the Alliance Française (AF) in collaboration with the French Embassy in Port of Spain, and what a night it turned out to be.

The event on June 21 in the garden of the institute in St Clair, featured a number of well known artistes, as well as some new and upcoming ones.

Alliance president Toni Blackman said the event, now in its 24th year, is one where you invite all musical groups, both professional and non-professional to come and just play their music. And that they did, to deliver every genre of music thinkable. “It is an eclectic event!” she said.

French Ambassador Serge Lavroff said: “It is a very exciting evening, very promising because Fête de la Musique is a very prominent event not only in France but worldwide. Almost 500 cities across the globe, Paris, New York, Shanghai, Moscow, Johannesburg, Mexico City and also Port of Spain are committed to making tonight the most beautiful musical event of the year.”

Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, was also in attendance.

The show began promptly at 5 pm with the sensual and poetic voice of acoustic guitarist StephAnn Feroza and continued until 11 pm with non-stop jamming of good music.

Performers included the Caribbean Renaissance Jazz Ensemble featuring David Boothman, Tony Paul Woodroffe, Russell Durity, Mikhail Salcedo, Nicholas Thomas, Rene Aleong and Dion that thrilled the audience with their fusion of music and the APA Jazz Studio was a breath of fresh air.

Great music also came from seasoned jazz musician Theron Shaw, Marina La Croix and Dr Brian Villafana, Crystal Katerson, Martina Chow, Sheldon Mangoo, Samuel Thomas Junior, Jeanine Ruiz & the J9 Quartet, Vengeance of Moko, Danielle Bachew, Andre Magatal, StephAnn Roach and folk group Solman. Freetown Collective closed off the evening with an inspirational performance.

As is the custom, all artists performed for free since the event itself, is free. It was so well-attended that the audience spilled out onto the street.