Blue Bay Jazz Fest in Frederiksted

Get ready for the Blue Bay Jazz Festival November 19 to 23 in St. Croix’s historic town of Frederiksted. International jazz greats will heat up the festival stage overlooking historic Fort Frederik beach, jam with regional and local performers and mingle with festival attendees during a meet the artists luncheon at Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts.

Performers include percussionists Tito Puente Jr, and Pete Escovedo, singer Sherrie Bias, Roland Briceno on saxophone, guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer, Rahed Ali Quartet, and more, along with local notables Eddie Russell Adjoa, and Steve Simon.

A VIP welcome reception at St. Croix’s Government House will kick off the five days extravaganza Tuesday, November 18 at 6p.m.

The Blue Bay Jazz Fest is the second annual four-day jazz extravaganza produced by the Frederiksted Economic Development Association FEDA. It’s a natural outgrowth for the organization, which has been producing monthly sunset jazz concerts for the past nine years.

For more information contact FEDA at 340-773-3332 or visit http://www.stcroixbluebayjazzfestival.com .

Festival Packages

Intra Caribbean and stateside travelers can book added value packages, including air and accommodations. Participating hotels include Buccaneer Hotel, Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Club St. Croix, Colony Cove, Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort, Frederiksted Hotel, Hibiscus Beach Hotel, Holger Danske Hotel, Hotel Caravelle, Palms at Pelican Cove and Sugar Beach Resort

Book by calling St. Croix Hotel and Tourism Association 800- 524-2026

Artists Bios

Tito Puente Jr.

Tito Puente Jr. carries his father with him - imprinted on his physical being and locked in his soul. It’s in his looks, his joy, his music. No doubt, every time Tito Jr. walks on stage - he walks in his father’s footsteps.

He dances in celebration, throws his head back in pure joy and lights up the room with that oh-so-familiar smile. Tito Jr. is on a passionate mission. The younger Puente is determined to nurture the musical legacy left by his father.

Tito Jr. reveres the magnificent, lasting impact his father had on our musical lives. “People who don’t know anything about Latin music know my father and people always, always smile when they say his name,” he confides. “That is a very special gift, and it inspires and motivates me to bring his music to the world.“

Sherrie R. Bias

Many things can be said of this artist. Author, poet and, songstress are all titles she wears well. Whether performing Ta Ta, a spirited gospel infused hit or languishing on Cherish the Day, a modern retake of a Sade classic.

Sherrie uses scat and improvisation to drive her audience to the edge of their seats. Gaining the support of many legends in the jazz industry she has been affectionately dubbed the “Princess of Jazz” and continues to create her own mixture of stellar vocals and regal style.

Pete Escoveda Orchestra

Legendary percussionist Pete Escovedo is an artist who broke down the barriers between smooth jazz, salsa, Latin jazz and contemporary music. His name has been synonymous with the music industry for more than 50 years.

Born in in 1935, he began his musical journey while attending high school. At the age of sixteen, he began playing the saxophone and then discovered percussion which became his love of rhythm and his dream of playing Latin Jazz music. After performing with various bands, in 1960 Pete and his brothers, Coke and Phil Escovedo formed the Escovedo Brothers Latin Jazz band, performing around the San Francisco Bay area.

Pete believes that there is healing through music and has donated his time to numerous charity events to help children around the world by teaching the importance of music. His versatility has been featured in performances and recordings by a wide range of artists including Carlos Santana, Tito Puente, Herbie Hancock, Mongo Santamaria, Bobby McFerrin, Cal Tjader, Woody Herman, Arturo Sandoval, and Poncho Sanchez. Today, Escovedo leads one of the top Latin-Jazz orchestras in the country.

Eddie Russell and the QLJ Band

Needing little introduction to local jazz aficionados, Russell is undoubtedly one of the premier jazz trumpeters in the Caribbean. Having performed on stage with some of the top names in the industry, he has been a mainstay in the Caribbean and Latin jazz scene for many years.

Russell, a native Crucian, is from a musical family whose members also include his daughter, flautist (and lawyer), Diane Russell, and his brother, guitarist (and lawyer and senator), Ronald Russell. He began playing trumpet professionally at age 15, forming his first group, Eddie & The Playboys, in 1964. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree in music from the City College of New York and his master's from Queens College.

Russell has played and studied with such music legends as Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Garrison, James Moody, The Mighty Sparrow and Sam & Dave. Russell is also a prolific composer and a music educator. Joining Russell on stage as the QLJ Band (Quelbe Latin Jazz) will be an all-star cast of Caribbean Jazz artists.

Joan Doe is the author of "Made Up Book Title" and director of the New South Yacht Club Invented Group. She has lived in St. Madeupplace for 16 years, and is the mother of two.

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