Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted
Last night we got to Sunset Jazz just after dark, missing the great sunset usually in view at the west end of the island in the town of Frederiksted. A group of local musicians was dishing out popular songs and jazz standards to a cheerful crowd sitting on lawn chairs at the beach.
Yesterday's event was subdued compared to the last Sunset Jazz about a month ago. It was held in celebration of Hovensa's 40 years operating on the island. Hovensa is the local oil refinery, originally started by Hess and now a joint venture between Hess and the government of Venezuela. Hovensa is the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest employer on the island (the Virgin Islands Government is the largest).
For the Hovensa-sponsored Sunset Jazz last month they presented world-renowned jazz flutist Dave Valentin and a post-concert fireworks display, followed by a festival along the harbor with about a dozen more local musical acts sprinkled throughout the town. We enjoyed the Valentin concert, but the harbor festival was too crowded for strolling along the vendor booths. We were awed at such a great turnout, and then we saw a young woman wearing a t-shirt that read "40 years of what??"
Sunset Jazz is the equivalent of the summer concert at the small-town square where people come out as much for the music as to see and greet friends. Last night we did just that, and because Sunset Jazz happens every third Friday of the month, we look forward to watching the sunset to good music and good fellowship next month, and the next...
Yesterday's event was subdued compared to the last Sunset Jazz about a month ago. It was held in celebration of Hovensa's 40 years operating on the island. Hovensa is the local oil refinery, originally started by Hess and now a joint venture between Hess and the government of Venezuela. Hovensa is the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest employer on the island (the Virgin Islands Government is the largest).
For the Hovensa-sponsored Sunset Jazz last month they presented world-renowned jazz flutist Dave Valentin and a post-concert fireworks display, followed by a festival along the harbor with about a dozen more local musical acts sprinkled throughout the town. We enjoyed the Valentin concert, but the harbor festival was too crowded for strolling along the vendor booths. We were awed at such a great turnout, and then we saw a young woman wearing a t-shirt that read "40 years of what??"
Sunset Jazz is the equivalent of the summer concert at the small-town square where people come out as much for the music as to see and greet friends. Last night we did just that, and because Sunset Jazz happens every third Friday of the month, we look forward to watching the sunset to good music and good fellowship next month, and the next...
Labels: Crucian Culture, Life on St. Croix, St Croix, St Croix Culture, Virgin Islands
posted by Jamila at 5:17 PM
4 Comments:
Hi!
I too am a quilter and live on St. Thomas. I really enjoyed your blog! I love you designs, I am more into doing abstracts by hand. I like the quiet no machine noice for me! Look frward to reading more!
Peg
The woman who was wearing the t-shirt was doing so in protest of how Hovensa is destroying the eco-system. The plant is NOT taking proper steps to keep everything in balance. She was also protesting the fact that although Hovensa provides alot of jobs...a great deal of the jobs go to people not local.
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My boyfriend played Sunset Jazz several times...I only went with him once or twice. We stayed at Sand Castle at the Beach (I think that's the name) and enjoyed it.
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