Beyond Int’l Jazz Day musicians sing freedom
Published:Wednesday | May 4, 2022 | 12:06 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
(Today, the Entertainment Desk begins a weekly ‘Jamaica 60’ feature in celebration of the island’s rich musical heritage.)
Proclaimed ‘Jamaica’s First Lady of Jazz’ Myrna Hague was out and about on International Jazz Day, April 30, celebrating the genre an the event hosted in partnership with UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. Having made an appearance, the organisers which included Paula Hurlock of Wellness Experience Jamaica, musician and director Jeremy Ashbourne and international jazz singer ALA.NI, implored upon the jazz veteran to share her voice with the audience.
“I came to support the young people, because I think it is important to support the subject and their talent, and I must say I was very impressed and so inspired to hear them,” Hague told The Gleaner.
She added, “I’m so glad I was there and it wasn’t a planned performance but I got inspiration by hearing the quality of the music. It’s not that they were playing around, they were good and we’re speaking technically, because often times we forget that talent by itself, is nothing if we do not develop the skill to be able to present that talent.”
The A Song I’d Like To Sing singer-songwriter and educator, whose career began in the mid-1960s said that jazz at the time of her emergence was a way for her to elevate her profile.
“I didn’t start my career in Jamaica; at that time it was the popular music and the best performers were people of colour. It wasn’t like I was doing anything out of the ordinary, you had your Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson, if I was looking for a role model I found them in the jazz arena and so, I positioned myself to be part of that. I wanted to be the best I can be,” Hague said.
And she demonstrated from the beginning of her performance, starting with the popular song, Volare, that she is still one of the best. Hague said that while beginning her career as a jazz performer may not be directly linked to Jamaica’s independence, it is important that the genre be recognised as part of the island’s culture.
“We have to do a couple of things; firstly we need to recognise jazz is not music of the white North American community or for a certain section of the society. Also, we have also positioned Jamaica as just reggae country and this is unfortunate because Jamaica has produced so much talent and some of the great jazz pioneers who went on to Europe, North America and the world to create jazz, since the 30s, 40s, 50s right through our independence and up to the present time,” she said. “We must get the understanding that jazz is a Caribbean cultural practice and our contribution to it, and if we can get back to that, then we can position it as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations for our independence. Our musicians at International Jazz Day were so skilled, they give meaning to the theme ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness.”
Organiser of the live concert, and the evening’s headliner ALA.NI said that the event served as a test that a larger show around the Jamaica 60 celebrations is possible. The London-born chanteuse, who was based in Paris and received international acclaim following the release of her album You & I in 2016, has been living in Jamaica for several months but said that after two years off stage she was anxious.
“Seeing the audience participation, which was an amazing mixture of persons in terms of the demographic and age, and them enjoying the performances overall, made me feel at peace,” she said. “I spent the last few days panicked when I shouldn’t be, because going on stage to sing and perform jazz usually feels so fluid to me. Jazz means freedom, I sing how I want to sing and we are able to add our own formula into it including roots, reggae, and lover’s rock.”
Noting the words of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and the leading figure behind the International Jazz Day project, Herbie Hancock, “The universal language of passion and benevolence, jazz continues to symbolise and nurture freedom and democracy,” several musicians praised the capacity of music to build peace and bridges as they stepped on stage.
The event featured a sophisticated presentation in the spirit of jazz with musicians such as Hector Lewis, more popularly known as Roots Percussionist; Sheldon Shepherd of No-Maddz; musician, composer and educator Marc Chillemi; Trinidadian Charlton Alfonso; and American saxophonist Ben Roseth.