Since Myra-Maud's breathtaking performance for the opening celebration of the 2011 Women's Soccer World Cup, her international popularity has grown -- and she will be bringing her unique music style that has been influenced by jazz as well as traditional Creole and Latin music, to an Eleuthera stage as she headlines the fifth Eleuthera...All That Jazz Festival.
Myra-Maud will lead a performers list that will also include the Steve Coven trio from Toronto; two Italian London-based musicians, saxophonist Tomasso Starace and pianist Massimo Colombo; and local Bahamian artists Adrian D'Aguilar and the Jazz Cats, featuring vocalists Anuschka Wright and Osana Neely.
The Eleuthera...All That Jazz Festival will be held March 29-April 2.
Festival founder and chairwoman Patricia Leigh-Wood said they are thrilled to bring back some artists who have been popular in the past, as well as having exciting new international artists at the festival.
Myra-Maud most recently appeared in a gospel musical at the Folies Bergeres in Paris, and performed a Whitney Huston tribute with the Leipzig National Orchestra.
The Steve Coven trio has established themselves as one of Canada's cultural ambassadors. The band has released 10 critically acclaimed albums. Many of their compositions have been used for national and international film and TV productions.
Starace and Colombo are prolific composers and have performed at many international jazz festivals since they started playing professionally in the 1990s.
And both Wright and Neely are enjoying increasing success at home and in the United States.
Profits from the festival are donated to the historic Haynes Library in Governor's Harbor, which provides support and resources to the local community through a multitude of free services and outreach programs -- especially for children -- for homework assistance, arts and crafts and computer proficiency.
The jazz festival also adds to the educational objective by running a "meet the instruments" session at the library for children.
"The festival has been an extremely welcome addition to our annual fundraising, and since its first year in 2012 has provided more than $50,000 to our funding," said Michele Johnson, Haynes Library president. "Last year we used the donation towards refurbishing and providing new equipment for our computer room. Few students on the island can afford a computer at home, so this is an essential educational tool for them," she said.
As well as supporting the Haynes Library, the festival also aims to provide valuable contacts for Bahamian musicians in the international music scene and encourage visitors to Eleuthera as a cultural tourist location.
The five days of events will include a sunset concert and jazz night at St. LeoRose in James Cistern on Wednesday, March 29 at 6 p.m. It will feature an evening of light jazz with an assortment of different artists from the festival. The cover charge of $20 is in aid of the Haynes Library.
Jazz Vespers at St. Patrick's Church in Governor's Harbour, featuring inspirational music from the classic jazz repertoire, will take place at 5:15 p.m., with Jazz in the Harbour at 1648 Bar & Grill-French Leave resort up next at 7:30 p.m., and a $20 cover charge which will also go to the Haynes Library.
Jazz at the Fish Fry in Governor's Harbour happens on Friday, March 31 between 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m., free to the public. It will be a musical jam session with All That Jazz artists and other musicians performing an open jam session.
A musical workshop and meet and greet with the musicians at the Haynes Library takes place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, with the Eleuthera...All That Jazz Concert at The Levy Preserve on Saturday, April 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 in advance, $100 at the door.
A Sunday gourmet jazz lunch concert on the beach between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. will close out this year's festival. Tickets are $150 in advance, $175 at the door.

o Details on the performances, artists and how to purchase tickets or sponsor the festival are available on the website at www.eleutheraallthatjazz.com.

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