Jazz Beat and Pan Explosion make a comeback to this year’s WeBeat - St. James Live 2017

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Jazz Beat and Pan Explosion make a comeback to this year’s WeBeat St. James Live 2017.

The return of these two events is in response to numerous requests from diehard loyalists.

This year’s edition is in tribute to its founding member and first President, Earl Ronald Crosby, who passed away in August 2016.

Though still in negotiations with several sponsors, the St. James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) is committed to staging the Festival which runs from June 4^th and 6^th through 10^th June at the St. James Amphitheatre on Western Main Road, St. James.

This year, the events on the scaled-down calendar include WeTreat (Sunday June 4^th), Health Day and Film Night (Tuesday June 6^th), JazzBeat (Wednesday June 7^th), Pan Explosion (Thursday June 8^th), Vintage Kaiso (Friday June 9^th), Steelband & Traditional Mas Parade (Saturday June 10^th) and the Boat Cruise (Sunday June 11^th).

WeBeat St. James Live 17 is cultural explosion intended to showcase the diverse cultures and recognize contributions of “St. Jamesians” in their lifetime. The event had its genesis in 2001 in an effort to enhance community/heritage tourism and economic growth, based on a pilot project The Renaissance District concept, an initiative of the then-Tourism Industrial Development Company of Trinidad & Tobago (TIDCO).

The Organization continues to pay homage to community elders and persons in their lifetime who have dedicated their lives to the promotion and artistic, sporting and cultural traditions, and whose achievements have brought honour and glory to St. James. The CIC has created opportunities for steelbands where they can showcase their varied repertoire outside of Carnival. It is proud to be able to provide a stage where a proper production of “pure, unadulterated” vintage calypsoes can be heard. It has been able to give the country's jazz aficionados a place where they could go and muse on the local fare and also to be able to treat the young, evaluate the health of the elderly and to throw one of the best street pan parties in country.

Staging the event is never without difficulties, the most challenging being financial. In its seventeen years of continued existence, the organizers came close to cancelling on two occasions. But despite the woes, WeBeat continues.

From the News Desk of:
St. James Community Improvement Committee

 

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