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Chanteuse Vaughnette Bigford pulled out all the stops for her first ever Carnival Jazz Brunch. The event, held at the Lions Cultural Centre, FitzBlackman Drive, Port of Spain. Billed as VB’s Carnival Jazz Brunch, the event showcased pan, kaiso and jazz as well as local vendors and food.

Patrons were greeted at the gate by Bigford, who took her now signature selfie with each person. She also circulated and spoke to every table during the five-hour event. It was very clear that Bigford thought of each patron as a friend. The crowd was composed of mostly mature persons as well as those interested in an alternative option for the Carnival season.

In keeping with Bigford’s commitment to local, there were several vendors present, including Twigs Natural Teas, B’s Homemade Icecream, Honey Spoon and Cherrie’s Doubles and Aloo Pies. Guests raved over the quality and the variety of the food. VieyLaCou, who provided both the savoury and sweet portions of the menu, furnished guests with corn soup, sliders, kebabs, and chicken with rice, along with tamarind balls, sugarcane, pawpaw balls, and fudge.

The event featured performances by Sherwin Cooper on electronic pan, Marva Newton and Kairi Kaiso, the Codrington Pan Family and Bigford herself. Sherwin Cooper on the e-pan, developed by Salman Cupid, entertained the crowd with the ubiquitous Savannah Grass in Latin style, Maxwell’s Ascension, Make Love to You, Pick up the Pieces, Hey Pokey Way, and Kerwin du Bois’ new song No Tomorrow.

Marva Newton and Kairi Kaiso, comprised of Von Best on cajon & Michelle Marfan on flute, took the audience back with Sparrow’s Outcast, Lord Nelson’s All ah We is One Family, Lord Melody’s Jonah and the Bake, Poser’s Tonight (Ah Going and Party), a medley of Conqueror’s Trinidad Dictionary and Sparrow’s Dan is the Man, a Sparrow medley composed of Jean and Dinah, Melda Oye, Mr. Walker, Last Train, and Fire Fire, followed by excerpts from Calypso Rose’s More Tempo, Poser’s Ah Tell She, Black Stalin’s Bun Dem and Voice’s Year For Love. Newton took the opportunity to chat with the crowd and educate them about the history and experiences of calypso and calypsonians in T&T.

The Codrington Pan Family, composed of Cary and Karen Codrington and their six children, wowed the audience with their vibrant renditions of On Fire, Full of Vibe, Savannah Grass, She Coming, and a soca medley.

Bigford had patrons mobbing the stage from the beginning of her set. She was backed by Michael Low Chew Tung on piano, Theron Shaw on guitar, Rodney Alexander on bass, Anthony “Tony Paul” Woodroffe on saxophone, Shaquille Noel on drums, Sheena Richardson on percussion, with Aneesa Paul, Afiya Gokool and Genisa St Hillaire as background vocalists. She rocked the audience with performances of Morning Loving, Rocking Chair, Oo la la la/All Night Long, Overdue, Caribbean Connection, We Wanna Live, Till You Come Back/Make Love to You, Gyal Owner, Iron Love, Back in Love, and Wrong Again, so much so that she was called back twice for an encore. Her first encore piece was Miriam Makeba’s Pata Pata, which took the audience energy even higher. Her final song, Luv Up, had attendees dancing up a storm.

The brunch was yet another sold-out event for the singer, who has been steadfastly building her brand and visibility over the years. By the end of the event, the venue was standing-room only. Guests raved about the food, the music and the overall experience. They made it clear that the event should be a yearly one and a staple of the Carnival experience.