WICO Jazz On The Dock Event Set For March 15

The West Indian Company, Ltd. will host Jazz on the Dock on Tuesday, March 15th from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the WICO dock gazebo area.

The Steve Turre Quintet featuring Steve Turre on shells and trombone will be the headline act. Members of the quintet include Melvin Jones (trumpet), Carlton Holmes (piano) Gerald Cannon (bass) along with Dion Parson (drums).

The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Music Department will be the opening act at 5:30 p.m.

“There’s a depth, breadth and uniqueness to the Steve Turre Quintet that make their performances true to the improvisational nature of jazz,” said WICO President and CEO Joseph B. Boschulte. “Steve has carved out a niche on the music scene that should inspire the young, up-and-coming musicians who share the billing on this month’s concert.”

This is Turre’s third appearance on the WICO concert stage. He is considered one of the world’s preeminent jazz innovators, trombonists and seashellists. He has consistently been voted Best Trombone and Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist in JazzBeat, Downtime, and Jazziz reader’s and critic’s polls.

The late multi-instrumentalist Rashaan Roland Kirk introduced him to the seashell as an instrument, and after hearing from relatives in Mexico that his ancestors played the instrument, Turre incorporated seashells into his musical style.

Exposed to mariachi, blues and jazz from an early age, Turre attended the Sacramento State University, then joined the Escovedo Brothers salsa band. In 1972 Ray Charles hired him to go on tour. Since then Turre has worked with a diverse list of artists in equally diverse genres, including jazz, pop and Latin.

In addition to leading several ensembles, Turre has performed as a member of the Saturday Night Live band since 1984.

On March 15th, Norwegian Escape will be in port from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Divinia will arrive at 9:00 a.m. and depart at 6:00 p.m., with Carnival Valor arriving at 11:00 a.m. and departing at 7:00 p.m.

Jazz on the Dock is proudly sponsored by The West Indian Company, Ltd, the United Jazz Foundation, Mentoring through the Arts of Music, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, The University of the Virgin Islands, Avis, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the U.S.V.I. Department of Tourism.

The WICO Jazz on the Dock concert series is free and open to the public.

Feature Image: Steve Turre.