Nov 11, 2004 – With a hot and heavy political campaign season now behind us, and the aromas of Thanksgiving celebrations just days away, it's time to head to Frederiksted on Nov. 19 to kick back and enjoy another cool sunset and more hot, hot jazz with the Jack Petersen Quartet.
Releasing his much acclaimed CD, "Jazz Play," in June of 2003, this Big Island jazz artist has established quite a following among St. Croix's jazz fans. Sax man Petersen started out playing clarinet in the eighth grade at Christiansted High School. He got his bachelor's degree in music education at Miami University of Ohio. Having retired just this year from his "day job," this former assistant principal of John H. Woodson Junior High School also serves as chair of the V.I. Council on the Arts and owns Say It With A Song, a jingle development business. (He composed the first Brow Soda jingles for the new owners.) As a successful working musician on St. Croix, Petersen has led a jazz quartet for the better part of 20 years. Performing with Petersen, as the Jack Petersen Quartet, are pianist Ben Jacobs-El, bassist Neil Simon and drummer Ken "Afra" Dailey.
Pianist Jacobs-El played trombone with the Newport Youth Band and moved from there to its spinoff, The New York Jazz Septet. He studied for three years at the Juilliard School, went on the road with Slide Hampton and Lloyd Price, then joined the Coker Camble Band, which backed such Motown singers as Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and The Temptations. He first set foot on St. Croix in 1963 while touring with Lionel Hampton's band, then returned to settle permanently in 1974. He took up piano after moving to the island.
Bassist Simon started out studying guitar but switched to bass as a teenager at his father's prodding. He played his first jazz gig with pianist Benjamin Jacobs-El at the age of 18. He has a degree in architectural engineering from New York University and while in New York did numerous commercials and toured with Freddie Jackson and Billy Ocean. After returning to St. Croix in 1988, he worked with trumpeter Duke Jones from Kid Creole & The Coconuts. He can be heard on Jones's "Special Edition Collector's Album" and on the "Pier 69" CD.
Drummer Dailey first studied flute and clarinet. He came by his first drum gig — with The Modern Ink Spots — after the group's producer heard him practicing at his mother's house in Philadelphia and knocked on the door and asked Mom if he could join the group. He has worked at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, where the "Philly" sound originated, and has toured with Grover Washington Jr., Betty Carter and The Dells. He's one of the most sought-after drummers on St. Croix.
Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted will soon be celebrating the completion of another year in its three-year tenure as the longest running free, community monthly event of its kind. December 17th's Sunset Jazz concert will officially mark the third anniversary of this popular community gathering. Looking ahead to our December "Anniversary Party," the Frederiksted Economic Development Association (FDA), the force behind Sunset Jazz, will be kicking things up a notch by featuring a very special Sunset Jazz Christmas Concert. This event will showcase many of the jazz community's phenomenal vocalists performing jazz renditions of our favorite Christmas Classics. To honor the giving spirit of the season, FDA is also requesting that concert goers participate by bringing a gift-wrapped toy (tagged, indicating age/gender) to donate for a Christmas Toy Drive for disadvantaged children. Additionally, December's Sunset Jazz Anniversary Party will kick off the Crucian Christmas Festival Season in Frederiksted by hosting vendors selling traditional Crucian Christmas treats such as sweet breads and Cacatua. Make plans now to stock up on these seasonal favorites while you're enjoying some of the best jazz in the world!
Bridget Cox-Dawson, Sunset Jazz organizer, reminds concert goers to bring chairs and/or blankets as seating in the park is at a minimum. And please be cool: no coolers! FDA operates a cash bar to defray the costs of event production while Hispanos Unidos sells food utilizing the proceeds to provide community services such as after-school programs.
Sunset Jazz concerts, which start at 5:30 p.m. and last for two hours, are free with families encouraged to attend. Presented by the non-profit community organization, the Frederiksted Economic Development Association, FDA is joined in its efforts to present Sunset Jazz by WTJX/ Channel 12, the local PBS station, which assists with videotaping of Sunset Jazz with events airing on Channel 12 Saturday nights at 8 p.m., and Sunny 99.5 FM, the Official Radio Station of Sunset Jazz. For more information about the concert series call 277-7874.