The West Indian Company Ltd. (WICO) will pay tribute to the era when the company had an established presence on St. Croix from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Havensight Mall on the WICO Dock. The Centennial Musical Celebration with a Crucian Jazz Experience will feature popular St. Croix band Broncodem. The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Jazz Band will be the opening act, performing from 5-6 p.m.
“We have featured a variety of groups from St. Thomas and St. John,” said WICO president and CEO Joseph Boschulte. “Hosting a band from St. Croix allows us to pay tribute to the days when we provided cruise and cargo service to that island. It also allows us to make our centennial celebration truly inclusive and reflect the service the company provided to all islands in the territory, not to only one district.”
WICO received a concession to provide service to St. Thomas in 1912. It owned and developed the first accommodations on the property that is now Caneel Bay Resort on St. John in the 1930s. It also initiated regular, reliable ferry service between St. Thomas and St. John. Until the early 1980s, the St. Croix operation included cargo and cruise ship services to the island with shipping offices in Gallows Bay and a warehouse in Peter’s Rest.
The members of Broncodem include Dr. Olaf “Bronco” Hendricks (saxophone), Marsvyn David (bass/director), Claudette Young-Hinds (vocals), Elvis Pedro (guitar), Antoine Clark (keyboard) and Tyrone Davis (drums).
The Norwegian Gem and Carnival Liberty will be in port.
The Centennial Musical Celebration with a Crucian Jazz Experience is sponsored by The West Indian Company Ltd., United Jazz International, Concessions International, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and Seaborn Airline. It is free and open to the public.