Grammy award winning artiste Angelique Kidjo to headline Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole

(Roseau, Dominica – March 24, 2014). During the media launch of Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole on Monday morning at the Evergreen Hotel, Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) CEO and Director of Tourism, Mr. Colin Piper, announced the 2014 headliner.  Beninese born, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Angelique Kidjo, is expected to delight the crowds with her “rich rhythmically powerful expressions of female empowerment”, on Sunday June 8^th at Fort Shirley in the Cabrits National Park.  Her expansive career is marked as much by extraordinary musical achievement as passionate advocacy for her homeland of Africa and this is evermore present in her recently released album Eve, named for her own mother as well as the mythical “mother of all living”.  “Kidjo, whose star-studded 2008 recording Djin Djin won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album and whose last studio recording Oyo was nominated in the same category, has enjoyed a long history of crossover collaborations with greats from the jazz and pop worlds—including Carlos Santana, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove and Alicia Keys”. 

Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole now includes a dynamic private sector aspect.  The Jazz ‘n Creole Fringe, which faithful patrons look forward to each year continues in 2014 with The Evergreen Hotel on June 4, Anchorage Hotel & Dive Centre on June 5, The Fort Young Hotel on June 6, and RiverStone Bar & Grill on June 7.  Due to growing interest from local businesses, Piper also indicated that pre-fringe activities may begin as early as June 1.  Another element of the festival is DHTA’s Hike & Jazz designed to complement the week’s activities; starting June 1 – Hike & Jazz gives hikers, both visiting and local, the opportunity to hike in the day and attend Jazz activities at night.

The vision of DDA is to grow Jazz ‘n Creole and the supporting events to the name recognition of Dominica’s other festival tourism products – Carnival & the World Creole Music Festival.  Promotion of Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole will be predominantly regional, targeting in particular markets with same day access such as Antigua, St. Maarten, Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe; as well as the markets to which the hiking element would appeal – hashers and hiking clubs in Antigua, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago.  Another aspect of marketing and promotions of Jazz ‘n Creole will be to the yachting sector, because of the appeal of docking in Prince Rupert’s Bay so close to the Fort Shirley venue.  

Tickets for the main stage event, Sunday June 8, will go on sale soon.  Tickets are priced EC$75 at the gate for adults.  Ticket specials on advance purchases of adult tickets will be announced. This year, tickets for children between 12 and 18 will be available at EC$25, and as in previous years, children under 12 years will enter free.  Keeping true to the Jazz ‘n Creole format, the main stage will run from 2:00pm to 9:00pm and will feature, in addition to Angelique Kidjo, other names from the local and regional Jazz and Creole musical genres. 

Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole 2014 is presented by the Government of Dominica and headline partner Discover Dominica Authority.  Alliance Francaise de la Dominique continues to partner on Jazz ‘n Creole and Mr. Piper as well as DFC Event’s Director, Natalie Clarke, thanked them for their commitment to partner 2014.  DDA envisions partnership with Digicel and the other partners who have supported the event in previous years and these will be announced along with rest of the line up over the next couple weeks. 

Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole was first presented in 2010 and has attracted the interest of both local and regional audiences with growing attendance each year, passing 1,500 in 2013.

For more information about Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole, contact Discover Dominica Authority at 767 448 2045 or Dominica Festival Committee at 767 448 4833. Or visit Dominica’s official website: www.DiscoverDominica.com, or follow Dominica Fests on Twitter and Facebook, and YouTube.