About the artists

She has founded or has been a principal founding member of the child-ren's choir Lollipops, Anastacia Larmonie Vocal Art & Music Foundation, Anbojolettes choir, Anbojoli jazz quartet, A.L. Jazz Quartet and Interlude, a singing group. From the scores of children trained by Larmonie have emerged current stars such as dancer/choreographer Clara Reyes, poet/painter Drisana Deborah Jack, gospel singer Angie Pantophlet, bassist Alex Jack, Claudie Piper, the lead female vocalist for the Youth Waves, song diva La Vaune Henry, and singer/choir director Joshua Bell. The Newsday newspaper once dubbed Anastacia Larmonie St. Martin's "First Lady of Music." In a 1998-99 survey she was selected as one of the nation's top 20 artists at the turn of the century, earning her a profile in the book St. Martin Massive! Snapshot of Popular Artists (House of Nehesi Publishers, 2000) www.houseofnehesipublish.com .

The lady of song is much sought after for performances at jazz clubs, book parties, private recitals, government festivals and ceremonies, and music festivals. She has performed in St. Martin, Anguilla, Aruba, Curaçao, the USA and the Netherlands; and has accompanied Blue Note jazz artist Denise Jannah and Grammy winner Nestor Torres in their performances.

The chief judge and member judge for the Calypso monarch competitions of Aruba and St. Martin carnivals and for many song festivals, Anastacia Larmonie's awards include "Ambassador of Excellence in Music (1997-1998)." Government of the Island territory of St. Maarten, 1997; "Award of Excellence for Outstanding Contribution to the Community of St. Martin in the field of Arts/Music." St. Martin Educational & Cul-tural Organization, 1992; "St. Maarten Musical Recognition Award for Outstanding Vocalist & Musical Director." St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and St. Maarten Council on the Arts, 1988; "Dr. B.M. Leito Youth Cup" (for community service). Curaçao, 1985; and the "Pers Prijs." (with Latin Touch quintet), The Netherlands, 1971

Konkie Halmeyer combines Caribbean rhythms with Soul and Blues and has become a very popular soloist in the jazz world. Together with his band “Riba Tera” (Down to Earth) he performs at concerts in theatres, congresses, festivals and others. In addition to this, he also gives workshops.

Konkie started his career at the age of 12 in Curaçao in the West End theatre with the Little Moonlighters band lead by Robert Lake.

His talent impressed and two years later he got a ticket to Trinidad, the cradle of the steel drum. There he discovered: “This is it, for the rest of my life!” In 1972 he was part of the Scorpio Steel Combo composing and arranging for them.

Some years later he created his own trio called Splash Pan together with his friend and bassist Sherman van Heydoorn.

They played in hotels and other events in Curaçao, performed in Venezuela, Santo Domingo, and the other ABC islands and on cruise trips on the Caribbean Sea. He also went on tour with his trio in Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Islands Barbados, Mont Serat, Les saints and Guadeloupe.

Konkie took lessons in the music academy in composing and arranging and started writing his own compositions searching for his own sound and colour. He combined Caribbean rhythms with Soul and Blues and became more and more involved in the jazz world. In 1988 he shone with his steel drums in the First Jazz Festival of Curaçao.

After that he performed with great names of the jazz world like Paquito d’Rivera and Monty Alexander. Together with Monty Alexander he went on tour in Jamaica and got to know many different European countries. In 1993 he won the KLM JAZZ AWARD. It was now time to leave the islands and start a career in Europe.

Music for listening
Bari di Klabu
Bari di Klabu - Bari di Klabu (1,37 MB mp3)
Bari di Klabu - Mi ke libertad (1,35 MB mp3)

Music for listening
Rap on Steel
Konkie Halmeyer - In Between (931 KB mp3)
Konkie Halmeyer - Rap On Steel (931 KB mp3)

Bio: Merietza Groot-Haakmat Duo
The young singing talent was born and raised on the island of St. Maarten. In 1989 she left for Curacao and was a member of various dance and music groups, showcasing her dance and singing talent. She has performed on 3 occasions for members of Dutch Royal family and also with many of Curacao's international artists. Along with Hershel Rosario on the guitar, an interesting musical duo was born in August 2002, with their main focus being on beautiful songs of old in Papiamentu . Riveting performances followed such as: The Dutch Royal Couple's visit to Curacao, Winternachten 2005 - Krusa Laman Literary Festival and the 100th Anniversary of Papiamentu in Poetry & Literature. Hereafter an invitation was extended to perform at the famous Winternachten International Literary Festival, the Koningklijke Schouwburg and live radio performances in January 2006 in The Hague. A grand performance - dubbed the Caribbean Song - was given with pieces by, among others, Julio Perenal (1940's protest songs) and Joseph Sigmund Corsen (poet and author of the first literary poem in Papiamentu). The duo will be perfroming at the 2nd Annual Bonaire Jazz Festival in May 2006.

Moogie and Friends: Moogie came to Bonaire from Florida in 1990 to perform a two week engagement and has been performing and living on Bonaire ever since. Through the years he has become a part of this beautiful island, its people and its music. Moogie writes most of his own music which has been described as "jazzy Caribbean soul "and performs most nights at the local resorts as a one man act. When asked about performing at the festival Moogie says "I'm honored to be invited to perform at this year's event and have asked a few of my friends to perform and have fun with me. The festival will be a special treat for the community of Bonaire and all the participating musicians……….Don't miss any of it".

Ced Ride: There could be an interesting book about Ced Ride. He is a phenomenon, a multi artist : painting, singing, writing and also a theater-man. His musical interest is broad- from tumba to jazz but always connected to the place where his heart, home and his cultural identity is : the Antilles. There is no further introduction needed on the Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival; everybody knows and loves Ced Ride.
Look out for:" Yo y el son " a new cd which is under construction now.

Ced Ride & Band: No need for introduction the way this Curacaon vocalist carries his art of expression. This is his second appearance in Bonaire's Jazz Festival. Ced Ride has been rewarded and honored many times in his successful career, for the different fields he works in from acting, singing, writing composing and painting to mention a few.He became International for almost half a century and has become Curacao leading singer-composer. His versatility is obvious whenever you'll have the chance to meet him. This time he brings along a bigger format band. And you bet that he's going to sing his papiamentu evergreens such as 'Kupido, Mi no ke bo mas, Biña mas bieu mas bon and even more. You can listen or dance to this good music.

Ced Ride and CPST ( Curacao Papiamentu Swing Trio): This trio with Pierre Dunker on bass and Stanley Betrian on guitar is one of the opening acts- Poetry & Jazz in Papiamentu- of the Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival 2006. The trio will perform poems and songs , all written by Ced Ride in Papiamentu with Caribbean rhytms and transformed into jazzy patterns by Ced himself and Pierre Dunker and Stanley Betrian. The fusion of Papiamentu language , the rhytms of the Caribbean and the harmonies of Jazz create an original and exceptional experience. We are proud to have this trio on our Festival, it adds an important dimension to the wide variety we already present.

Dave Ronchi Matthew: Jazz pianist, Composer and Arranger. A graduate of the Conservatory of Puerto Rico and Berklee College of music in Boston. Studied Music Education and Jazz Composition /Arranging. Ronchi has an extensive music career starting at the age of 14.
Has performed with several international artists such as: Red Rodney, Ced Ride, Walter Beasley, Carla Thomas Izalin Calister, Zamana Kitoki, Curacao Latin jazz ensemble, Steel pan player Konki Halmeier, Argentinean Guitar genius and G.R.P. Recording Artist Luis Salinas.
In 1980 Ronchi has set a new trend in Curacao by creating a new blend of Jazz and native worksongs. These songs were sung using the Gene language. (Gene is an old African language, which was spoken in Curacao).
This new blend has been so well accepted that it became the new way to go for the other jazz musicians in Curacao and in Holland. As an arranger Ronchi has worked with several music groups and has arranged for Different Tumba and Calypso Kings in Curacao. As a composer he won the CBU festival in Guyana With his composition " Loving you is my life". He's now working on his debut CD that will be ready in this year.
Performances in: U.S.A. Curacao, Holland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, St.Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Guyana. Ronchi still performs with their group Avila Blues Band and you're always welcome at the Avila Beach Hotel where you can listen to Ronchi play those the beautiful Jazzy notes.

Contacts: E-Mail: ronchi.m@interneeds.net

Randal Corsen quartet: Randal Corsen pianist with Eric Calmes bas, meet two percussionists of the Cubop City Big Band: Lucas van Merwijk drums and Gerardo Rosales percussie.
With the distinctive way he blends Jazz with influences from classical, Antillean and Latin American music, the Antillean pianist Randal Corsen has gained much recognition. In 2004, he was honoured with the EDISON Jazz Award, the most prestigious music award in the Netherlands, for his album 'Evolushon'.
Randal was born on the island of Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, in 1972.He comes from a family that has played a prominent role in the development of Antillean music and literature. He is the great grandchild of the well known Curaçaoan poet and musician Joseph Sickman Corsen and he is related to composer and conductor Chris Ulder and poets Oda Blinder and Charles Corsen.
Before his 18th birthday, Randal left home for the Netherlands, to study music at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg. In 1997, he graduated cum laude (with honours) with Willem Kühne and Frans van der Tak. During his studies, he founded the trio 'Cross Currents', with which he won the 1997 Breda Jazz contest. With this trio, he recorded two albums: 'Mixed Emotions' (1997) and 'Sunú' (1999).
Aside from various free-lance activities, Randal composed and arranged music for albums of amongst others jazz vocalist Izaline Calister, classical vocalist Tania Kross, latin-jazz quintet Bye-ya!, percussionists Gerardo Rosales and Martin Verdonk. He also composed and produced the music score for the Antillean movie 'Zulaika'. He collaborated with many well-known Jazz musicians, such as David Sánchez, Denise Jannah, Ronald Snijders, Roy Hargrove, Ignacio Berroa, Orestes Vilato, Lucas van Merwijk, and with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Currently, Randal teaches at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg and at the Conservatorium in Amsterdam. He regularly gives successful concerts on Curaçao, where he is considered to be one of the Ambassadors for Antillean music abroad. In 2004, the 'Asosiashon di Músiko Kòrsou', the Curaçaoan Association of Music, honoured him with their highest award.

Info www.randalcorsen.com

Eric Calmes: Acoustic & electric bass Born in Curaçao, a very versatile bass player and a big name in the Dutch jazz circuit with many compositions, arrangements and productions on his account, founder and leader of the critically acclaimed Antillean jazz group "Zamanakitoki". Eric is also a teacher at the Rotterdam Conservatorium. He previously performed with Izaline Calister, Ray Anderson, Monica Akihary.

Delbert Bernabela band: The band is a collective which has blossomed over the years of performing and composing together in different settings, which has produced several fine recordings. Although everyone has performed internationally, this will be the first international outing for the band in this setting.
A selection of CD's will be for sale during the festival. ( Latin and Kryoio )
Delbert Bernabela, saxophones and flute. Franklin Granadillo, trumpet. Johnny Scharbaaij , keyboard. Ivan Quandus , bass and Carlos Bislip, drums.

Latin Quartet:
Robbie Swinkels, guitar.
Andreina Marcano , vocals.
Carlos Jimenez, conga's & percussion.
Pepe on tenorsax.