FESTIVAL FIASCO
Snafu hits the inaugural Miami Nice Jazz z Festival as international singing star Dee Dee Bridgewater r refuses to play without pay
“She tricked us into believing she was going to perform, then she walked out and made this statement,’’ Pautesta-Herder said. “Why would she even go on stage? That was ridiculous.”
And embarrassing, he added. What made it particularly so, he said, was that Bridgewater was selected as the ambassador for the event, which organizers hope will become as popular in Miami as it is in Europe. While many of the tickets were complimentary, Pautesta-Herder said Bridgewater’s fee was not funded by ticket sales.
Grumbling at the fiasco and the late hour, patrons who had paid lined up to get their money back. Earlier in the evening, they heard the FIU University jazz band perform with torch singer Sally Night and later a combo led by bassist Kyle Eastwood, son of actor Clint Eastwood.
Ticket prices for Friday’s concert ranged from $30 for an upper balcony seat to $195 for a small cafe-style table in front the stage.
At the intermission before Bridgewater’s appearance, Mayor Regalado presented a proclamation to Maisonneuve and Pautesta-Herder congratulating the promoters for taking a step toward restoring Miami and Nice’s sister-city relationship, which had been moribund for many years after it was established in 1986.
At a reception before the concert, Regalado told Chamber of Commerce officials and a small gathering of Miami and local French luminaries that he was surprised when festival organizers approached Miami officials with the proposal for a jazz festival. The mayor congratulated the French organizers on the effort, saying he knew it had been be difficult “because I know how slow government works.”
On Saturday, one government official connected with the festival said he thought Bridgewater “had not acted graciously” and should have performed, saying she had been paid in part.
The festival went on as scheduled Saturday night with South Florida-based jazz singer Nicole Henry and the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band.
A ticket to the entire run of shows, along with accommodation at the luxury Conrad hotel on Brickell Avenue, was advertised at $919 for two people.
While embarrassed by the entertainer’s decision, Nice government officials on Saturday sought to distance their role in the festival from Pautesta-Herder. Speaking on behalf of Nice, de Maisonneuve said the French resort town had no involvement in the contract terms between Bridgewater and PHP, PautestaHerder’s production company.
For Nice’s part, de Maisonneuve said the city regarded Bridgewater as “the godmother” of its own festival. “It’s sad to see a situation like this, but Nice will continue to work with PHP and Philippe” in building a relationship with Miami, he said.
Trying to turn the page, the consul-general said the community could look forward to many events in the coming weeks that are planned to raise awareness of France’s connection to South Florida.