Mar. 11, 2005 – The March Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted will have center stage on March 18 Frederiksted's own Dr. Eugene "Doc" Petersen and friends. The Frederiksted Economic Development Association is honored to feature the native son and island advocate.
"Doc" has entertained folks the world over with his melodic renditions of our traditional Caribbean Calypso. "Doc" has a repertoire of jazz including standards, blues, Latin and more? He's bringing this repertoire to the stage at 6 p.m.
Born and raised in Frederiksted, he attended St. Patrick and Claude O. Markoe Schools where he was introduced to music in the school bands playing the drums, French horn and sousaphone.
As a young boy "Doc" played Ukulele on the streets of Frederiksted entertaining residents and tourists alike. Using these early experiences as a springboard, "Doc" began singing with several local calypso bands at the age of 14, and while singing with Tarco and the Playboys, he traveled throughout the British and U.S. Virgin Islands.
While attending Tuskegee University in Alabama to study Veterinary Medicine "Doc" quickly discovered that none of his new friends in Alabama knew, or played, calypso music. Quickly learning to play the guitar so that he could accompany himself, he would mesmerize his college buddies with Sparrow's and Kitchner's risqué calypso songs.
Upon returning home to St. Croix as a young veterinarian, the singing and music got laid
to rest for several years, then while singing on the beach one day he was asked to perform at one of the local hotels as a favor to a friend. This accidental re-entry to the world of performing caught on quickly and before long "Doc" was performing six nights a week, and twice on Sunday, not only on St. Croix, but throughout the world, where his music has taken him to India, Belgium, England, Holland and the U.S. Mainland. His professional musical career has now spanned decades.
He now heads up the leadership of Island Center of St. Croix, and remains actively involved in performing locally for private functions and in a regular gig every last Saturday of each month at the Beach Side Café at Sandcastle on the Beach Hotel in Frederiksted.
"Doc" will be joined by some of the Island's premier jazz musicians for his performance for Sunset Jazz. Performing with him will be bassist Marsvyn David, guitarist Elvis Pedro, drummer Bobby Richards, and rumour has it that there may be a couple of other of the jazz community's finest joining in for this performance.
The two -hour event is presented by FEDA and held on the third Friday of each month in Fort Frederik Beach Park on the beach in Frederiksted.
Admission is free, and with its early evening hours, Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted is a family-oriented affair. Attendees are reminded by Sunset Jazz producer, Bridget Cox-Dawson, to bring folding chairs or blankets to sit on. FEDA operates a cash bar, with proceeds going toward the costs of producing the jazz programs, and Hispanos Unidos sells food to raise funds for its community outreach projects.
FEDA is joined in it's efforts to present Sunset Jazz by WTJX/ Channel 12, our local PBS station, who assists every month through their video taping of Sunset Jazz which airs on Channel 12 Saturday nights at 8 p.m. As a reminder, Sunny 99.5 FM is now the Official Radio Station of Sunset Jazz. Sunny's radio personality, Jerry Jones, is emcee for the event.
Concertgoers also are encouraged to stay downtown after the music's over, to dine and/or enjoy the Frederiksted night life. For more information, e-mail to sunset_jazz@hotmail.com<or call 277-0692.
