Pete Philly and Sven Hammond Soul arrived on the island on last Sunday afternoon’s KLM flight. They are the first international bands to arrive for the upcoming Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival, which is held at the festive Cas di Cultura site on October 5 and 6. With headliners like multi Grammy winner Chaka Khan and salsa sensation Oscar D’Leon, the buzz for the 2012 edition of the festival is already deafening. Pete Philly and Sven Hammond will be in more good company: an incredible line-up with local as well as international talent will be their entourage.
A group of more than thirty musicians, technical staffers and press arrived with the flight from Holland. They were welcomed with Chill beer, AWA water and lots of handshakes. Minister plenipotentiary Edwin Abath, on the island for the Green Conference, welcomed singer and radio commentator Jovanka, Sven Hammond and Pete Philly and their happy friends. The Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival brochure, a publication with information about the festival, was snatched up by everyone. After the luggage had been wheeled into the VIP section it was time for Pete and Sven to sign their posters in the arrivals hall; the discerning eye will be able to notice their signatures on the giant festival posters.
Pete Philly, recently the proud owner of the Gouden Kalf for best film music, one of the most prestigious awards in Holland, has received rave reviews for his multi-media project `Open Loops’. His solo album `One’ is a masterpiece, the result of two years of intense dedication after a whirlwind couple of years of playing gigs all over the world. Pete, born on Aruba in 1980 as Pieter Monzon, is a musical wizard in funk, jazz, soul and hiphop. Look him up at www.petephilly.com for his digital mix tape with free downloads.
Sven Hammond is the stage name of Sven Figee; he has taken Hammond as his last name in honor of his Hammond organ, which he plays like a virtuoso. Together with his band members Tim Eijmaal (guitar), Glen Gaddum (bass), Joost Kroon (percussion), Tom Beek and Arjan Muusz (sax), and Rik Mol (trumpet) and vocalists Demi Matenahoru and Ivan Peroti he is going to show his native island how soul and funk can go straight to your heart. A foretaste of Sven Hammond Soul in action can be witnessed at Café the Plaza’s 21st anniversary bash on Thursday, October 4.
For more information about ticket sales and the schedule of the performing artists of the Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival, please surf to www.caribbeanseajazz.com
