On Friday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m., the St. John School of the Arts will present a concert by The Westerlies, a genre-defying brass quartet. Tickets are $50 and are available by clicking the Events tab on the St. John School of the Arts website and at the door.
This is the second performance of the 2024 Sis Frank Concert series curated by Victor Provost, the renowned jazz steelpan virtuoso from St. John. Provost has sought out talented musical ensembles with unique sounds to delight audiences in the Virgin Islands.
Now based in New York, The Westerlies was formed in 2011 by a group of musicians who were childhood friends in Seattle. The group is named for the prevailing winds that blow from west to east, and their performance promises to be a change from music heard locally (where the breezes typically blow from east to west).
The ensemble includes two musicians on trumpet and two on trombone who blend jazz, new classical and folk music to create evocative soundscapes.
“Education and community engagement are core elements of The Westerlies’ mission,” according to their website. “In 2021, The Westerlies were named the inaugural small ensemble-in-residence at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School. The Westerlies also produce an annual music festival in Seattle called Westerlies Fest, which combines evening performances featuring numerous guest artists, an all-day open-to-the-public creative music jamboree, and workshops in local public schools.”
The St. John School of the Arts is located in Cruz Bay, a five-minute walk from the ferry dock. For further information, call the school at 340-779-4322.
