Jazz Festival Kicks Off in The Jewel

If you’re a jazz enthusiast, music fan, or just someone who’s looking for some new entertainment, then the following story will surely interest you. This week, Belize is hosting the fourth annual International Jazz Festival. This year will be a showcase of the collaboration of five hundred and seventy-five artists from Belize and Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, U.S.A. and India. The festival started on June sixteenth and continues with daily workshops and nightly performances until its closing concert on June twenty-fourth. Director of the Jazz Festival, Carlos Perrote, shares what you can expect at this week long lineup.

Carlos Perrote, Jazz Festival Director

Carlos Perrote

“We dedicate this year to Andy Palacio and Penn Cayetano. This is year is the tenth anniversary since Andy pass. We did Penn because he put Belize in the world. So Andy for all the work he does for Belize. Belizean group we have Garifuna Collective, Omolewa, all the pan groups of Belize. We have cultural world band, we have Ascenthium, and we have the choir from St Luke. We have the choir Eden high school in Cayo, we have Corozal. And on and on and on.”

Reporter

“Tell us about some of the artists you’ve brought in for this festival.”

Carlos Perrote

“All right this year we have a group from Honduras, it’s a Coco bar, we have a group from the states, and it’s a female band, Zapote. We have a group from India they come way from India to visits guys they name 4 Elements. We have soloists like Ferreyro, we have soloist from Italy – violinist, we have group from Cuba, Cannatus Sax Quintet; we have Talia a young girl, soloist from states. You need to support your locals; it’s not only dancehall, reggae and whatever. I don’t have any problem with that I love it too. But music is more than music is education and you have to educate yourself for everything”

This year’s festival also focuses on young musicians with workshops for children and youth in piano, brass, wind, guitar and percussion instruments.