Prison life isn’t supposed to be joyful, but this time of year it can be especially melancholy. Enter The Troublemakers, a St. Croix jazz troupe booked to jazz up spirits at the Golden Grove Correctional Facility Saturday.
The Troublemakers — a St. Croix seven-piece — hopes to raise spirits during Saturday’s Family Fun Day, said pianist Howard Phillips.
As the deputy chief public defender, Phillips knows many of the potential audience members.
“A lot of those guys are my clients. And so I thought it would be really, really cool to play for them,” Phillips said. “The families are gonna be here. So we thought it’d be really, really good.”
Trombonist Shumari Gumbs, bassist Deon St. Jules, and drummer Vernon Douglas join Phillips in backing vocalists CJ Baz and attorney Kevin Rames, and Brian Hodge on saxophone.
Phillips called out Douglas, Baz, and Hodge as crowd-wowing talent.
“He plays alto sax. He lights up the place. People stand up when he starts playing,” Phillips said. “Our star is CJ Baz, who is just scintillating. She has a wonderful voice, great team player. She’s so really, really good.”
Phillips said the group packs talent beyond what most people might expect from a local band.
“I have a young drummer, Vernon Douglas, who’s just; people are asking, ‘why is that guy still on the island,’” he said. “And then, my bass player, a matter of fact, he just joined us, but he has a degree in applied mathematics and electrical engineering. And he plays the piano and the bass.”
The set list blends jazz standards with R&B hits like “Smooth Operator,” made famous by Sade, and “Lovely Day,” made famous by Bill Withers.
The Troublemakers’ goal is to subtly blend holiday cheer with a message of hopefulness. Many of the prisoners they’ll perform for are young, Phillips said. They need to be shown a different way.
“So, I’ve given a lot of thought, but I really don’t know what I’m gonna say until I’m before them,” Phillips said. “I don’t wanna have any pre-prescribed, you know, kind of script. But I wanna be able to speak to them about who we are as The Troublemakers. And I know them. I’m kind of on an organic level, so I hope to be able to communicate with them a little bit. Not to persuade them that their ways are wrong, but kinda, you know, give them some feel good and let them know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, all that kind of stuff.”
Bureau of Corrections Director Willie Testamark loved the idea, saying in a written statement, “The Bureau of Corrections is excited to partner with The Troublemakers to shed light and joy in the community at the John A. Bell Family Fun Day.”
Attorney General Gordon Rhea weighed in, saying, “The Troublemakers are a talented group of musicians who are displaying the spirit of community, which is so very important as we begin another wonderful holiday season. The gift of music, especially in difficult times, is also a gift of love.”
