Local musicians wow visiting bands

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The 2017 Samoana Jazz and Arts Festival wrapped up in Apia over the weekend, the final event being Jazz at the Sinalei Beach Resort on Sunday.

Local bands, Banned from the Sun, the American Samoa Musicians, Blues Brothers and Samoana Strings wowed the crowds at Tanoa Tusitala, Taumeasina Hotel and Sinalei. 

Many local music lovers who turned out at the Tradewinds, Sadies By the Sea and Tisas Barefoot Bar remarked that they were reliving the 1970’s and 1980’s when live bands entertained from the Tumua Palace in Laulii to the Tikki at Lepuapua.

For the opening leg of the festival in American Samoa the weekend before, other local bands who performed were Angie and the Vibe and new comer Usual Suspects.

While jazz was the main genre of music for the festival, there was also blues, pop, reggae and even island music.

Trumpeteer Edwina thorne and leader of Juice on the Loose Mack Tane, both of New Zealand and have been part of the festival since its inception, said that this year’s event was the best so far not only in the organization but the level of music.

In Apia, a jazz band from New York City, the Ari Rowland Band was sponsored by the US Embassy in Apia to perform at the festival.  The four band members were also impressed with the standard of music and showmanship of the groups from the territory.

The American Samoa Samoana Jazz and Arts Festival Board extends its appreciation to all companies, departments and  individuals who supported the festival through corporate tables, tickets and in kind donations and to all the musicians who lended their talents.

A travel writer from Germany is doing a feature on the festival with a focus on Mavis Rivers known as the First Lady of Jazz in the Pacific islands.

Next year, Honolulu and New Zealand will be added to the festival venues and Mavis son’s Matt Cattingub, conductor of the Hawaii Philharmonic Orchestra, is bringing a mini orchestra down.

Some hotels in Samoa are already selling packages for the event.