On Friday September 3rd and Saturday September 4th 2010 the first edition of the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival will be held in the World Trade Center in Piscadera Bay. Today, the organization is proud to present the first names of the line-up: John Legend, Sergio Mendes, George Benson, Michel Camilo Trio, La India, and Luis Enrique. In the coming months, the festival will announce more names to complete the program.
Singer-pianist John Legend made his break-through with hits like “Ordinary people” and “P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care)” and was subsequently rewarded with several GRAMMY awards. In 2008 he worked together with Estelle and Andre 3000 to release his third studio album, “Evolver”. The popular R&B and soul singer with the distinctive voice can rightly be called a star these days.
Sergio Mendes is one of the most popular Brazilian artists of all times. He is a master of improvisation who is able to render a fresh and festive note to every bossa nova. In 2006, Mendes successfully released the album “Timeless”, together with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, and for the second time in his career scored a hit with “Mas Que Nada”.
Dominican pianist Michel Camilo could also be called the “Ambassador of Latin jazz”. His music is best described as a perfect mix of swinging jazz and Latin rhythms. During the festival, Camilo can be enjoyed with the two fellow performers with whom he forms a trio, bassist Charles Flores and drummer Cliff Almond.
“El Principe de la Salsa”, a.k.a. Luis Enrique, is the pioneer of the romantic “salsa sensual”. Enrique’s concert is bound to bring the audience a superb blend of classical and modern salsa combined with sensitive Latin-pop ballads.
The career of La India has seen many high points on both the jazz, Latin and dance scene, but she became well known to a wider audience for her up-tempo salsa hits. La India has performed together with Eddie Palmieri, Marc Anthony, and Tito Puente.
Guitar legend George Benson has been active on the musical scene for quite some years. In the sixties, he used to play with Miles Davis, and he still plays his classic songs “On Broadway” and “Give Me the Night” in a live setting on a regular basis. August 2009 saw the release of the successful “Songs and Stories”, an album Benson produced together with John Burke and Marcus Miller.
In the week before the festival, there will be jazz concerts all over the island, and on Monday August 30th, salsa legend Alberto Barros will perform during a festive, public
kick-off concert on Brion Square.
