Tobago jazz pianist John Arnold to headline Sunshine Awards in St Maarten
The founder of the Kariwak Players will be special guest performer at the 38th annual Sunshine Awards on October 17, organisers say.
TEANECK, United States. John Arnold, the Tobago jazz pianist, composer and musical director, will be a special guest performer at this year's Sunshine Awards in St Maarten on October 17.
Gil Figaro, the Trinidadian-born founder and chairman of the New Jersey-based Sunshine Awards, said the company was "thrilled to announce" the booking.
"Getting John Arnold to perform at the Sunshine Awards is like winning the lottery," Mr Figaro told Caribbean Life. "John Arnold represents the very best of Caribbean music, culture, creativity and excellence."
According to Mr Figaro, Mr Arnold began his musical journey at the age of eight in Tobago, teaching himself the piano by listening to the radio.
He is the founder and leader of the Kariwak Players, which Mr Figaro described as Tobago's premier jazz ensemble, and has recorded six albums: Breaking Ground, Smooth Jazzy Feelings, Deep Inside, Anonymous, Jazz Standards in the Tambrin Sauce and Kaiso in the Jazz Stew.
"His music is deeply Caribbean, but his vision is very global," Mr Figaro said, calling him "a cultural architect".
Festivals and choirs
Mr Figaro said Mr Arnold's music and leadership had helped shape events including the Tobago Jazz Festival, the Tobago Gospel Festival, the Tobago Muhtadi International Drumming Festival and the Tobago Jazz Experience. He also served as project manager for CARIFESTA XIV in 2019.
In 1984 he founded the Signal Hill Alumni Choir, which under his direction has travelled internationally. He has also conducted choirs, mentored musicians and run workshops across the Caribbean and Latin America.
His distinctions include the Hummingbird Medal Gold, the Cacique Award, recognition from CARIFESTA, the New York Sunshine Award for Excellence in Music and Culture, and designation as one of the 50 Distinguished Alumni of the University of the West Indies. He holds a certificate in Harmony and Arrangement from Berklee College of Music and is a doctoral candidate in Cultural Studies at the University of the West Indies.
"His appearance at the 38th Annual Sunshine Awards brings together two powerful forces: the celebration of Caribbean excellence and the preservation of Caribbean culture," Mr Figaro said.
