CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Jan 22, 2009: The temperature in Montego Bay, Jamaica is set to rise a lot hotter tonight as the curtain rises on the Caribbean`s best music festival, Jamaica Jazz & Blues 2009.
Among those gearing up to set the crowd ablaze tonight at the Aqueduct, Rosehall, are `Solid As A Rock` duo, Ashford and Simpson, award-winning multiplatinum superstar, Robin Thicke; British Grammy Award-nominated hip hop/R&B singer, rapper and producer Estelle, who is best known for her hit single “”American Boy;”" Los Van Van, a Cuban band led by bassist Juan Formell, the Reunion Jazz Quartet and Jewish reggae singer, Matisyahu.
Tomorrow night, January 23rd, it will be multi-platinum Grammy award-winning singer, Lionel Richie, who will add to the heat, along with Lou Gramm of Foreigner fame, Randy Crawford and Joe Sample, Alton Reeds Blues Entourage and young Canadian sensation, 13-year-old Nikki Yanofsky.
On Saturday, Jan. 24 th , the line-up is exceptional with fans set to be serenaded by Chicago, Maxi Priest, Atlantic Starr and the O`Jays, all of whom need no introduction.
The 2009 festival is being presented this year by the Jamaica Tourist Board, which is the new title sponsor.  
The festival, which since its introduction in 1996 was known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, has attracted thousands of patrons from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica. International artistes that have performed at the festival include Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, Norah Jones, Julio Iglesias, Roberta Flack, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, India Arie, Nancy Wilson, Earth Wind and Fire, Kenny G., Michael McDonald, Gladys Knight, Kool & the Gang, Al Jarreau,Branford Marsalis, Brian McKnight Harry Belafonte, Babyface, Stephanie Mills, George Benson, Erykah Badu, Gladys Knight, Michael Bolton, and many more.   And to bring the Jamaican flavor, well-known names such as   Ziggy Marley, Morgan Heritage, Third World, Toots Hibbert, Shaggy, Sean Paul   Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, Monty Alexander, Ritchie Stephens and many other Jamaican talents have made their mark on the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues stage.
This year the festival is being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board along with Rose Hall Developments, Jamrock Magazine, Half Moon, The Jamaica Observer, Holiday Inn Sun Spree, The Ritz Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Rose Hall, Courts Jamaica, Scotiabank, Riu Hotels, CaribPR Wire, Sky Writings Magazine and CMS Media.
For more information log on to: http://www.jamaicajazzandblues.com/final/.