The Emerald Isle of Ireland merges with the lusciously green Helen of the West Indies, when 22 year-old singing sensation Laura Izibor takes center stage at Gaiety in Rodney Bay on Wednesday, May 5 for Saint Lucia Jazz 2010.
Promising to be one of the more memorable performances of this year’s Jazz, Izibor, born to an Irish mother and Nigerian father, follows the course set by artists like Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott – artists who combine a reverence for the traditions of early R & B with a thoroughly modern sensibility.
Described by ‘Rolling Stone Magazine’ as ‘the Artist to Watch’, Laura Izibor is expected to dazzle the straight ahead jazz audience with her smooth vocals. She’s also a talented, self-taught musician who plays the piano during most of her sets. Nicole Frehsée, who writes for the magazine, described Izibor’s debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, as “a sunny, chick-flick-worthy take on vintage soul”.
Noted UK R & B writer Pete Lewis of ‘Blues & Soul’ said the album is “anchored firmly in classic R & B and effectively combining a reverence for the traditions of vintage, warm piano-driven soul with a fresh twist of modern sensibility”, while Pete Daniel Smith of the ‘Sunday Mercury’ called the album a “dazzling R & B debut”, noting “a remarkable soul vocal that’ll send shivers down your spine”.
Izibor’s music has been compared to Aretha Franklin, Corinne Bailey Rae and Alicia Keys and her writing to that of Carole King and Joan Armatrading. But she counts her ‘musical heroes’ as Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, Candi Staton and Thin Lizzy and cites James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Carole King as her “inspirations.”
The Irish-born recording artist, musician and producer won an award at the 2006 Meteor Music Awards. She has opened for Aretha Franklin, India.Arie, Estelle, Maxwell and John Legend on tour.
Izibor will perform on the same stage as legendary guitarist Earl Klugh who returns to Saint Lucia Jazz after performing on the main stage five years ago.
A founder of Saint Lucia Jazz, the island’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Senator Allen Chastanet remarks that, “Including acts like Laura Izibor, Corinne Bailey-Rae and Maxi Priest in this year’s line-up means we can target more Europeans, particularly now that we have Condor, Virgin Atlantic and additional British Airways flights coming to our shores.”
He added that “it’s as good a time as ever to take advantage of the low airfares and convenient schedules from the US and Canada as well.”
Laura Izibor joins an all-star cast of performers, including Corinne Bailey-Rae, Toni Braxton, Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club, Jean Luc Ponty, Quito & the Edge, Foreigner, Earl Klugh, “Men of Soul” featuring Jeffrey Osborne, Freddie Jackson, Phil Perry & Howard Hewett, Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson and the cast of Tempest, Steel Pulse, Shaggy, Carl Gustave, Sean Paul, Maxi Priest, Carimi, Monty Maxwell, Alison Marquis, Harvey Millar, Claudia Edward and Teddyson (TJ) John for the annual Saint Lucia Jazz taking place from May 1 to 9, 2010.
Saint Lucia Jazz, a premier music festival in the Caribbean region, is in the top five around the world. The Festival, which has attracted some of the biggest names in the music industry, marks its 19th anniversary this year.
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