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Find your place under the sun at one of these Caribbean music festivals
By Bridget Bland
St. Lucia Jazz
It may be called St. Lucia Jazz (stluciajazz.org), but this annual festival will please any music lover’s palette. Babyface and Al Green have both performed to sold-out crowds here, as has newly crowned pop star Rihanna. But the event remains true to its jazz roots. This year’s festival runs May 2-11, and jazz favorites Diane Reeves, Jonathan Butler, and Najee will join a roster that includes Anita Baker, Angie Stone, and Wyclef Jean for performances on Pigeon Island’s main stage. But if you want to experience jazz like St. Lucians, take in the festival’s “fringe activities,” which take place throughout the island, and hear jazz performers play free of charge. Options abound when it comes to accommodations and attractions, too. The grown and sexy flock to the hillside Ladera resort and the new Jade Mountain at Anse Chastanet, where privacy is guaranteed with open-air suites looking out onto the Piton Mountains and Caribbean Sea. If you’re looking to bring a group of friends for jazz weekend, head to the Marigot Bay side of the island via yacht to Discovery at Marigot Bay. The resort features treehouse-like rooms equipped with such modern amenities as flat-screen TVs, high-speed internet access, and full kitchens. It’s also home to the Pink Snail, a great bar for pre-jazz drinks. Eager to party like a local? Shoot over to Rodney Bay Village for the nightclubs and bars.
Turks and Caicos Music and Cultural Festival
 To be one of the newest of the bunch, the Turks and Caicos Music and Cultural Festival (musicfestival.tc), scheduled for this summer, sure has caught up to the rest of the Caribbean in attracting stars to the scene. Last year, Turks landed Alicia Keys, T.I., and John Legend to perform; celebs including Cedric The Entertainer showed up to watch the action from a yacht with the island’s first lady, actress Lisa Raye. Folks also came out for the Miss Turks & Caicos Universe Pageant. The winner, who is crowned toward the end of the festival, goes on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. Expect more major talent to take the outdoor stage at Turtle Cove Marina in Providenciales this year. Lodging can be had at the island’s first international mega-yacht destination resort, Leeward Resort and Marina, opening in March. However, if you need more seclusion, try Parrot Cay, where Eva Longoria and Tony Parker honeymooned. Grab a cocktail at the resort’s Grace Bay Club’s Infinity Bar, purported to be the longest in the Caribbean, and dinner at the beachside Anacaona. For nightlife, Bambooz, with its pool tables and hot music, should do the trick.
Bermuda Music Festival
 As for lively music festivals, it doesn’t get much better than Bermuda. The Bermuda Music Festival (bermudajazz.com), usually hosted by comedian Steve Harvey, attracts an old-school-music-loving crowd to hear legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, the O’Jays, and Lionel Richie. The fun doesn’t begin until October 1, but there are a lot of places to visit during the festival season. Head to town for a tasty meal at Greg’s Steakhouse, and afterward get your two-step on at Bootsie’s Comedy Club, which is known as much for its music as its comedy, or grab a cocktail at The Pickled Onion, a few doors down. For accommodations, everything about Mandarin Oriental’s Elbow Beach speaks luxury. Whether you stay in the main hotel or in a cottage suite, there are many things to do before and after hitting the festival. Try one of 100 rums at the Veranda Lounge & Terrace, or dine at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Seahorse Grill—but first, reserve your personal Spa Suite and indulge in either the Rum Swizzle Ritual or the Soothing Aloe and Bermuda Honey Envelopment treatment. You can thank us later.
Photographs: Courtesy of Turks and Caicos Tourist Board
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