Kingdom Night begins a renewed St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival

NIGEL A CAMPBELL

Saint Lucia’s hallmark festival tourism event, the St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival is back with a bang after the three-year stoppage due to the covid19 pandemic. And with a change of government on the island, the return of the festival to the Pigeon Island National Landmark, its home since inception over 25 years ago, brings it back to the standard and layout that brought visitors in large numbers all these years.

On May 10, the now multi-themed festival kicked off with Kingdom Night, which featured global gospel superstars, Cece Winans and Sinach, along with a host of St Lucian praise and worship artists all sharing the stage in front of throngs of committed fans and believers. The demand for this show was evident as people flocked to the venue before the two hour pre-show gate opening time. Pastors, the "marish and the parish," the praise worthy all flocked there, “to be sanctified,” as my St Lucian driver Willett noted. His cynicism was acknowledged but the audience was willing and able.

The opening act was an amazing medley of St Lucian praise worshippers and gospel artists, that moved the crowd for an hour. Performing as a non-stop medley, Michelle John-Theobalds, Shaun Melius, Special Blend and stand outs, singer Shirleyann Cyril-Mayers and vocal group Total Praise who balanced vocal harmonies with their seven voices. In English and kwéyòl, Jesus's name was praised.

Self-described “St Lucian on the international stage” Emrand Henry was up next. With his piercing voice, he wheeled the music as he bounded onstage in a military garb reminiscent of Michael Jackson or Jimi Hendrix from another era, and blew every one away. He had the 2,000-plus crowd screaming. The word will be delivered in any genre; reggae fusion, zouk and soca were all part of his repertoire. On his altar on the eight-foot high stage, he sermonised. And God listened. Showers of Blessings literally rained down on the crowd during his set. Henry told the audience he connected with a prophetess from TT seven years ago to overcome his wife's problems with having a baby. (Trinidad minds may go directly to late prime minister Patrick Manning. A name was never given for the prophetess.) These personal stories connected with the growing rapturous audience. As a 20-year veteran of the career, now living in the US, he has worked with local producer Judah Peters. Henry was recently nominated for a GMATT award (Gospel Music Awards of TT), but as he said in a post-performance interview, he is working to get recognition at Dove Awards level. His performance laid optimal groundwork for the next two gospel stars.

Sinach, who easily filled Tobago’s Shaw Park Facility in 2017, resplendent in a green outfit, casually entered onstage and had the audience singing word for word, effortlessly commanding an engaged audience. Panther-like she moved slowly across the stage and exuded power and grace. She opened with her hit, Rejoice, that had the faithful singing loudly, “I’m going to dance and praise Him,” “born and victorious,” and “more than a conqueror.” It was addictive. Hands were raised and waved on command. “Jump and wave” had a different meaning and action that night in that space.

Caribbean celebration, African celebration is physical. Emotional and transformative, the solicitations to sing, “God has the final word. Jesus too..Everything you do is good,” were followed by thunderous celebration. When she closed an hour later with her hit, I Know Who I am, with the bounce of soca and Afrobeats, she flattened the crowd. The chant, “I’m working in power,” had cellphone lights ablaze. Dancing was mandatory. She was easily the highlight of the evening among this St Lucian crowd with a significant French Caribbean cohort from Martinique and Dominica.

Cece Winans was a contemporary of Whitney Houston who could give the late icon a run for her money vocally. The woman can sing, but the energy and exuberance of the audience was diminished for Cece after Sinach. Praise and worship is a sermon to the converted. Call and response. Cece had them singing. “I will sing of the goodness of God,” has a reciprocal response. The continued surprise of foreign act that Caribbean audiences know all the lyrics to their songs says much about how we sell ourselves in the Caribbean. “Oh, you all know this too," was a repeated question from Cece.

Worship and praise music in a jazz festival is the way of the modern festival where pure jazz is sidelined to a smaller stage in favour of intelligent pop, Afrobeats, dancehall and zouk. Gospel has its place here too. So far, from the observed numbers and responses, St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival may morph into a multi-day music fest to the satisfaction of pedants defining a jazz festival as exclusive to jazz without being able to define jazz, more so any of its variants.

Full disclosure, I promote a local jazz event, but recognise that gospel is huge in the Caribbean. After effects of slavery possibly. That gospel does not hold fast to American tropes was commendable. This show began the second week of the jazz festival in St Lucia – Kes the Band and Shenseea opened on May 5 – ending with performances by Sting and Shaggy. Pigeon Island is a space for the experience of jazz in the Caribbean. A different vibe exists here in the Caribbean. Concessionaires ruled with nearly two dozen selling all variety of local dishes; favourites were fried fish and pulled pork. Alcohol too. Lucian rum was the libation of the holy; somebody was drinking it as bars were always filled.