Underground bands launch After Jazz Fringe Fest

Musicians from T&T’s “underground” scene are making their bid for a piece of the spotlight. They’re taking advantage of the upcoming jazz festival taking place in Tobago to throw their own concert series, the After Jazz Fringe Fest. At a media launch held at Shakers on the Avenue in Woodbrook, representatives and members of popular underground bands got together to make their case. Sheldon Holder, lead singer of 12 the Band, and one of the chief organisers of the festival, said that all over the world, fringe festivals have sprung up around larger, more high-profile ones.

He noted that the jazz show held in Tobago was the time in T&T when people are “most open” to non-mainstream music. For this reason, they felt it was an opportune time to present their music, too, to a wider audience. Kiwan Landreth-Smith, of KIN Sound System, said although underground bands enjoyed consistent audiences, the After Jazz festival was a necessary step. He asked, “how often can we play the same venues, to the same audiences, without getting any further?”

He stressed that it was the musicians themselves who were behind the festival, and Holder asked their fans for their support. He said bands should work together and be less competitive, adding, “we can’t expect people to recognise us if we don’t recognise ourselves”. They thanked their sponsors, Banrock Station, Bols Liqueur, El Jimador Tequila, The Alice Yard and Shakers Tobago. The After Jazz Fringe Fest will take place at Shakers, Shirvan Road, Tobago, from April 28 to May 1. It will feature Kin Sound System, Sheldon Holder of 12 The Band, Gyazette, The Cabezon, Ukü, the On-Da-Grong band, LAZA beam, with DJ Tillah Willah, DJ Rawkus, DJ Marcus and more.