The launching of Anguilla’s Jazz Festival took place on Friday November 22 in the attractive setting of Frangipani Beach Club. The Jazz Festival will be an annual event as a lead up to the winter tourist season. It is being organized by a special committee in conjunction with the Anguilla Tourist Board and chaired by Fitzroy Tomlinson, chairman of the Festival Committee.

The launching was attended by a wide cross section of the community including tourism officials and sponsors from the business community. Also present were His Excellency the Governor, Peter Johnstone and Mrs Johnstone and the Hon Minister of Finance, Victor Banks.
Banks said that Anguilla prided itself in doing things well and he expressed pleasure that BET (Black Entertainment Television) were partners in the project. He welcomed Paxton Baker, BET Executive Producer, and Derek Lewis who is the vice president of productions for BET. He noted that the Government of Anguilla intended signing an agreement with BET Event Productions to enable Anguilla to become a jazz venue that will be known world wide, wherever BET broadcasts.
Candis Niles, Deputy Director of Tourism who chaired the launching, introduced the artistes that included Eric Reid, BET Jazz pianist, the New York Jazz Ensemble, Onaje Allan Gumbs Ensemble, the Anastasie Lamanie Ensemble, La Vaune Henry, soloist, and from Anguilla Carmen Hackett-Saunders, Jane and Ash, Ras B and the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School orchestra. Director of Tourism, Amelia Vanterpool-Kubisch welcomed everyone and thanked them all their support.
Fitzroy Tomlinson welcomed everyone to the launching saying that the Festival was to highlight the essence of Anguilla and its tranquility, and present it as a fitting complement to the classic, classy rhythms of jazz. He recognized his hard working committee and the many sponsors who made the event possible. He noted that BET Event Productions, an affiliate of BET Jazz, will ensure that the Festival is of a very high standard. The logo for the Festival, designed by Gabrielle Klaren, captures the concept of the Festival and will be showcased throughout the world by BET.
Paxton Baker expressed thanks for the invitation from Anguilla to participate in the Festival and referred to Bob Johnson, CEO of BET, who has a long association with the island. He stressed that BET’s association with Anguilla will be year round and assured that the Jazz Festival in Anguilla will be very unique. Tapes are being filmed of Anguilla and some of its musical groups, and will be shown on television next year.
The Jazz Festival committee includes Fitzroy Tomlinson, Candis Niles, Millie Hodge, Valentin Davies, John Benjamin, Ed Lewis, Ijahnya Christian, Ernie Hodge, Ken Hodge James Connor and John Edwards. The launching continued with a jazz concert on the beach at Sandy Ground on Saturday evening.
The launching of the Jazz Festival is an important event for Anguilla as it marks the beginning of the international Jazz Festival that will be a grand annual event starting next year, and taking place from November 14-16, 2003, under the theme “Tranquility in Anguilla…it’s a Jazz Thing.”

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