Jazz and World Music Festivals in The Caribbean - Second quarter 2025

The Caribbean is a vibrant tapestry of culture, music, and celebration, and 2025 is set to be a year filled with incredible jazz and music festivals that highlight the region's rich traditions and diverse sounds. From the soulful roots of Jamaica's Rebel Salute to the pulsating rhythms of deep house in St. Lucia's ZEMI Festival, the wonderful jazz festivals, including regional and international stars, each event offers a unique experience for those seeking to immerse themselves in the heart and soul of the Caribbean. Whether you're drawn to the electrifying energy of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival or the laid-back, intimate vibe of the Virgin Islands Jam Fest, there's something for every music lover to enjoy. As you plan your 2025 festival calendar, get ready to explore stunning island destinations, dance to the beats of world-renowned artists, and create unforgettable memories in paradise.

Dominica Jazz 'N Creole Festival

St. George, Roseau, Dominica

April 19 - May 4

Fort Shirley, Cabrits National Park, Portsmouth

Artists: Etienne Charles, Abia Israel, Shalina, Etana, ATN Charles, Marie Claire Giro and more...

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BekDdpvdB/

Tobago Jazz Experience 2025

Throughout Tobago, Scarborough . Trinidad & Tobago

April 23

Artists: Various Artists

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16SbecrtZA/

St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival 2025

Castries, St. Lucia

April 30 - May 10

Pigeon Island National Landmark

Artists: Beenie Man & Bounty Killer, Young Breda, Tabou Combo, Barbara Cadet, Richard Payne, Eric Marienthal, Karen Briggs, Lady Lava, Naomi Raine, Matteo Mancuso, Jazzmeia Horn, Etienne Charles, John Legend, Earth, Wind and Fire...

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19V2XtZ9qq/

Aruba Soul Music Festival

Oranjestad, Aruba

May 21-26

Palm Beach, Aruba

Artists: Charlie Wilson, Cedric The Entertainer, Muni Long, Pretty Ricki, Chris Spencer, Doug E. Fresh, Gee Money, Frank Ski.

https://www.tiktok.com/@debthetravelhacker/video/7374512797905849643?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Out of this World Music Festival

Grand Cayman, Cayman Island

May 31

Camana Bay

Artists: Shenseea, Ludacris

https://youtu.be/V3FBZUhdFnk?si=tTmZR3WgPVJBUZRQ

St. Kitts Music Festival 2025

Basseterre, St. Kitts

June 26 - 28, 2025

Artists: Abajonai, Abby Dallas, Abiyah Yisrael, Adahzeh, Addis Pablo, Africa Unite, Agent Lexie, Akae Beka, Alaine, Alex Bass, Alicai Harley, Alozade, Angelica Mava, Aswad and more

https://youtu.be/71XzSDY51_Q

Cabaret Jazz Festival 

Cabarete, Dominican Republic

June 20 and 21, 2025

Artists: Various Artists

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHtVktauLkd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Viva The Latin Jazz!!

www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com

jazzcaribe2001@yahoo.com

Note: The bestselling book "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by writer, musicologist, educator, and radio host Luis Raul Montell is available on Amazon.

Patois Records release Salsa de la Bahia Vol 3 : Renegade Queens

 

Salsa From The Bay, Vol 3: Renegade Queens

Track Listing

Disc 1:

• Renegade Queens - We Were Born to Drum
• Xiomara Torres - Me Quedo Contigo
• Mary Fettig - Take the RR Train
• Maria Marquez - La Lagrima
• The Blazing Redheads - Cosmo
• Lichi Fuentes - Momento
• Jackie Ryan with the Wayne Wallace Quintet - Love Walked In
• La Doña - Can't Eat Clout
• Sandy Cressman - Deixa O Amor Florescer (Let Love Flourish)
• Carolyn Brandy - Odie

Disc 2:

• Renegade Queens - La Mensajera
• Cocomama - Estoy Ahora en La Punta
• Kristen Strom - Moving Day
• Bobi Cespidés;the Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet - The Peanut Vendor
• Montclair Women's Big Band - Caravan
• Kat Parra - Por La Tu Puerta
• Falso Baiano - Frevo No Morrozinho
• Avotcja; The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra - Matter Is
• Key Elements - Samba Nova

COCOMAMA

Salsa De La Bahia Vol. 3: Renegade Queens is a groundbreaking double-CD anthology celebrating the often-overlooked brilliance of women in the San Francisco Bay Area's Latin Jazz music scene. Inspired by a 2000. The project explores the vital contributions of women artists to the hybrid nature of Bay Area Latin music.

MARIA MARQUEZ

For over 50 years, these pioneering women have led the way in artistic innovation and cross-cultural collaboration, despite navigating a male-dominated community. Through their music, they have championed racial integration, gender equality, and social empowerment while pushing back against sexism, cultural erasure, and the challenges of gentrification.

KAT PARRA

As described by San Francisco composer Wayne Wallace, "Everything we do here artistically is a hybrid...creating fresh new music because nobody has to stay in any one camp." This anthology shines a spotlight on the jaw-dropping talent, mentorship, and resilience of Bay Area women musicians and their fearless male allies, celebrating their solidarity and transformative contributions to the Afro-Latin music world.

LICHI FUENTES

Renegade Queens blends music, poetry, and lyrics to immerse audiences in a tidal wave of creativity and cultural shifts, challenging the Latin music world's "boy's club" mentality. More than a collection of songs, this project is a testament to the enduring artistry, heart, and grit of these women and their allies, inspiring change and empowering future generations of musicians.

SANDY CRESSMAN

The San Francisco Bay Area has long been a thriving hub for salsa and Latin jazz, nurtured by remarkable musicians such as Cal Tjader, Armando Peraza, Carlos Federico, the Escovedo brothers, John Santos, Roger Glenn, and many more. This dynamic community continues to grow, inspiring fresh musical innovations within the genre. — Wayne Wallace

Indeed, listening to this album is a breathtaking experience—it immerses us in an extraordinarily rich culture, one that captivates with its rhythms, vibrant colors, and profound melodic sensibility. The necessity of this double album is undeniable, and its carefully curated track order brilliantly aligns with the history of these musical traditions. The performances, executed with masterful artistry, are a testament to the depth and brilliance of the musicians involved.

BOBI CESPEDES

Writer, musicologist, journalist, and radio host Luis Raúl Montell, author of "The Bible of Latin Jazz," has always supported female artists of this wonderful musical genre and calls them "The Ladies of Latin Jazz.

JACKIE RYAN

Wayne Wallace's production, like the previous two, is fabulous, but the subtitles are completely off. They are princesses, beautiful, young, talented women. The queens are ugly and old.
The subtitle should be "Adorable Princesses.", said Luis Raul Montell.

MONTCLAIR WOMEN'S BIG BAND

Viva The Latin Jazz!!

www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com

jazzcaribe2001@yahoo.com

Note: The bestselling book "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by writer, musicologist, and educator Luis Raul Montell is available on Amazon.

Daniel Prim y Su Parampampan new CD "Home" (Afro-Venezuelan Jazz)

 

HOME

Musicians: Daniel Prim (drums, percussion and bandleader); Adam O'Farrill (trumpet); Juanma Trujillo (guitar); special guest: Manuel Marquez (percussion)

Tracks List: Se Va el Hombre; La Lavandera; Sirema; San Juan Tiene Congoja; Tonto Malembe; Dios Mio Dame un Dios, El Festejo; Malembe de Mendoza; The Tambor Salad

"Home" is Latin Grammy Award-winning drummer and percussionist Daniel Prim’s first album under his name, Daniel Prim y Su Parampampan. Daniel grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, where his friends and family gathered at each other’s homes to eat and play music into the night. Music became the rhythm and language of his childhood. Home invites listeners to join Daniel in the parties, or parampampans, where he first learned the folklore songs that weave through the album, breathing new love and life into the heart, soul and sounds of his homeland.

Adam O’Farrill, Juanma Trujillo, and Manuel Márquez collaborate with Daniel on the album, blending the Afro-Venezuelan traditions with improvisational jazz. Each track reimagines and transforms folklore songs, evoking a spirit of vibrancy and resilience.

Traditional Afro-Venezuelan songs feature tambor, melodic vocals, and sometimes other elements, such as the maracas. They are conversations constructed through beautiful melodies, which often take the form of question and answer. For this album, Daniel decided to bring those melodies and conversations alive, evoking the singer’s emotions and feelings via trumpet and guitar, alongside Daniel’s modified drum set. In this way, Daniel brings the music of his memories forward, while making sure the complex layers of its history are not left behind. Rich with the rhythms of the past and future, celestial traditions, and sublime moments, Daniel Prim y Su Parampampan encourages listeners to share in the joy, unity, and beauty of Venezuela, its music, and its people.

https://youtu.be/_If0qz9C1Qc?si=zh73gcJtS77i-NrP

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C1PAHmTeq/ 

Daniel Prim:

Daniel began his musical studies at José Reyna Music School when he was eleven. He continued his formal training at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music, part of the National Youth and Children's Orchestras of Venezuela. Daniel has since toured across the Americas and Europe and taught master classes in Afro-Venezuelan music in Venezuela and at colleges such as Berklee College of Music. In 2020, Daniel was honored to play on PAUSA, Ricky Martin’s Billboard-topping EP, with collaborators Bad Bunny and Residente. PAUSA went on to win Best Pop Vocal Album in the 21st Annual Latin American Grammy Awards.

Along with Juan Diego Villalobos and Gabriel Chakarji, Daniel also formed Caracas Trio, which mixes Venezuelan roots music with contemporary jazz. Caracas Trio has performed across New York City, alongside acclaimed saxophonist Miguel Zenón, on NPR, and in residency at Black Cat in San Francisco. Daniel’s other highlights include being a featured percussionist at Bosphorus Cymbal Fest and playing drums and percussion at Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series for Ella Bric. Daniel currently lives in New York City and will be bringing Home to streaming services and live venues across the country in February 2024. 

              

                       

Viva The Latin Jazz!!

www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com

jazzcaribe2001@yahoo.com

Note: The magnificent book "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by writer, journalist, and musicologist Luis Raul Montell is available in two volumes on Amazon.

The guitarist Daniel Garbin Quintet release "Rising" on March 10, 2025!

RISING

Musicians: Daniel Garbin (guitar, sitar); Camila Cortina Bello (piano, keys);  Scott Litroff (alto saxophone),  Eddy Khaimovich (electric and acoustic basses); Brian Woodruff (drums)

Tracks List: Rising; Simi's Bossa; Rolling Hills; Anomisericordo; DSD, Almost Forgotten-Like Satch; Into The Sunset

A skilled guitarist who also plays sitar, Daniel Garbin has his own musical personality on his instruments and balances inventive solos with accessible songs.

 

On Rising, the guitarist performs a set of his originals (three written in collaboration with his co-producer Simona Pop) in an impressive group also featuring pianist-keyboardist Camila Cortina Bello, altoist Scott Litroff, electric and acoustic bassist Eddy Khaimovich, and drummer Brian Woodruff. Their masterful solos are very much to the point, making each note count and adding to the momentum created by the colorful ensembles.
 

“Rising” begins the program with a haunting theme, showcasing Garbin’s ability to seamlessly integrate the sitar into a jazz quintet and demonstrating that, when played by the right artist, the sitar can be an innovative fit for the genre. The harmonically complex yet catchy “Simi’s Bossa” has a Brazilian feel, strong interplay between guitar and alto (both of whom take high quality solos), and excellent statements by pianist Cortina and bassist Khaimovich. “Rolling Hills,” a speech-like arpeggiated piece, has hints of Latin and African rhythms before essentially becoming modern straight-ahead jazz. The quintet also explores the Afro-Cuban jazz groove of “Anomisericordo,” the infectious “DSD” (showing the inspiration of Mid-Eastern music
 

The quintet also explores the Afro-Cuban jazz groove of “Anomisericordo,” the infectious “DSD” (showing the inspiration of Mid-Eastern music in spots) which has a particularly exuberant keyboard solo, a high-powered tribute to Joe Satriani (“Almost Forgotten – Like Satch”) that is highlighted by some of the most fiery guitar playing of the set, and “Into The Sunset,” an atmospheric closer which is worthy of Pat Metheny.

https://youtu.be/hN640TT2WUk?si=ZGShTqd9YwxIaMCU

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15q2axairC/

Daniel Garbin:

Daniel Garbin was born in Baia Mare, Romania where he taught himself how to play guitar. He was inspired by the high level of musicianship in his small Transylvanian city, where he was surrounded by Romanian folklore music. As a teenager Garbin performed rock, blues, flamenco, fusion, and several forms of jazz. His musical journey continued in Cluj-Napoca where he performed with the Big Band Gaio. After moving to the United States, Garbin played Latin rock music, co-founded the jazz fusion band INOAN, jammed at famed Greenwich Village jazz clubs, and became attracted to Indian Classical Music, learning the sitar. He has also performed duets with Simona Pop as the jazz duo SiMiDaNi. Additionally, Garbin holds a PhD in Mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and is an associate professor with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Queensborough Community College when not performing in New York area clubs.

Viva The Latin Jazz!!

www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com

jazzcaribe2001@yahoo.com

Note: The wonderful book "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by musicologist specializing in Latin Jazz Dr. Luis Raul Montell is available on Amazon.

Jazz and World Music Festivals in The Caribbean - First quarter 2025

                               

The Caribbean is a vibrant tapestry of culture, music, and celebration, and 2025 is set to be a year filled with incredible jazz and music festivals that highlight the region's rich traditions and diverse sounds. From the soulful roots of Jamaica's Rebel Salute to the pulsating rhythms of deep house in St. Lucia's ZEMI Festival, the wonderful jazz festivals, including regional and international stars, each event offers a unique experience for those seeking to immerse themselves in the heart and soul of the Caribbean. Whether you're drawn to the electrifying energy of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival or the laid-back, intimate vibe of the Virgin Islands Jam Fest, there's something for every music lover to enjoy. As you plan your 2025 festival calendar, get ready to explore stunning island destinations, dance to the beats of world-renowned artists, and create unforgettable memories in paradise.

Panama Jazz Festival

Ciudad de Panama, Republica de Panama

Teatro Ateneo, Teatro El Dorado

January 13-18

Artists: Ledisi, Danilo Perez, Terry Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Everette Harp, Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth SWAY, Bohuslan Big Band, Princess Orella Collective, Luca Ciarla solOrkestra, Berklee Global Jazz Institute, New England Conservatory and more...

https://youtu.be/Up3tyFAH_Xs?si=P3VeKN-jigNHYZdv

Rebel Salute

Plantation Cove, St. Ann, Jamaica

January 18

Artists: Maxie Priest, Tony Rebel, Luciano, Raheem Bowes aka 'Valiant,' Queen Ifrica, and Richie Spice light up the stage with reggae's finest vibes.

https://youtu.be/ynenu13qFZs

Puerto Rico Jazz Jam 2025

Sala de Teatro Rene Marques

January 24-25

Artist: Little Jhonny Rivero & His Giants, Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo, Humberto Ramirez and Camila Isabel

https://youtu.be/Lj_be817kRI?si=NoULDTxJ-dlxG2t6

La Habana Jazz Plaza Festival 2025

La Habana, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

January 26 - February 2

Artists: Arturo O'Farrill, Black Alley, Roberto Fonseca, Joaquin Betancourt Jazz Band, Ernan and Harold Lopez-Nussa, Rolando Luna, Hector Quintana, Bobby Carcasses and more...

https://youtu.be/dRY7tSXWrnI

Bequia Music Festival

Bequia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines

January 30 - February 2

Artists: Various artists.

https://youtu.be/GXjgfA3M7K4

Cayman Arts Festival 2025

George Town, Cayman Islands

February 6 - 15

Artists: The African Series: Experience the richness of African art music featuring Rebeca Omordia (piano), Leon Bosch (Double bassist), Glen Inanga (piano), and Richard Olatunde Baker (percussion). Cayman Youth Choir & New York Cabaret Singers: A spectacular fusion of local talent with Broadway stars.

https://youtu.be/bljoW1YewfQ?si=IRSQIoC3LmCxn4L7

Soca Supper - Guyana

Scotty’s Smokehouse. Music, Georgetown, Guyana

February 24

Artists: Various Artists.

https://youtu.be/Ia1F5q6TjZY?si=pI5oWkZwK5AWGGNx

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival

Port of Spain, Trinidad

February 26 - March 01

Artist: Various Musical Groups

https://www.youtube.com/live/TeRdBCPKx1I?si=0U9TUGk6ZXQrdT3x

One Caribbean Music Festival 2025

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

February 28

Artists: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17rYeozKp7/

Tool Live in the Sand 2025

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

March 7-9

Artist: Eagles of Death Metal, Coheed &Cambria, more...

https://youtu.be/o4kbGU78vR0?si=QZ1AwJqU2PxnmCxk

SXM Festival - Saint Martin

The Villa Party, Panorama Party - Saint Martin

March 12-16

Artists: Anvaya, Bora Uzer, Divine and more...

https://youtu.be/0dHgjsPD0E8?si=rT3D8SmG8vdu7Y5t

Jamaica Jazz Festival 2025

Montego Bay, Jamaica

March 14 - 16

Artists: Keiko Matsui, Kim Waters and others

https://www.tiktok.com/@cenartmx/video/7435774817724337464

Moonsplash 2025: Anguilla's Legendary Music Festival

Planet Dune, West End Village, Anguilla

March 13 - 16

Artists: not available now

https://youtu.be/kwfVCNNN57c?si=JckFEFbQLbg-Vrsl

St. Patrick's Festival 2025 - Island of Monserrat

Brades, St. Patrick's - Monserrat

March 3-17

Artist: Various artists.

https://youtu.be/-5Fjya0XfPg?si=J4g6B90gSCR8QKHu

Virgin Island Jam Fest

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

March 6-8

Artists: Tand, Elephant Proof, Organically Good Trio and more...

https://youtu.be/JQ8SedjZ9e8?si=IogWxqpxJsIhSC79

Viva The Latin Jazz!!

www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com

jazzcaribe2001@yahoo,com

Note: The successful book of musical literature, "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by the renowned writer, educator and musicologist Luis Raul Montell, is available on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/5Yhh0W6

https://a.co/d/fJZot8N