Bahamian performers to participate in 50th anniversary New Orleans Jazz Festival

Bahamian performers to participate in 50th anniversary New Orleans Jazz Festival
Pictured from left: Raphael Munnings, Percy “Vola” Francis, Ronald Simms, Nadir Hasan (Board Member of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation), Minister of Tourism and Aviation the Hon. Dionisio D'Aguilar, Dyson Knight, Nehemiah Hield, Fred Munnings and Stephen Bain. (BIS Photo/Kemuel Stubbs)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Minister of Tourism and Aviation D’Aguilar announced at a recent press conference at the Ministry that a Bahamian Delegation of top Junkanoo Performers, Musicians and Artists/Entertainers will participate in the much-anticipated 50th Anniversary New Orleans Jazz Festival, during the second weekend of the Festival, May 2-5, 2019.

Since 1983 Bahamian introduction to the festival, artists and entertainers have enjoyed a very ‘special relationship’ with the City of New Orleans, its music, culture and heritage.

Participation in the 50th Anniversary of the New Orleans Jazz Festival is a once in a lifetime opportunity for The Bahamas to showcase to the world the indigenous cultural expressions of Junkanoo, Rake ‘N’ Scrape and Goombay music.

The Bahamian delegation will comprise 25 Junkanoo performers and featured artists — Raphael Munnings, Nehemiah Hield, Dyson Knight and Wendi (Lewis-Knight), and a six-piece band led by Dion Turnquest for a total of 35 Artists/Entertainers.

It is estimated that the 50th Anniversary New Orleans Jazz Festival will attract some 500,000 people and will be exposed to hundreds of millions worldwide via multi-media networks and social media. The economic impact on the city of New Orleans is projected to be close to one billion dollars over the 10 days of celebration (April 25 – May 5, 2019) of one of the richest music cultural festivals in the world.