The Tribune

The Bahamas National Commission to UNESCO highlighted jazz, the love of the art form and its history in the Bahamas by presenting International Jazz Day.

UNESCO offices all around the world celebrated International Jazz Day in various way. Osaka, Japan was the host city, where Herbie Hancock led a star-studded event with a myriad of Jazz artists performing in a massive concert.

In Nassau, Pompey Square was the venue for International Jazz Day Bahamas on April 30.

The downtown square became the venue for tourists and locals as they browsed display boards on the history of jazz in the Bahamas, perused the work of various artists and listened to live jazz music.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald noted the significant role that music can play in the lives of children, in their educational and cultural experiences, and he highlighted the ability of jazz to bring together people of all races, as was evident in Pompey Square that day. Minister Fitzgerald celebrated Jazz Day with the students of C V Bethell Senior High during a special school assembly before heading to Pompey Square to declare International Jazz Day officially open.

He was accompanied by Ambassador Elwood Donaldson and Secretary General for the Bahamas National Commission to UNESCO Dr Leon Higgs, who both gave addresses in support of the day to honour the art form of jazz with a national broadcast with host Darold Miller.

During the opening ceremonies, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson commended the UNESCO Bahamas office for hosting International Jazz Day, which provided the opportunity for many great Bahamian musicians of the past to be honoured.

The winner of a special honour at International Jazz Day Bahamas 2014 was Lou Adams, Sr.

Mr Adams, still alive and now in his 90s, was a gentleman of class and distinction, a talented artist who rose to great acclaim during his heyday, and is still performing at the Lyford Cay Club today. The Lou Adams Orchestra led the way for other Bahamians to be able to perform in the best hotels in the Bahamas, a feat which was once impossible.

The band was the first group of black performers to play at hotels like the British Colonial and Victoria Hotel.

For International Jazz Day Bahamas, the Royal Bahamas Police band led a crowd through from Bay Street to Pompey Square, where the Royal Bahamas Police Force Jazz Band performed, followed by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Jazz Band.

The College of the Bahamas Jazz Band made an appearance, as well as Paul Hanna, who led a nostalgic segment.

The house band of the night was Ambassah, led by Chris Justillien.

The band performed during an evening under the stars, overlooking the waterfront on Nassau Harbour. Guests artists also included Paula McKeva, Kim Welcome, Vandera Carey and rising Bahamian jazz artist, saxophonist Gawain Clarke.

Artists displayed work, including Eloise Smith with her native straw craft; Marsha B Knowles-Adderley with her unique paintings of Bahamian life; J Saffiyah Collie with jewellery made with local treasures, and noted visual artist Matthew B Wildgoose.

Students, cruise ship visitors, families, couples and musicians converged on the square throughout the day and into the night for the event, which was held from 11am to 10pm.

Felicity Ingraham hosted the opening ceremonies, taking the opportunity to share the story of Pompey the African who sailed from Exuma to Nassau with a group of slaves to petition the Governor. She went on to touch on the lives of the native Arawaks and Lucayans, before recalling the period of slavery in the Bahamas. Slaves were once auctioned off in the square now named in Pompey’s honour.

The look into the history of the Bahamas led up the birth of jazz in the Bahamas. Count Basie, Harold McNair, Louis Armstrong and Dinah Washington are just a few of the American celebrities who took pleasure in performing with Bahamian musicians at world famous spots in the Nassau of yesteryear such as the Cat n’ Fiddle, the Silver Slipper and Zanzibar.