Born: July 17, 1965 Primary Instrument: Saxophone
A former head of the woodwind department at the St. Lucia School of Music, Barbara studied music in England where she was born and lived for some time. With her roots in Saint Lucia, and clearly destined to music , Barbara in an undisputed heavyweight in the industry in the Caribbean. She has lectured on Caribbean Music at the University of Miami and her musical callaborationsand experimentations are several and legendary. She has performed throughout the Caribbean Jazz circuit- Martinique, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, Grendad, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Cayenne and Jamaica, and has opened for Tanya Maria, Patti La Belle, Anita Baker, and Spro Gyra, among several others over the 20 year span of St. Lucia Jazz. In February 2004, Barbara was awarded the St. Lucia Medal of Merit (Gold) for her long and meritoriuos service in the field of music Her work with Poetry, Theatre and Dance Productions are also worth noting.. Supported by the Cultural Development Foundation and the St. Lucia Heritage Tourism Programme, she collaborated with the original composer of the musicals of one of the regions most acclaimed playwrights to score, arrange and produce “Songs from the musicals of Roderick Walcott ( twin brother to Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott) for the mass market. The project spans various genres from indigenous Folk to Latin, from Jazz to Country and Western. She worked with ST. Lucian award winning writer/poet Adrian Augier to produce Soundtracks for Theatre Productions , for the St. Lucia’s 25th & 30th Independence Celebrations “Anthem” & “Esperance” and several Dance Production Soundtracks for local dance companies. Barbara was also commissioned by the St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority to produce the Soundtrack for the St. Lucia Animation Centre featuring a twenty-five minute multi-faceted presentation of the History of the Land of St. Lucia. Her musical collaborations and expimentations are legendary as are her innovative musical projects. Barbara was instrumental in the establishment of award winning All-Female Steel Orchestra “Allegro Pan Groove” as well as the All Female group “Sisterhood” who performed Main Stage St. Lucia Jazz Festival 1999. In 1992 Barbara was invited to perform for the 28th Birthday Party of the Prince of Morocco at the Royal Palace, Rabat. In 2008 Barbara launched her Jazz/Folk Cd “Indigenously Yours” on Main Stage, St Lucia Jazz. In May 2009 Barbara headlined alongside Moroccan born Paris based Virtuoso Percussionist Khalid Kouhen, Main Stage act for the Festival. Barbara Cadet was featured as the face of the 2009 “Lime” St. Lucia Telephone Directory and over the over the years made many local Newspaper Covers. Her unique vocal attributes have impressed no less than Ellis Marsalis, and she has had the honr of exchanging notes with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Michael Brecker and the Legendary Denis Chambers. Currently commissioned by the St. Lucia Tourist Board, Barbara is Producing and Directing “The St. Lucia Collective” a collaboration of the island’s Music icons, to perform Main Stage, St Lucia Jazz 2011. The Group opens for Richard Bona, Mike stern, chuck brown and John Legend..
Last Updated: June 26, 2011
As the first single to be released from her upcoming compilation Define This! “Why” is a sure sign that Barbara Cadet is deliberately advancing on another goalpost in her sojourn as a recorded artist. The single Why” , released days ahead of Saint Lucia Jazz, at which Barbara performs within the Saint Lucian Collective main stage Sunday, May 8th, sets the tone for what she refers to as her definitive musical voice.
Why” hints at Barbara’s instinctive soul jazz bent with a rhythmic pace hitched to some racy keys. The track is also punctuated with a vibrant backing vocal motif that to those who closely study her work, will find to be emblematic of her intelligent and astutely creative arrangements.
Extended, [“Why Does lt Hurt So Much?”], the new single bemoans the paradoxes of love. In that regard it is topically familiar and lyrically simple. But while disenchanted lovers are plentiful and commonplace, Barbara’s voice with its raspy resonance is mellifluously contradictive, unusual, and a rare find. Ask Jazz savant Ellis Marsalis himself!
The new single is a precursor to 12 other tracks contained on the full length CD, all original composition and all arranged by Barbara who plays the Piano/Keyboards and Saxophone/Strings on the tracks.
She is backed by Jesse Billy (Piano), Zachieus Popo (Guitar), Albert Eugene (Bass), Edmund Joseph (Drums) Aneshar Antoine & Eka Jn Baptiste ( Backing Vocals), Claudius Henry (Engineer) and Mastering done by Francis “Leebo” De Lima.
The songwriter, composer, arranger and singer says she is fully focused on delivering “A Memorable Performance!” at Saint Lucia Jazz, and intends to feature samples from her upcoming compilation.
She intends to release other singles ahead of the launch of the full length CD, over the coming months.
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