BOSTON —Soul-jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman has always taken great pride in his Barbadian roots. A few years ago, the Boston-based artist leapt at the opportunity to showcase the cozy Eastern Caribbean locale by creating and hosting a Columbus Day Weekend jazz festival on the island, inviting a handful of contemporary jazz chart-toppers to share the marquee. This October 7-10, the native son returns home for his third annual Barbados Jazz Excursion at the plush Crane Resort with perhaps the strongest talent lineup yet, a fresh itinerary of unique excursions and a golf tournament to benefit Trotman’s newly formed Never Lose Your Drive Foundation, which raises funds for a local music program that provides students with regular music instruction from local tutors and quarterly faculty visits from the prestigious Berklee College of Music and other college professors. After all, it was the government of Barbados that awarded Trotman a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music where he launched his own music career.
Joining Trotman at this year’s Barbados Jazz Excursion is four-time Grammy nominated R&B/pop vocalist Jeffrey Osborne, guitar-slinging hitman Peter White, award-winning keyboardist Brian Simpson and urban-jazz flutist Althea Rene. Local musicians will be featured during a Bajan All-Star Night performance and devout guests can celebrate Sunday at a gospel brunch.
“The Barbados Jazz Excursion is designed to be an island festival unlike any other with world-class talent, a wide range of land and sea excursions for our guests’ enjoyment and non-stop fun at the Crane Resort. Our excursions are purposely intended for people to discover Barbados through a local’s eyes. I’m especially excited about launching my new foundation, Never Lose Your Drive. The NLYD Celebrity Golf Tournament brings together music and sports celebrities on the links to raise funds in support of our local music program at the Never Lose Your Drive Community Center,” said Trotman, a popular performer on the contemporary jazz circuit known for incorporating Caribbean culture into his distinctive blend of R&B, jazz and gospel recordings that have earned him a consistent presence on the Billboard Top 10 singles chart.
While live music occupies the primetime slot during the festival evenings, the daytime and post-concert timeframes are for discovering Barbados through exclusive excursions. Guests can dive deeply to glimpse the colorful life aquatic on the Atlantis Submarine Tour; take an Island Safari adventure; go underground to explore Harrison’s Cave where caverns and massive crystal formations will leave you marveling; rest, rejuvenate or recreate during a Beach Day at the Boatyard; sail away on a sunset catamaran cruise; hit The Gap to partake in the vibrant nightlife that includes fine dining, street vendors and multicultural exchanges; and play golf with Trotman, Osborne and other celebrities while basking in glorious sunshine under brilliant blue skies amidst breathtaking vistas and lush tropical landscapes.
On October 10, former New York Knick John Starks, singer Javier Colon, actress/singer Suzzanne Douglas and other celebrities and sports figures are expected to attend the Golf With A Cause Celebrity Tournament at the Royal Westmoreland and the Never Lose Your Drive Foundation Reception & Silent Auction. The next day, a NLYD seminar and panel discussion will be held for student musicians and athletes.
The Crane Resort, located less than three miles from Grantley Adams International Airport, is set on Crane Beach, which has been called one of the 10 best beaches in the world on “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous,” named by the Travel Channel as one of the Top 25 sexiest beaches in the world and voted last year by USA Today readers as the “best Caribbean beach” for its stunning beauty and serenity.
For more information or to purchase a Barbados Jazz Excursion package, please visit here.
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