High on Jazz

A three-day flight into excellence. This was how Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles described the 2019 edition of the Tobago Jazz Experience, which has left the island buzzing with excitement.

The event, which began last Thursday with Jazz on the Waterfront on the Scarborough Esplanade, ended on Sunday night at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park, Crown Point. Jazz in the East was held on Saturday at Speyside Recreation Ground.

"I think what we experienced in Tobago can be described as a three-day flight into excellence," Charles told reporters after the show, which was dubbed International Night.

The event featured iconic R&B singer Toni Braxton, pop-rock legend Michael Bolton, and young R&B singer Jacquees.

Charles said the three shows were beautifully executed.

"I think the population of Tobago would have had a great feast over the last couple days, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the patrons, those who came from abroad, those from Trinidad and certainly those from Tobago, for supporting the venture as they have done."

Charles said there was some apprehension as to whether the show in Speyside would be a success, as an entrance fee was charged for the first time. But he said he was sure everyone there had recognised it made no difference to the number who attended.

Asked if he favoured any particular artiste, Charles said: "I am from the old school, so therefore the artistes that are consistent with my era would have been those that I would have been looking forward to more than any other.

"But more importantly, for me, what I was interested in was the success of the venture."

Charles said Tobago Jazz was on the upswing.

"You would appreciate that last year was a comeback from 2017 and of course, what had happened this year is that we have continued to build on the success we had last year and that for me brings tremendous joy and satisfaction."

On his expectations for next year's event, Charles said: "Well, clearly, you have good, you have better and you have best. So I expect that next year would be the best for the last three years."

He congratulated the Secretary for Tourism, Culture, and Transportation and her staff as well as executive chairman of the Tobago Festivals Commission George Leacock for their "tremendous work in ensuring that we could have produced the kinds of events that we have done."