Elan Parle - feature performers at Jazz on the Hill, delivered a variation of jazz music to end the 2012 Jazz on the Hill event on a high note. Photo: Carmelita Jamieson/VINO

Vanterpool and Co. made the 2012 Jazz on the Hill an evening to remember.

Jeremy Vanterpool delivered an invigorating performance last evening March 3, 2012 at the 2012 Jazz on the Hill concert.

It was an evening to remember with no showers to interrupt this year, as a moderate crowd spread out on the lawns of the St. Mary’s Ground on Virgin Gorda, many on blankets, others using the stones as seats last evening March 3, 2012.

With MC. Trevor Grant in control, the night’s event opened with the St. Mary’s Choir, who were followed by the Elmore Stoutt High School Jazz Band.

While the turn out for the show may have been hindered by the other events on the same night, the moderate crown seemed to enjoy the presentations.

Ryan Diehl’s Jazz Trio brought a more relaxed atmosphere as they led into what was to be a very dynamic and explosive session with well-known Virgin Islander saxophonist Jeremy Vanterpool, who was accompanied by a band.

The local group thrilled patrons with their slow to uptempo performance but most outstanding of all, was Vanterpool’s immaculate mastery of the saxophone.

Ending on such a high note, the group almost made it difficult for Trinidad’s Elan Parle to deliver their feature act.

The Trinidadian Jazz Band had performed at the event in 2008 and was excited to bring more of their “Calypso Jazz” back to the VI.

The band started out with Freddie Hubbard’s Jazz Standard “Red Clay” which made way for several other performances but with a twist. The band decided to mix things a little by including a vocalist Vaughnette Bigford, saxophonist Anthony Woodroffe and pianist Mikhail Salcedo.

Among their performances were “Fancy Sailor”, a premier calypso jazz standard of Clive Zada of Trinidad, Grover Washington’s “Wine lights”, and Mariam Mackeba’s “Patta Patta”.

With the level of versatility displayed, Elan Parle was able to propel their musical mixture that kept the excitement high and end the 2012 Jazz on the Hill concert on a very high note.

In an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online, band leader Michael Lowchewtung said the band had such a great time performing in 2008 that when they were called to perform this year they did not hesitate to accept the offer.

He explained that while the band plays a wide cross section of jazz from standards to contemporary, its original presentations tend to be more Caribbean Jazz.

Giving a brief history of the band, the leader said they were formed in 2000 and are proud to have been able to not only play in their homeland but has played at most if not all the Caribbean Jazz Festivals and events, including in St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada.

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