MARCH » Moonsplash
Dune Preserve, Anguilla
The Star: Ruel Richardson is the frontman for British Dependency (one part soul, one part funk, one part reggae, all parts sweet music), whose mentor is local celebrity Bankie Banx, the dreadlocked, cowboy-hat-clad founder of Moonsplash and owner of its venue: uber-funky beach bar Dune Preserve.
The Take: “Moonplash is all about spontaneous music, like the time we had a surprise performance by John Mayer. It allows my band a performing outlet — Bankie supports local acts, which is part of why he created Moonsplash — and great Caribbean artists perform every year, legends the Moon-splash audience would kill to see. The intimate venue lets us connect with our audience. When it comes to an end, everyone looks forward to the next one.” bankiebanx.net/moonsplash for information
APRIL » Tobago Jazz Experience
Various Venues, Tobago
The Star: Machel Montano, the undisputed king of soca — the frenetic, intoxicating dance music of Trinidad’s Carnival — has been a star since age 9, when he appeared on Star Search. He’s electrified stages all over the world but says shows in his sweet T&T will always be his favorite.
The Take: “Tobago is where Trinis go to unwind; it’s a whole different vibe from the hustle and bustle of Trinidad. So the Tobago festival is a perfect mix of Trinidad-style partying: We have soca artists bringing the Carnival energy, along with international ones doing R&B — like Chaka Khan one year — and Tobago chill-out vibes. You can rock out all night and relax on the beach all day. It’s perfection.” visittobago.gov for information
MAY » St. Lucia Jazz Festival
Various Venues, St. Lucia;
The Star: Humanitarian, poet, and musician Taj Weekes wears all of these hats with equal ease. And the golden-voiced reggae artist does more than sing about peace and love — he spreads it via his foundation, They Often Cry Outreach, dedicated to improving the lives of needy St. Lucians.
The Take: “It was great to be able to participate in the 25th anniversary of the festival and play before my home audience after having played to other people for such a long time. The level of energy we received was tremendous. It was really gratifying to bring my band, all from various Caribbean countries, to visit my hometown and people and be greeted by such amazing energy.” stluciajazz.org for information
JUNE » St. Kitts Music Festival
Basseterre, St. Kitts
The Star: He’s not yet 30, but King Konris (below) is a Kittitian legend. The virtuoso calypsonian and vigorous performer — he’s been penning songs since he was 10 — has won the island’s Calypso Monarch title four times in a row. In the words of his most recent winner, he’s an “Unstoppable Force.”
The Take: “The St. Kitts Music Festival is a world event. It allows local artists like me and international superstars from an incredible mix of backgrounds to entertain music lovers from all corners of the world on a single stage. You could not possibly find a better way to enjoy St. Kitts ‘the next Caribbean adventure,’ as we call it.” facebook.com/stkittsmusicfestival for information
JULY » Reggae Sumfest
Montego Bay, Jamaica
The Star: Sometimes called Jamaica’s Stevie Wonder, Beres Hammond can make women swoon at the drop of a note. With his signature honeyed vocals and oh-so-seductive songs, the 56-year-old has been serenading crowds with classic lovers rock music for more than two decades.
The Take: “I could never retire from performing — how can any artist retire? Performing is what we were sent here to do. I did that for three hours straight at Reggae Sumfest this year, and I could’ve gone even longer. The energy of the crowd keeps me going, and there is no crowd like the one at Sumfest. Tens of thousands of people who love reggae, staying with you all night, from sunset to sunrise. And because it’s Jamaica’s biggest show, everyone is counting on you to give a quality performance. We all know this as artists, which is why Sumfest delivers the best performances by the best reggae artists out there — period.” reggaesumfest.com for information
Related Content
Read the full-length Trinidad article from the May issue of Caribbean Travel + Life.
Jazz, Heritage, Underwater Festivals and more are celebrated on Tobago
Looking for some tunes to get you in the Carnival mood? After our editor's recent jaunt to Trinidad for Carnival, she hand-picked the best of the bunch to get you jumping in your seats.
Comments
Bankie Bank's MoonSplash has been pulling on my for the last couple of years. The pull is gentle but constant, just like the lunar tides. I hope you guys have some people cover the gig because I can't wait to read all about it!
Cheers to a great Caribbean music festival!