The St. John School of the Arts will present a jazz concert featuring Victor Provost and Alex Brown with special guest Etienne Charles on March 29 at 6 p.m.
This will be the sixth time that steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost and Grammy award-winning pianist Alex Brown have performed as part of the Sis Frank Concert Series at the school’s intimate Cruz Bay performance space.
They often bring along guest musicians, and this time, it’s Etienne Charles, a trumpet player with an impressive discography of Creole and Caribbean-style recordings.
Tickets are $50 and are available by clicking the Events tab on the St. John School of the Arts website and at the door.
Born and raised on the island of St. John, Victor Provost is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading voices on the unique and often misunderstood steelpan. Through appearances at concert halls, clubs, and stages throughout the world, he has developed a reputation as a “dazzling” soloist, crafting an impressive improvisational voice and style. With a strong foundation in Bebop, a contemporary sensibility, and deep roots in Caribbean music, he seamlessly melds and mixes genres. Learn more about Provost here.
Composer and pianist Alex Brown is at the forefront of a new generation of artists. In 2023, he was commissioned by Bobby Broom and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra to create arrangements of Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville and Leonard Bernstein’s Somewhere for their new album.
As a pianist, the New York Times says Brown plays “with a crystalline touch and a worldly approach.” In 2021, he released his second album as a leader, The Dark Fire Sessions. Brown has been a member of Paquito D’Rivera’s ensemble since 2007, performing on and contributing arrangements to their Latin Grammy award-winning album Jazz Meets the Classics. Learn more about Brown here.
Etienne Charles is the assistant professor of jazz trumpet at Michigan State University. He has received critical acclaim for his exciting performances, thrilling compositions and knack for connecting with audiences worldwide. In June 2012, Etienne was written into the U.S. Congressional Record for his musical contributions to Trinidad & Tobago and the world.
Perhaps more than any other musician of his generation or Eastern Caribbean origin, Etienne brings a careful study of myriad rhythms from the French, Spanish, English, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean to the table. He has performed and or recorded with Monty Alexander, Roberta Flack, Frank Foster, Ralph MacDonald, Johnny Mandel, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Maria Schneider, Count Basie Orchestra, Eric Reed, Lord Blakie, David Rudder and many others. For more information, visit Etienne’s official website.
