FirsTime Jazz Experience

Peer pressure can be positive or negative…and my first time at Jazz on the Hill was born out of positive peer pressure! 

For weeks leading up to this event the hype and anticipation which was created by the tasteful, exciting and teasing adverts used to market the event captured my attention.  I thought, very briefly, every time the ad played on radio on my drive to work, “this sounds like it’s gonna be a good event...” and I’d remind myself to look into getting a ticket and see who I could get to go with me.   This went on for all of three weeks or maybe more, much like most of my feeble attempts to socialise.

Annalean and I at Jazz on the Hill

But of course, every thought you send out into the universe has the potential to become a reality….so two days before the event,  I got a phone call from Annalean, my friend, liming partner, confidant; inviting me to the event.  I was all ecstatic and rearing to go…after all it’s been weeks of me putting this out into the universe right?

This is where the positive peer pressure came into play…

The day came about, and I had lost my enthusiasm for an evening out; in true form I had changed my mind so many times throughout the day, it wasn’t funny at all.  Who the heck was Avery Sunshine?  Was this thing going to be a sit down affair?  Was I going to be bored thirty minutes there? Those were some of the questions I asked myself in an attempt to justify the lack of zest for an outing.

Annalean, however, insisted that I get up, get dressed and go to the event…and she wasn’t accepting NO.  She showed up at my home to help me dress and took me to Jazz on the Hill…

Now, I am a “soca baby”,  I love soca, carnival and especially the “All Inclusive” events…so while my interactions with other genres  of music was somewhat limited, it was more so with Jazz music.  However, I decided to keep an open mind and embrace the experience. 

It was a “Wear White Affair” theme, so almost everything was white! The setting was in keeping with what was advertised, the ambience was perfect for a cool Sunday evening and there was an array of activities happening in the form of visits to the various bars and food stations.  

Old and new friends

As I walked in, I saw familiar faces which I had not seen in a while. I reconnected with my girl JD and met new people by the end of the evening.

It was show time now….the headline act was about to take the stage….Ms Avery Sunshine if you will…never heard of her, had no experience with her music and was totally ignorant to her ability to deliver a stellar performance.  This lady had not just me, but the entire crowd on their feet moving to her music, she was so interactive and engaging, she literally brought the house down!  I was in awe at her talent, her ability to draw in her audience and to make jazz music so intriguing. 



Avery Sunshine doing her thing...

The night wasn’t over yet, we still had some local and Caribbean talent to enjoy in the form of Farmer Nappy and Arturo Tappin; both of whom I was familiar, one more than the other.  Nappy is a soca artist so of course I had more than enough experience with his music to at least have an idea what to expect, Arturo Tappin, however, I did not have prior experience on which to draw, he is a smooth jazz and jazz/reggae saxophonist from Barbados and while I have heard of him many times, I have never had the pleasure of seeing him in action…and a pleasure it was indeed!  He is simply amazing and a definite crowd pleaser…

I was glad that I fell victim to peer pressure in this instance because the experience was an eye opener for me as it allowed me to experience music in a brand new way and develop an appreciation for Jazz in a way I would never have had in the absence of Jazz on the Hill…

                                                                                                           

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