By the Caribbean Journal staff

This year’s Saint Lucia Jazz Festival will have a special sound.

The 2018 edition of the leading jazz festival in the Caribbean will showcase the female jazz movement at the forefront in the United States, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom.

This year’s festival will be highlighted by female jazz artists including Lalah Hathaway, Zara McFarlane, Pauline Jean, Carolyn Malachi, Jazzmela Horn and Avery Sunshine, among others.

Lalah Hathaway.

“There are so many outstanding female jazz singers who belong to any Jazz Hall of Fame, sharing their messages of love, resistance, hope and humanity through unforgettable songs,” organizers said in a statement. “There is no doubt now that a new jazz wave has emerged – a growing movement led by artists who feel empowered and are inspired by the reality of the times.”

The festival will feature a broad range of styles, from Jean’s Caribbean-focused sound to Malachi’s reggae and hip-hop-infused jazz influences.

For more info, visit Soleil Saint Lucia.