MICA news: This music will give you bare feet

An upcoming event at the Marco Island Residents’ Beach has our membership abuzz! On Sunday, Nov. 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, MICA will, “bring the Islands to the Island.” Some of our area’s finest musicians are joining forces to bring the best in entertainment to the members of the Residents’ Beach.

This major musical production will include JRobert, Frank Carroll, Tony Pastrana, Jamaica Dave Walker, and Sabrina Williams – all in one location, on one stage – kicking off season with an incredible display of musical talent!

Everyone is familiar with JRobert and his proficiency on a vast array of musical instruments and especially his instrument of choice, the fiddle. But did you know that JRobert has toured the U.S. as an instrumentalist with various country bands and has opened concerts for Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Buffett, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and folk shows for John McEuen, Ramblin Jack Elliot, Vassar Clements and Billie Dean?

JRobert lives on Marco Island and enjoys his studio, Mangrove Music, where he has produced six different CDs including “Steel Away,” “Blue Water Christmas,” and “Blue Water Cruise,” all of which have Frank, Dave, and Tony performing on them.

“Jamaica Dave” Walker and his family are Ft. Myers residents originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Dave adds authentic Island Hop flavor to JRobert’s Floribbean sound with his collection of keyboards and synthesizers. Dave has also played with Frank Carroll at Quinn’s on the Beach, warm-up concert for “Bahama Boys” and often performs on Ft. Myers Beach with the Reggae All-Stars.

Born in the Bahamas, part Irish and Arawak Indian, Frank Carroll is called the “Reggae Ambassador.” Frank grew up in New York as a guitarist who wrote and played rock and blues. In August 1969, he met the immortal Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. Carroll has traveled to Europe with his music. He was a rocker until he met Bob Marley, playing with him from 1972 to 1976. Frank has been influenced by enormously talented rockers as well as reggae, blues and country music.

Vocalist Sabrina Williams has worked with Ziggy Marley and the Wailers, Robbie Shakespeare and others. With this concert, Sabrina will be making her debut performance at Residents’ Beach.

Latin percussionist Tony Pastrana hails from New York City, with Puerto Rican roots. Tony is known as “Tito Puente Jr.,” because Tito was his mentor and guide to performing with many national Latin bands. He has done three Tito Puento Tribute shows. Tony has played with Donna Summers and Mary Wilson from the Supremes and with Bob Snyder on Marco and in Michigan. Tony lives in Bonita Springs and plays on weekends at the Ritz Carlton poolside as well as “The Lobby,” every Saturday night.

The repertoire of songs that this amazing group of musicians will play on Nov. 29 will knock your socks off! Be prepared to hear songs ranging from island to country to rock to Latin to reggae and beyond! Join us on Nov. 29 at 3 p.m., for a few hours of fabulous musicians playing great music, along with an audience of good family and friends. The Paradise Band has promised, “We will play the best of the Islands, plus beach rock dance songs!” Sounds like fun to me!

If you’re not a Residents’ Beach member and would like to be, please call the MICA office at 239-642-7778.

The Marco Island Civic Association provides this column to keep readers informed about the group. If your club or organization is interested in submitting a column or content, please contact Editor Bill Green at bgreen@marconews.com.