Performances are held on three stages and this year’s line up is incredible.  Chaka Khan, Oscar D’Leon, Fourplay, Randy Brecker,  Pete Philly,

 Kuenta I Tambu, and the list goes on and on of great musicians dedicated to all types and combinations of Jazz and music. 

Last evening was the official first night of the festival featuring Fourplay and Chaka Khan on the main stage. I  love jazz but if I could have only attended one night of the festival, last night would have been it.  

One of my favorite groups in music is Fourplay. The quartet is made up of Bob James on the piano, Chuck Loeb on guitar, Nathan East on Bass and Harvey Mason on drums.  Last night the weather in Aruba was humid and warm.  These guys took the stage and raised the heat tenfold.  I have gone to a lot of concerts and to be honest I have become jaded in a way that I have forgotten how to thoroughly become involved with the experience.  Last evening, Foreplay was the cure.  I let go and allowed the music, the performances of Bob, Chuck, Nathan, and Harvey, and the spirit of the crowd envelope me and take me to a place of freedom. (wow, that sounded almost deep). They played all of their hits and left us wanting more.  The great part is not only did they sound great, they looked as if they were having so much fun doing.  When I got back to our hotel I pulled out the Ipod and listened to their self titled album way into the morning.

Chaka Khan closed the evening and everyone, especially Traveling Eye videographer, Howard Little, was ready for the voice to come to the stage. 

 I will stop here to say that Chaka looked awesome.  She has lost weight, looks healthy and her voice was “off the chain.”  She sang her songs from “Rags to Rufus” and beyond. I felt as if all of the thousands of people in the audience were in her studio and she was singing what she wanted and we were her background singers.  Her band was tight and her real background singers were strong and on point.  Chaka had on this cute black outfit with black boots and was burning up the weather was so hot but it didn’t stop her.  She danced, teased the audience, spoke a little Papiamento (the native language of the people of Aruba), and gave props to Whitney Houston for doing justice to the song, “I’m Every Woman.”  It was a wonderful way to end the first night of the Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival. 

 

Tonight we look forward to Randy Brecker Band, Pete Philly, and Oscar D’Leon.

Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!

Bonnie