Some were specified and a few were not. Some were certain
and at least one, the completion of the highway, as
much a statement of hope and confidence as a
prediction.
Take a slew of improvements were
outlined at the Mona Visitors' Lodge, UWI, yesterday
morning, as the 2008 Air Jamaica
Jazz and Blues Festival was officially launched.
And while the trio of female
headliners for the January 24 to 26
festival has long been announced, an extensive
supporting cast was outlined by Turnkey Productions'
Walter Elmore, who pointed out that there are six
Grammy nominations among those on the line-up.
On Thursday, January 24,
when the Sweet Love of Anita Baker is the
highlight, Spyro Gyra, JT Taylor of Kool and the Gang,
Yerba Buena and Marjorie Whylie, along with a
violinist Jessica Yapp and Sonny Bradshaw, among
others, will be presented at the Aqueduct, Rose Hall.
When Jill Scott does headline duties
the following night, Hugh Masakela, Ryan Shaw and Lou
Gramm, of the group Foreigner.
The festival closes with Diana Ross,
Taj Mahal, Billy Ocean, gospel group, Mary Mary, and
13-year-old Nikky Yankofsky.
And, for those who have suffered
through an Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues' traffic jam,
Elmore said confidently, "We will be having a
four-way highway for jazz. You will have an
underpass."
"We will be closing the nights
with the high-energy acts," Elmore said, naming
the Kool and the Gang member as the opening night's
closer.
Carlette DeLeon of Headline
Entertainment promised "the biggest and
best" festival yet, saying that there will be
changes to the venue to make it better. In addition,
"the VIP area has been further enhanced".
Another area of improvement is an
online ticketing system, outlined by Noelle Nichols of
Island Stubbs, through which persons will be able to
access electronic tickets as well as pick up tickets
at the gate.
Wayne Smith of OLINT, presenting
sponsor of the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues
Festival, said the organisation was happy to be
"helping to promote globally the real vibe of
Jamaica through this internationally recognised
event".
"You can count on our
unwavering support, as we believe in partnering with
Jamaicans for Jamaicans," Smith said.
Representatives of other sponsors,
including The Jamaica Observer, CVM,
Supreme Ventures and Cable and Wireless, expressed
their confidence in and support of Jazz and Blues
2008.
The Jamaica Tourist Board's (JTB)
David Shields saying "this is an important event
in our active marketing strategy for Jamaica. It
represents all that Jamaica is about."
Air Jamaica's Will Rodgers
remembered the start of the festival and commented
that, for the airline, "things were a little
thicker then." "Fortunately, as Air Jamaica
got thinner people like OLINT grew to be a major
sponsor today."
Guest speaker, Zachary Harding of
the Ministry of Tourism, invited all "to come to
Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues to start 2008 with a
bang."
He said the festival "epitomises
what is possible when we come together and construct
products that are designed to be world class".
The talent stage will once again be
a part of the festival, Ian Gibson saying that
auditions will be held in Kingston at the Deck, Ocho
Rios at the Hard Rock Café and Montego Bay at Coral
Cliff in the second week of January.
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
No comments:
Post a Comment