CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Jan. 25, 2010: The 2010 Jamaica Jazz And Blues festival kicked off its inaugural week of performances Sunday evening, January 24, with Roy Ayers and Tony Greene at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Kingston performance marked the first time in the event’s 14-year history that TurnKey Productions, producers of the annual event, has taken the show on the road and extended the event to an entire week-long focus on Jamaica.

The festival moves back to Montego Bay tonight at the Sunset Jamaica Grande with performances from reggae great, Maxi Priest along with Joe Roy Jackson and Ayers. On Tuesday night, Jan. 26^th, the festival shifts to the Blue Beat Jazz Bar, Montego Bay with a number of performances. On Wednesday night, get ready for the party at Iberostar, Montego Bay with Jon Secada, Robin Banks and Kathy Brown.

On Thursday night, Jan. 28^th, the focus will shift to the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival’s new main stage at the Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny where Kenneth `Babyface` Edmonds, The Whispers, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander and Joe Roy Jackson are set to open the 14^th year set.

On Friday night, Jan. 29^th, Erykah Badu, Billy Ocean, Machel Montano, Robin Banks, Queens Project – Tamia, Kelly Price and Deborah Cox will thrill the thousands of fans who have already bought tickets to the festival.

On Saturday, Jan. 30^th, the curtains will come down with Gladys Knight, Third World, Hall & Oates, Jon Secada and Marion Hall.

Executive Producer of the festival, Walter Elmore is very upbeat about the facilities at the new home of Jazz and Blues, insisting that fans of the main event will not have to sit in stadium seats for the festival but as at the Aqueduct at Rose Hall in Montego Bay, fans will be able to sit or stand on the field under the stars and soak in the many extraordinary performances.

 “All of the focus has been on transforming the in-field of the stadium to create the intimacy and mystique that is undoubtedly Jamaica Jazz & Blues,” said Elmore. “It will not be a stadium-style performance but definitely an upfront and personal experience as our loyal fans remain our primary focus and we are dedicated to ensuring we continue to providing the unparalleled experience that has made us the number one musical event across the Caribbean.”

“The venue has a wonderful ambience all by itself,” he added. “The view from here is spectacular of the north coast of Jamaica, and Falmouth, and you can see them building the new cruise ship pier. We are creating a very similar ambience that we had at Rose Hall and there will be ample parking.”
Meanwhile, moved by the recent tragedy in neighbouring Haiti, TurnKey Productions, producers of the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival, have introduced a food relief programme to assist the victims of the earthquake.

Working with local agencies, TurnKey will collect and package non-perishable food items from patrons attending the annual festival for delivery to the impoverished nation. 

The annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival, the Caribbean’s best musical event, has become synonymous with the culture of Jamaica and 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.

 This year the festival is again being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board. Other sponsors include Air Jamaica, Iberostar, Rose Hall Resort, CVM TV, Link Up Group, Jamrock Magazine and The Gleaner Company among others.

 Tickets and packages are available at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com.

CARIBPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Jan. 10, 2010:  The countdown has begun to the Caribbean’s best music festival – Jamaica Jazz & Blues – which is set to wrap up for three nights on the field of the Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny, just 19 km east of its former home in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Turnkey Productions, producers of the annual festival, says plans are well under day to transform the inner field of the stadium into the phenomenal experience that is associated with Jamaica Jazz & Blues annually.

Walter Elmore, executive producer of the festival and founder of Turnkey Productions, insists that fans of the main event will not have to sit in stadium seats for the festival but as at the Aqueduct at Rose Hall in Montego Bay, fans will be able to sit or stand on the field under the stars and soak in the many extraordinary performances.

“All of the focus is currently on transforming the in-field of the stadium to create the intimacy and mystique that is undoubtedly Jamaica Jazz & Blues,” said Elmore. “It will not be a stadium-style performance but definitely an upfront and personal experience as our loyal fans remain our primary focus and we are dedicated to ensuring we continue to providing the unparalleled experience that has made us the number one musical event across the Caribbean.”

The 2010 staging of the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival will be a seven-day long celebration of The Art of Music that will see the North Coast engulfed in the awesome sights and sounds of the Turn Key Productions event from January 24-30.

The event kicks off on Sunday, January 24^th with Jazz in the Gardens at the Jamaica Pegasus, Kingston, featuring Roy Ayers and Tony Greene from 8-11 p.m.  The line-up of the 14^th staging of the annual includes top Grammy winning acts like Gladys Knight, Kenneth `Babyface` Edmonds, Billy Ocean, Erykah Badu, Third World and The Whispers.

Babyface will take to the stage on Thursday, January 28^th at The Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny along with The Whispers, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander and Joe Roy Jackson. 

On Friday, January 29^th, fans can get ready for Erykah Badu, Billy Ocean, Machel Montano, Robin Banks and the Queens Project – featuring Tamia, Kelly Price and Deborah Cox. 

The festival wraps up on Saturday January 30^th with the Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight, along with Third World, Hall & Oates, Jon Secada and Marion Hall.

The annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival will be held from January 24-30, 2010 in Jamaica. Jamaica Jazz 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.

Jamaica Jazz festival officials are urging all music fans in the U.S., U.K. and Canada to book last minute package to the festival now to experience the sights, sounds and magic of sunny Jamaica, West Indies. Tickets and packages are available at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com or by calling your favorite travel agent. 

This year the festival is again being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board. Other sponsors include Air Jamaica, Iberostar, Rose Hall Resort, CVM TV and The Gleaner Company among others.

 SOURCE: CaribPR Wire

CARIBPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 22, 2009: It will be a Grammy Affair at the Caribbean`s best musical festival this January – the 2010 Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival – as acts like Gladys Knight, Kenneth `Babyface` Edmonds, Billy Ocean, Erykah Badu, Third World and The Whispers, take to the main stage in Trelawny, Jamaica.

 The line-up of the 14^th staging of the annual event recently expanded with the addition of multiple Grammy-winners, `Babyface` and Erykah Badu.

 Babyface will take to the stage on Thursday January 28^th at The Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny along with The Whispers, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander and Joe Roy Jackson.  Babyface has won over 10 Grammys for hits like `Two Occasions,` `Never Keeping Secrets` and `For The Cool In You.`

On Friday, January 29^th, fans can get ready for Erykah Badu, Billy Ocean, Machel Montano, Robin Banks and the Queens Project – featuring Tamia, Kelly Price and Deborah Cox.  Badu is sure to thrill the Jamaican audience with hits like `Tyrone,` `Bag Lady` and `Didn`t Cha Know?` while Ocean, Montano and the Queens Project are sure to keep things jumping.

The festival wraps up on Saturday January 30^th with the Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight along with Third World, Hall & Oates, Jon Secada and Marion Hall.

The addition of two top tier acts was precipitated by the unavailability of Jennifer Hudson for the Festival. Hudson was forced to cancel her confirmed appearance to accept an invitation from senior music executive Clive Davis to perform at the Grammy Awards.

`The date for the Grammy Awards had to be moved up, due to the Winter Olympics,` explained Festival Executive Producer Walter Elmore. `Changes in schedules are sometimes unavoidable, but they are also opportunities,` Elmore said of the revised line-up.

 In a statement, her representatives indicated that, `Jennifer is very much looking forward to performing at next year`s festival as she is unable to perform for the 2010 event due to scheduling conflict.`

 The 2010 staging of the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival will be a seven-day long celebration of The Art of Music that will see the North Coast engulfed in the awesome sights and sounds of the Turn Key Productions event from January 24-30.

 Jamaica Jazz festival officials are urging all music fans in the U.S., U.K. and Canada to give themselves an early Christmas gift now by booking a package to the festival to experience the sights, sounds and magic of sunny Jamaica, West Indies.

Hotel rates are available from as low as US$46 per person or US$92 for single occupancy and most hotels will offer shuttle service to the venue. Tickets and packages are available at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com or by calling your favorite travel agent. 

 Jamaica Jazz since its introduction in 1996 was known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival. It has attracted thousands of patrons from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica.  International artistes that have performed at the festival include Diana Ross, Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, Kool & the Gang, Brian McKnight, Erykah Badu and Michael Bolton among others. 

This year the festival is again being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board. Other sponsors include Air Jamaica, Iberostar, Rose Hall Resort, CVM TV and The Gleaner Company among others.