The producer of the inaugural Samoana Jazz & Arts Festival, Peta Si’ulepa and Auckland-based musician and events producer, Cat Tunks, were in American Samoa recently.
They were there to check out the talent and venues for the upcoming islands of Samoa showcase of contemporary jazz and art.
The Samoana Jazz & Arts Festival will kick off in American Samoa from October 31 to November 2 before moving to Apia where international and local acts will be playing from November 7 – 9.
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Venues include YNot Bar, Tanoa Tusitala Hotel, Home Cafe, Sails Restaurant & Bar and the restaurants/bars around the Marina.
The line-up of international acts is still being finalised and the headline act is expected to be announced next week.
So far, international bands that have been confirmed are Auckland‘s jazz fusion group, Black Sand Diva, the Wellington-based Samoan group, KABASA , top Australian funk/jazz man Max Stowers and his crew, and trumpet diva, Edwina Thorne.
Three American Samoan bands have also been signed. These include emerging roots, jazz/rock group, “Banned from the Sun” which Peta cites as a great example of the new generation of Samoan musicians from both countries that will be on show at the Samoana Festival.
“Their sound is fresh, their energy is powerfully contagious, they’re young and they deliver some slick, raunchy, spell-binding jazz fused with their signature rock style.”
Local acts include Shadze of Samoa and a selected line- up of bands from the Samoa Musicians’ Association and the wider music community. Young and emerging artists are a special focus of Samoana.
Peta chose the name ‘Samoana - all that is Samoan,’ for the festival to reflect the unity between the two Samoas.
“We want to connect Samoan artists and musos and audiences around the world with their heartlands,” she said.
“We are all Samoan, one people with one language and culture. The arts and music provide us with an expression of ‘all the things we are.’ Hosting and festivities are things Samoans do well and the festival gives us the platform to celebrate in the spirit of unity.”
Peta said that the world is looking for new destinations that are culturally authentic, natural, friendly and vibrant.
“Samoa is that place. We are the people to do it.”
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