The inaugural ONE CARIBBEAN Music Festival 2014 was held on December 13 and 14 at the Central Broward Regional Park in South Florida. The show was produced by the team led by Walter Elmore who has produced the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival for 18 years. Arts and music promoters may have well been disappointed by the less than stellar turnout.
This two day music festival has an excellent premise which is to showcase music, arts and crafts and food from the depth and breadth of the Caribbean including the rhythms of Reggae, Kompa, Salsa and Soca. There were awesome performances on Day 1 with Grammy Winner Sean Paul, Maxi Priest, Eugene Grey (Jamaica), Arturo Tappin, Saxaphonist (Barbados), Nestor Torres Flutist (S. Florida), Kat Deluna (Dominican Republic ), Nelly Player (Belize). Unfortunately, there were very few people to enjoy the performances.
Day 2 had Peter Lloyd – Marcia Griffiths, Richie Stephens all backed by the Code Red Band (Jamaica). Code Red won the IRAWMA Award for favorite band in South Florida. T-Vice, Tabou Combo (Haiti), Bunji Garlin, and wife Fay-Ann Lyons ( Trinidad & Tobago), Skinny Fabulous (St Vincent & The Grenadines), Tallpree (Grenada)
While the performances were stellar, it isn’t always easy to play to a small crowd. Most music festivals have teething pains, the Jazz in the Gardens had few attendees early on and can now boast numbers of 45,000 plus. I spoke to some patrons who said the $55 entrance fee was a lot for them and so they would only attend one day. This was only compounded by the event being held a few weeks before Christmas which meant most patrons had less discretionary spending money.
One of the many highlights of the evening was a Talent Show Competition on an Alternate Stage. The winner received an all expenses paid trip to appear on the stage at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues in Trelawny, Jamaica. My favorite highlight was the presentation of a proclamation from Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness to Marcia Griffiths, OD on the 50th anniversary of her life in the music business.
