Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson is about to Show the World

If you think you know what’s coming from the legendary jazz musician Ronald Boo Hinkson for Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival this year – you’ve got another thing coming!

While this might not be his first, second or even his third time on that festival stage, Boo promises to bring something new and inspiring for the finale night – The Ultimate Celebration which takes place on May 11, 2025.

Speaking to St Lucia Times at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Jazz Brunch at the Courtyard by Marriott in Barbados on Thursday, he said: “Oh, this year I’m not going to make my music very cerebral because I want people to relax and have a good time and connect quickly. So, I’m going to do some stuff that is more palatable. I’m not going to make it hardcore because the people who really want hardcore jazz this year can go to the pure jazz nights. And that’s the great thing about our festival, it’s such a wide variety of music.”

How does he intend to do that? Well, Boo, who is internationally known as an exceptionally accomplished musician that has stayed true not only to his Jazz roots, but also to his West Indian culture, said he’s bringing his own music to the stage this time, along with help from some very special musicians.

“So, I’m going to do a lot of my own material because I like to play my own material and if you listen to Capital Media, a lot of my music is played there in Barbados. Some of the stuff you hear, I’m going to be doing some of that in Saint Lucia. I’m going to bring a young lady with me, Christa Bailey. I write a lot of stuff for her, so she’s going to be doing some of that stuff.”

With his infectious smile, he continued: “And I’m going to bring some young people that I like to work with. At this stage of my career, my life, I think for me it’s imperative that I nurture young people and give them my platform so that they can get to where I’ve gotten to faster than I did. So, I’m going to bring on some young people that I write for, and I have a young lady I’m going to bring on to play some pan and I know the women are going to be excited about that. I want to try and satisfy everybody.”

The Tru-Tones founder, a group he started in Saint Lucia that commanded both local and prominent international stages for more than two decades including that of the Super Bowl XIII, is urging people from across the region including Barbadians, where he calls his second home – to make the effort to attend the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival this year if they can, because “it’s going to be fire…with some of the biggest names”.

The living legend that is Ronald Boo Hinkson will Show the World (aptly the theme of his set) on May 11, 2025, when he shares the stage with renowned Saint Lucian pianist, composer, recording artist, and the executive director of the Saint Lucia School of Music, Richard Payne, celebrated American Jazz musicians The Lao Tizer Band featuring Elliott Yamin, Eric Marienthal, Karen Briggs and Chieli Minucci as well as the iconic Earth Wind and Fire band and the celebrated John Legend at this year’s Saint Lucian Jazz and Arts Festival.