The issue of funding has been the most difficult challenge facing the success of the San Fernando Jazz Festival 2010 and its organisers hope the quality of this year's production will encourage more corporate support.
So said the festival's chairman and artistic director Rudolph Thomas during the event's media launch yesterday at the City Hall auditorium, Harris Promenade, San Fernando.The sixth annual production, which costs around $400,000, is expected to be held on September 25 on the San Fernando Hill and will feature prominent names in the jazz circuit, including Darren Sheppard, Mungal Patasar, 90.1 Degrees, Mavis John and the Cuban-based Lazaro Valdez & Son Jazz Band.
Thomas said when the festival first started in 2004, it was a three-day event, but three years later, financial constraints resulted in it being scaled down to one day.He said the festival's committee was working on partnering with the owners of many South-based establishments so they could host jazz-oriented activities during the week leading up to the festival.
He added that some of the aims of the festival were to provide patrons with an "authentic" jazz experience and to provide local artistes with the opportunity to showcase their talents alongside those of established international performers.This year's festival will pay tribute to one of T&T's late musical icons–Andre Michael Tanker.
Tanker, who has received several awards, including two Caciques for Best Composer (1990) and Best Musical Director (1995), has an extensive repertoire of songs which include Sayamanda, Forward Home, Morena Osha, Food Fight, Basement Party, Children of the Big Bang,