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Rock St. Croix Schools, Then Town

Hundreds of School Children Get Excited

By Performances From

Joe Louis Walker and Homemade Jamz Band

At “Blues in the Schools” Events

Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands

January 25, 2012

By Dan D. Harrell

Fourth-grader Anders Olson, 10, expressed the feelings of many of the nearly two hundred St Croix children at Good Hope School who saw possibly their first blues music concert. “I can’t explain it,” he said excitedly. “It was so good! I think I’ll be listening to more blues, and a lot more of them.”

“Them” were the Homemade Jamz Blues Band, who made a visit to the school when the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise pulled into Frederiksted, St. Croix, on Wednesday. The Jamz went to Good Hope, and mega-blues-star Joe Louis Walker visited Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School for another live performance.

Good Hope students pack the auditorium to see the Homemade Jamz Blues Band

This reporter accompanied the Jamz, but caught up with Walker later at a free concert on the beach for everyone in Frederiksted and the entire island – which featured Coco Montoya, Shemekia Copeland, the Lowrider Band, and others.

“It was fantastic,” Walker commented about his show and talk. “They started a little slow, but in the end, the kids were jumping up and down. It really was a great experience.” Walker noted that he left behind several CDs and has donated a guitar to the school.

The events, co-sponsored by the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism (DOT) and Blues Cruise organizers, are named “Blues in the Schools” – a music education program that brings musicians into the schools to play and speak with students. Blues Cruise main man, Roger Nabor, who managed to attend both events, commented that the program is another way that his organization can bring America’s unique blues music to a wider audience.

In addition, the joint venture aims to bring economic activity and repeat business to the island.

The longstanding partnership between the DOT and the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise has led to numerous chartered visits to the Territory. The charter cruise has visited St. Croix four times in the past, twice on St. Thomas and once on St. John.

Jamz drummer Taya Perry autographs posters given to many Good Hope students

Tina Thompson, music department chair, and Wayne Fraederich, band teacher at Good Hope, were nearly as appreciative as the kids. “We’re very excited to host this event,’ Thompson remarked. “Like many places, St. Croix has been hit by tough economic times (the local refinery that employs more than 2,000 of the island’s 60,000 people is scheduled to be shut down soon, and the effects will negatively impact nearly every resident on the island, a United States territory).

“There will be a lot of changes. And the blues, with its unique ability to express feelings, can help us cope with things,” said Thompson. “It’s also a good tie-in with Black History Month, which we’ll be discussing with the students next month.”

At Good Hope School, students from ten to seventeen listened with awe as they saw the Jamz, just kids themselves, burn through a six-song set that included “Burn Down the House” and “Ain’t No Sunshine Since She’s Gone.”

The band then spent another forty-five minutes answering questions and signing autographs for the clearly-impressed audience. For the final song of their performance, dozens of students – and even several teachers – showed their stuff on the dance floor. Wild applause and screaming followed every song.

The Homemade Jamz Blues Band – Kyle, Taya and Ryan Perry (left to right)

The Tupelo, Mississippi-based Homemade Jamz Band is an all-family affair, with nineteen-year-old Ryan Perry handling vocals and lead guitar, seventeen-year-old Kyle Perry on bass guitar, and thirteen-year-old Taya Perry thumping drums with authority. Father Renaud Perry sits in on harmonica for most tunes. Since starting as a family group in 2005, the Jamz have released three widely-acclaimed albums. They are also veteran Blues Cruisers, this being their third trip. On their first cruise in 2009, Taya was just 10 years old!

Ninth-grader Felice Ortiz, 14, could barely contain her excitement after the performance. “It was very good,” she exclaimed. “Taya [is] an inspiration; very motivating.”

“We are delighted to welcome the passengers and performers from the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise to St. Croix to enjoy the natural beauty of the island and experience the array of activities St. Croix has to offer,” said Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “By organizing entertainment throughout the island, we hope to create a festive and welcoming atmosphere for our visitors and spur economic opportunities for our local vendors and businesses.”

Fourteen-year-old Good Hope ninth-grader Leslee Howard got the message the Blues Cruise came to deliver. “They [the Jamz] were great! I haven’t really heard a lot of blues, but I’ll be listening now.”

Dan Harrell is a contributing writer at BluesWax.