JazzReggae Fest 2023 to celebrate Westside culture with live music, vendors

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by Anna Munhin May 29, 2023 News
JazzReggae Fest 2023 to celebrate Westside culture with live music, vendors

The JazzReggae Fest is a celebration of culture and community on the west side.

The 36th annual JazzReggae Fest will be held at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. The theme of this year's event is "from the westside with love," according to the co-director and fourth-year African American studies student. Dom Kennedy, a native of Los Angeles, is the inspiration for the theme. There will be professional and student performers, Black-owned businesses and mostly LA-based food vendors at the festival.

There will be good food and good vibes in the space. The goal has always been to create a space for people of different colors to come together.

After the staff was selected, the team contacted agencies and entertainment companies to find performing artists who fit with the JazzReggae style. According to Reasin-Bodden, jazz and Reggae influence other genres such as R&B and hip-hop. She said it features Jordan Ward, Your Grandparents, and Maxo Kream.

The Coastalong Music and Sustainability Festival is back.

Attendees can enjoy a variety of food and craft vendors. She said that the staff handpicks vendors by either contacting them directly or posting online applications. The festival has a variety of food and business owners.

The goal is for everyone to shine for food and craft. People come in to eat, watch the performances, and I think that is a warm feeling.

Eco-friendly activities will continue to be offered at the festival. In the past, the event has focused on sustainable practices, and this year the staff has organized a raffle for items that can be recycled. In order to promote sustainable fashion practices, there will be a clothing swap where attendees can exchange items of their own. The art team is putting on a live-art show in which eight visual artists will paint on 3D canvases.

The restoration of student awareness of JazzReggae Fest has been a challenge. She said that because of the Pandemic, this year's event is only their second since the year before, and the majority of students don't know much about campus activities before that year. Reasin-Bodden said she is optimistic that capacity will increase because of less restrictive policies.

A marketing team member and a third-year design media arts student said they have been posting on social media to promote the festival. She said this year's flyers were inspired by a sunset drive through Inglewood. In order to maximize face-to-face interactions, the marketing crew personally distributed the flyers throughout Leimert Park.

A jazz-fusion band is trying to spread joy to their audience.

Reasin-Bodden said that the impact of the event goes beyond those who played a part in it. She said that JazzReggae Fest aims to foster a sense of unity among a diverse range of people and provide a place of belonging for Caribbean individuals. Reasin-Bodden said she discovered the value of the festival by interacting with attendees from the LA community. The ability to create cultural unity through music and food is what fuels her passion for co- directing.

Reasin-Bodden said that they have people come up to them and tell them they are going to a JazzReggae's. I am looking forward to seeing how important JazzReggae is to other people's lives.