THA Will Not Host Jazz Experience in 2024.

The event known as the Tobago Jazz Experience will not take place in 2024, according to a media release issued by the Tobago Festivals Commission.

Back in February, 2023, THA chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, commenting on the event said, “What this administration intends to do, if we are to keep the Jazz Festival, is to transition, so that private promoters are the ones running most of it.” According to the media release, the Chief Secretary did not believe that the Jazz Festival model used at that time, was a sustainable one.

The Tobago Jazz Experience, formerly known as the Plymouth Jazz Festival, has, over the years, seen thousands of patrons flock to the island religiously in April. Over two decades, the experience featured live performances from local, regional and international acts including Grace Jones, Toni Braxton, Kool and the Gang, Lauryn Hill, Busy Signal, John Legend, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Vaughnette Bigford, Shakira, Janelle Monae, Ne-Yo, Elton John, Sean Paul, Heather Headley, and many more.

The last edition of the Tobago Jazz Experience, hosted from April 20-23 2023 was dubbed “The Return’ and saw headliners such as Boyz II Men, Koffee, Richie Spice, Everton Blender, Positive, Jonathan Nelson and Samuel Medas.

The Festival’s Commission assures that any Jazz-related activities set to take place in April 2024 will be announced by the relevant promoters in due course.