4th St Martin JAZZ Festival
Presented by the association “La Bonne Note” and organised by Paul Emmanuel, this event has become a must-see on the Saint-Martin music scene.
The line-up looks promising and has some wonderful surprises in store for us, as well as moments where the quality is sure to be top-notch. During a conversation amidst the guitars and basses that take pride of place in his rehearsal room, Paul Emmanuel tells us just enough to whet our appetite… or rather, to treat our ears to some music. Indeed, on closer inspection, the musicians who will be forming the ‘Jazz-Funk Ensemble’ to accompany the host are far from being amateurs.
Paul Emmanuel (who needs no introduction) on bass and his son Ali on saxophone will be on stage with Andrew Dorsett, an Antiguan and former classmate of Paul’s from his days studying music in Boston, Evan Amatojais, a Surinamese musician who was his student four years ago, and Stéphane Apianai, one of his compatriots, who now teaches on the Dutch side. Add to that Anthony Steele from Saint Martin, who also studied in Boston. That’s the line-up for the band, to which we must add the two singers, Tyra and Illismo (who will be travelling from Orlando especially for the occasion). The icing on the sax: guitarist Carlyle Barriteau and his band will be there too, which is no small feat when you consider they’re Chaka Khan’s official backing band (no less). And then, of course, there’s Winston Maccow, the festival’s headliner, who’ll be accompanied by some of the finest virtuosos currently on the jazz scene.
Jazz is classy!
In fact, Paul Emmanuel is a fountain of knowledge whenever you talk to him about this musical genre, which he is particularly fond of. He explains that his passion for jazz was born whilst listening to the radio as a young man. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, amongst others, shaped his ear and his appreciation to such an extent that he decided very early on to devote his life to this art form, about which he speaks with such genuine emotion that his eyes still light up today. “Jazz is classy!” he tells us, and no one wants to contradict him because it’s so true. For those who might still have their doubts, the only way to find out is to head to the St Martin JAZZ Festival, which will take place on the Marigot seafront on Sunday 8 November between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm. Entry is free, because musicality often goes hand in hand with generosity.
Saint Martin: a land of jazz
It’s worth noting, incidentally, that Saint Martin is particularly fond of this music, which some might find old-fashioned or too complicated to understand. On the Friendly Island, you can choose from a wide range of venues where live music is played – be it reggae, zouk, rock, blues, country, gospel or more traditional styles – jazz is never far away, and there will always be a few musicians to remind us that it exists and thrives well beyond fads and more or less fleeting trends.
Contrary to what one might think, it is not an elitist form of music (at least not always), and this genre coexists perfectly with others; tolerance is the order of the day as soon as the first notes are heard – with all due respect to the French jazz singer Claude Nougaro, who ironically declared: ‘When jazz is here, the java goes away’. In music, there’s room for everyone, and Paul Emmanuel certainly wouldn’t disagree.
