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A flavour of the Caribbean came to the West Country in September when premier band Jazz Jamaica arrived to work with Devon Music Service and North Devon Theatres.

All Devon schools were invited to take part as members of the premier group Jazz Jamaica toured Ivybridge, Tiverton and Barnstaple.

Members of the group—Gary Crosby (double bass), Denys Baptiste (tenor saxophone), Rod Youngs (percussion) and Zara McFarlane (vocals)—worked with teachers and pupils on the classic elements of jazz, ska, reggae and mento. With pianist Alex Wilson adding Latino influences to the mix, the workshops were filled with salsa and Cuban rhythms.

In the morning JJ worked with young musicians to ‘Jamaica-up their Jazz’. The afternoons were devoted to Jamaican songs and games, as key stage 2 children learned about links between the West Country and the Caribbean (did you know there is a Tiverton, Jamaica?). And with two further sessions for teachers and a public masterclass (including Soweto Kinch), the tutors barely had time to squeeze in their concert in The Queen’s Theatre!

Listed by The Guardian as one of the must-see shows for the autumn, Jazz Jamaica: Motown Reloaded wowed the capacity audience at the Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple on Friday 23rd September.

The line-up features some of the finest musicians in the country: its founder Gary Crosby (double bass) was also a founding member of Jazz Warriors, the pioneering group that fostered the talents of Courtney Pine. Denys Baptiste (tenor & soprano saxophone) and Soweto Kinch (alto saxophone) have both won Mercury Music Prizes and MOBO Awards, and pianist Alex Wilson is one of the major figures in UK Latin-Jazz scene.

With the vocal talents of Zara McFarlane and Wesley Lucas, the band soon had the audience on their feet. Delivering reggae versions of Stevie Wonder’s Ma cheri amour, and other Motown classics Dancing in the Street, Tears of a Clown. One of the highlights of the show was their rendition of Marvin Gaye’s I Heard it through the grapevine, led by Denys Baptiste. By the grand finale of the show the audience members were dancing in the aisles clamouring for more!

For details of the tour see:www.jazzjamaica.com