Courtesy of Aruba Tourism Authority
In the last weekend of September Aruba celebrated its 9th edition of the Caribbean Sea Jazz with headliners featured the Earth Wind & Fire Experience, Grupo Niche and Jessy J. As one of Aruba’s longest running festivals, this festival annually attracts thousands of jazz lovers to the One Happy Island. These guests do not only come for the jazz music but also for the local food courts, the art fair and the overall ambiance, that make this festival one of Aruba’s coziest festivals.
Friday Night
On Friday night Roy Hargroves’s RH Factor set the mood with a jazzy, funky repertoire and surprised the audience when his pianist also sang a few songs. The Ploctones followed with their unique mix of high energy music and ‘improv’ jazz.
The Earth Wind & Fire Experience started out with a very romantic repertoire in the first half hour and saved their best dance hits such as Boogie Wonderland and Let’s Groove for last.
Saturday Night
Saturday’s headline act was Grupo Niche but it was actually Dutch native Maite Hontele who stole the show. As a true fan of the Caribbean Sea Jazz festival, she has been coming to the festival for years and has even realized her dream of performing with salsa legend Oscar d’Leon. But in this year’s festival she was a headliner herself and gave a very energetic, upbeat and funky performance with her own salsa band.
Closing act for the night was Colombian salsa band Grupo Niche. They presented with a complete brass section and everybody in the audience and on the VIP stands was dancing salsa!
Local bands
Aruba, a melting pot of so many cultures, is also the perfect breeding ground for artists to experience and learn how to play different kinds of music. This versatility and talent was shown by a well-received performance by Fuente on Friday and by famous local band Robert Jeand’or, which turned the Renaissance plaza into one big dancing party on Saturday.
Signed and confirmed headliner for next year’s Caribbean Sea Jazz Aruba is Kool and the Gang who will Celebrate Good Times, right here on the Happy Island of Aruba!
For upcoming events visit our events page.
