First Annual Tranquility Jazz Festival In Anguilla announces lineup

Monday, November 10, 2003

THE VALLEY, Anguilla: The First Annual Tranquility Jazz Festival will take place in Anguilla from Friday November 14 to Sunday, November 16 and will showcase a superb lineup of world-renowned jazz artists. 

The Tranquility Jazz Festival is produced by BET Jazz: The 24-Hour Jazz Channel. States Executive Vice President of BET Digital Networks and BET Event Productions Paxton Baker, "BET Event Productions is thrilled to add a true jazz music festival to our roster. The Anguilla Tranquility Jazz Festival's lineup should be successful in attracting many of the genre's purists."

The Festival kicks off on Friday, November 14 with the Eric Reed Trio. One of many skillful musicians to have emerged from Wynton Marsalis' bands to pursue rewarding solo careers, Reed began playing piano at age two and quickly developed into a musical prodigy. Reed has played with Gerald Wilson, Teddy Edwards, John Clayton, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, to name a few. 

Also appearing that evening, one of the finest alto saxophonists in jazz, Bobby Watson. Watson's claim to fame was as the musical director for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He began leading his own bands in the mid-80s, and in the 90s formed his current hard bop quintet, Horizon. 

Critically-hailed tenor/alto saxophonist and flutist James Moody has been an institution in jazz since 1946, when he joined Dizzy Gillespie's bebop orchestra and began a lifelong friendship with the trumpeter. His 1949 recording of "I'm In the Mood For Love" became a hit under the title "Moody's Mood for Love" in 1952. 

Talented post-bop alto saxophonist Donald Harrison studied with Ellis Marsalis, worked with Roy Haynes and Jack McDuff before gaining fame as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1982-1984. He co-led a group with trumpeter Terence Blanchard for a few years, and after they disbanded, Harrison briefly returned to the Jazz Messengers, led his own groups and made recordings as a leader. 

Also performing on opening night, the Anguilla Jazz Ensemble, five talented local musicians who will perform together for the first time in honor of this event.

On Saturday, November 15, the Festival resumes with the Hilton Ruiz Trio. A child prodigy that appeared at Carnegie Hall at age eight, Hilton Ruiz gigged with Latin bands as a teenager and gained experience playing with Joe Newman, Frank Foster and Freddie Hubbard. He studied with Mary Lou Williams, and has toured and recorded with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, George Coleman, Charles Mingus, Betty Carter, Clark Terry and Chico Freeman, among others. 

Also appearing is trombonist Steve Turre, who is renowned for playing various sized seashells from around the world. He has recorded with Santana, toured with Ray Charles, and showcased his talents as member of Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra. He has performed with an array of musicians, such as Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Chico Hamilton, Slide Hampton, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Hilton Ruiz, Poncho Sanchez, and Tito Puente. 

Sonny Fortune the great alto saxophonist, flutist and composer, is also a riveting improviser who can play inside or out with a logic and passion that never loses the listener. He has worked and toured with Elvin Jones, Mongo Santamaria, McCoy Tyner, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis and Nat Adderley. Flutist Dave Valentin combines the influence of pop, R&B, and Brazilian music with Latin jazz to create a slick and accessible form of crossover jazz. 

Rounding out the evening's performances is extraordinary jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin. Rubin's approach to the music involves passionate phrasing, flawless delineation, scintillating emotion and skillful musicianship, encompassed with the vision of her self as another instrument. Also performing will be the highly acclaimed Anastacia Larmonie Jazz Ensemble from St Maarten.

On Sunday, November 16, the festival closes with the Anguilla Jazz Ensemble, the Anguilla Community Jazz Band and the Anastacia Larmonie Ensemble in a mellow evening performance that will be recorded and aired as part of BET Jazz's "Jazz in the Sun" series.

The Festival will provide visitors to the island the opportunity to experience not only its world-class beaches, warm and friendly inhabitants, eclectic cuisine, varied art forms, and the variety of water-based activities, but also the opportunity to experience jazz at its best in an unparalleled ambience of serene sophistication. 

Tickets for the First Annual Tranquility Festival are available online for purchase at the official website: www.anguillajazz.org (under Bookings) or directly at www.ticketweb.com. 

Tickets will also be available on the island at the Anguilla Tourist Board's outlet, Johnno's in Sandy Ground, and at Cuisinart Resort Spa, the host hotel for the Festival.

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