Third World Band, Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez Scheduled to Perform

Third World Band

ZIZ News…April 30, 2010 – The St. Kitts Tourism Authority yesterday announced that Grammy-nominated Jamaican reggae group Third World Band as well as Caribbean couple Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez have joined the line-up of performers for this year’s St Kitts Music Festival, which will take place on island from June 24-26, 2010.

Faron Lawrence, Chairman of the St. Kitts Music Festival, remarked “The addition of these outstanding performers for the 2010 Music Festival helps us to ensure that the crowd will be delighted by a program of diverse high-energy, vibrant acts,” remarked.

“We aim to keep raising the bar for this event so that we can attract growing numbers of fans to visit each year.”

Formed in 1973, Third World Band (TWB) is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2010 with the release of the group’s 23rd album, Patriots. Recognized as one of the longest running reggae bands, Third World’s sound is influenced by soul, funk and disco. Their greatest success came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, peaking with their cover version of The O’Jay’s hit single, Now That We Found Love. This song drew the attention of none other than Stevie Wonder, who collaborated with the group to write their hit song, Try Jah Love. Following this success, Third World went on to record several well known songs including Reggae Ambassador, Forbidden Love and Shine Like a Blazing Fire.

They have also received numerous awards and accolades, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s New York City Ambassador Award in 2009, the U.N. Peace Medal in 1992, Jamaica Music Industry Awards’ Best Show Band in 1996 and 10 Grammy Award nominations. Their most recent triumph was performing for an international television audience at the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony.

“We’re looking forward to performing at the St. Kitts Music Festival as part of our 35th Anniversary Celebration and World Tour,” stated William “Bunny Rugs” Clarke, lead singer of Third World Band. “We’ve heard so much about the infectious energy of the crowd there plus everything there is to see and do on island that we expect this to be one of our most enjoyable shows.”

Bunji Garlin

Bunji Garlin is one of the Caribbean’s most popular ragga soca artists out of Trinidad and Tobago. He has won Trinidad’s prestigious Soca Monarch title four times and is known as an adroit lyricist with astonishing vocal flair who is not afraid to experiment with various musical genres. Over his 10 year career, he has released 6 albums and will soon release his 7th album, I Am. Garlin has collaborated with stars such as T.O.K on the single, Get Up Stand Up, and hip-hop artist Chris Black on the song, Swing It. His single, Brrt, is featured on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack.

Joining Bunji at the St. Kitts Music Festival is his equally respected wife, Trinidadian soca artist Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez. The daughter of Soca Monarch King Super Blue, she was a frontliner in the band Invasion before becoming a solo artist in 2005. Fay Ann is the only female artist to win Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival Road March three times. In 2009, she became the first female to win all three major titles of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival – Groovy Soca Monarch, Power Soca Monarch and Road March – even though she was 8 months pregnant at the time.

“Fay Ann and I are going to get all hands waving in the air and the crowd on its feet,” said Bunji Garlin. “We have a great performance planned for the Music Festival then want to spend some quality time exploring St. Kitts together.”

Now in its 14th consecutive year, the festival attracts both residents and visitors alike and is known for featuring rising local talent alongside internationally-renowned acts. It features an eclectic mix of musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as John Legend, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Dionne Warwick, Billy Ocean, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Biggie Irie and Lord Nelson.

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s sugar plantations, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kitts’ two casinos or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.

Tickets to the 14th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival are US $40.00 per person, per night and will soon be available for purchase at www.stkittsmusicfestival.com.