Eleuthera Jazz Fest: A Heaping Success

The fourth year of the Eleuthera... All That Jazz Festival was held in Governor’s Harbour in Eleuthera from March 30 – April 3 and it was a smashing success.

The event drew hundreds of Bahamians and tourists who danced the day away to the sweet Jazz of local and international artists.

Founding member of the Haynes Library, Michele Johnson, said the Jazz festival has transformed the tiny Governor's Harbour community.

“Besides raising funds, the jazz festival has brought a lot of visitors and talented musicians for our kids to spend time meeting and learning about the different instrument,” she said.

“Some of these kids have never actually touched a drum before. It has brought a different level of understanding to them about opportunities that they can have.”

Although the Jazz Festival increases the amount of visitors to Eleuthera, it was founded to ultimately raise funds for the Haynes Library. Ros Seyfert, who is the building's librarian, said the funds ultimately assist with its upkeep.

“The funds from the Jazz Festival go towards the Haynes Library directly and to assist with programming for children and adults,” she said.

“It also goes to the day-to-day running and pays for us to have a maid, gardener and also the maintenance of the building. It’s a very old building over 100 years old.”

Seyfert also suggested that tourists tend to flock to Haynes because of its proximity to Cupid's Cay and its size compared the structures around it.

“All the tourists flock to Haynes library because it’s such a large building, it’s got such a presence in the community and you have to pass it to get to Cupid’s Cay,” she said.

Executive Director of Bahamas National Trust, Eric Carey said the Levy Preserve is extremely glad to partner with the Haynes Library to give back to the community.

“Our founder Shelby White always wanted to find ways of giving back. The reserve is a major give back to the Bahamian people and our work with the jazz festival is a give back to the library,” he said.

“We support because we think it’s important that our national park is a part of the community. It’s important that our national parks support community as well,” Carey added.

 Jazz vocalist, Gabrielle Stravelli thought the mix of musicians worked really well for the vision of the festival.

 “It was a really interesting mix of musicians who played different styles and yet most nights have ended with a jam session where everybody found common ground and played together,” said Stravelli.

 Featured performers included: Adrian D'aguilar and the Jazz Cats, Ralph Munnings, Clifton Crawford, Bobby Sanabria, Wally Larson, King Solomon Hicks, Tino Richardson and Gabrielle Stravelli among others.

 Givton Gelin, trumpet extraordinaire and also a member of the Jazz Cats, performed for the first time at the jazz festival and extolled the inspiration he gained playing for Eleuthera.

 “Just speaking to the saxophone player from Gabrielle Stravelli’s band was a lesson for me. He said things that I was able to pick up and I am definitely going to try when I get home,” he said.