It's that time of the year again folks and for the second year in a row TJJ is in St. Lucia. New on the TJJ calendar and already a top ten must do event, on the TJJ global events calendar, we looking forward to some sweet limes, some world class entertainment and of course, some of those sweet St. Lucia Governor plums that happen to be in season during jazz. Yeah man, we grow up in the West Indies ... we know bout dem ting dey!

2:30 PM and The Appraiser touches down in St Lucia. Town say jazz was a wash the night before due to non-stop rain. Skies holding up fine so far today. The one thing about St. Lucia that might catch yuh off guard is the drive from the airport - Hewanorra Airport (UVF) in Vieux Fort. We talk bout that is last year's review so check it out again if yuh forget (St. Lucia Jazz 2008 Coverage). As the old saying goes, when life give yuh limes make lemonade. This year we have our own wheels courtesy of Avis Rental, so any number can play. So we take what should be an hour and fifteen minute drive and stretch it out to bout two and half hours sampling the local street side cuisine and of cause patronizing every bar along the way stocking up on some ice cold Piton's. At $3.50EC, Piton is a highlight of a St. Luica trip and should be recognized as a national treasure!

After a swing through downtown to buy out the plum stand and send the plum lady home early, we finally reach the Bay Gardens Hotel. Some might consider our diggs an upgrade over last year, all courtesy the St. Lucia Tourist Board. Doh get meh wrong, a tear or two roll down my cheek when we drove past the Friendship Inn on the way to the hotel. I won't specify weather or not they were tears of joy or not though! The good old Friendship Inn man.... make sure to stay there if you planning a trip to St. Lucia okay? For special service, tell them TJJ send you!

Photos by Andre CQ, Shakéela B, Andrea De Silva
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No time to waste, we on the move again. We're walking distance from the Rodney Bay action, so that's where you'll find us enjoying the local ambiance and of cause some beverages. What could be better that some NBA action by an outdoor bar in St. Lucia on a Friday afternoon sipping on a beastly cold Piton. Checking our Jazz brochure we see that Amy Winehouse is on the line up for tonight. Zouk band Kassav performs tonight as well, as the rain had cancelled jazz the night before, when they were originally carded to perform.

The skies opened up after all but that not stopping us. We roll up to Pigeon Island in torrential downpour and Amy is on stage. The big question is, what will she deliver for her big come back performance tonight? Would it be a classic performance signaling a strong rebound, capped off by her smash hit "Rehab"? Or would it be a pit stop before she heads back to rehab? Unfortunately the one word everyone had in common to describe her performance was disaster! One Jazz organizer we spoke to, described it as "embarrassing".

We running on very low fumes now, traveling since 5 am with no sleep the night before. But like true road warriors, we pushing on, hoping Kassav would give us that adrenalin shot we need to take us though the night. After some DJ entertainment while the band set up on stage, it was lights, camera, action. Kassav had the crowd going from jump, to the very last. "Les Mains En L'air" was the cry, and all man jack responded. This was truly the embodiment of the phrase, 'Music is Universal'. We ain't understand a word they singing but the vibes for the audience and the crystal clear sound of the band made us forget all that. It was truly a performance to remember. From the media pit all the way up the hill to the VIP tents, not a sole was sitting down for any of Kassav's set. Just what the doctor ordered to get Jazz 2009 on and popping. And dare we say, despite the weather earlier in the evening, the crown was massive, even bigger than last year's. Always nice to see events grow even when you think it could not possibly get any bigger.

In true Trini style we won't stop til the sun come up, so we off to The Happy Cock bar in Gros Islet for a night cap. We'll see you slackers tomorrow!

The Appraiser aka Sigma Juice for the TJJ fam.

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St. Lucia Jazz Festival 2009