WESTERN BUREAU:
"ALL THAT Heritage and Jazz', Montego Bay's biggest jazz festival, has been cancelled due to financial difficulties, and the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival, Jamaica's largest, is facing a similar dilemma.
"Inadequate funding and lack of support from the business community, has caused us to cancel," said Roy Crichton, of 'All That Heritage and Jazz'. In the meantime, the Air Jamaica-sponsored jazz festival, which has a US$1 million budget, has only been able to secure US$400,000. The organisers are experiencing a shortfall of 60 per cent.
"There is the possibility Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues will be put off until next year... we are not getting enough support," said Allan Chastanet, vice-president of marketing and sales at Air Jamaica.
Lack of support was one of the main reasons the festival was moved from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios two years ago. After a US$50,000 pump into the event, including 1,000 complimentary rooms by the Ocho Rios community, the festival has again met upon a snag.
"The critical thing is the Jamaica Tourist Board, which gives US$100,000 in sponsorship money, while St. Lucia Jazz gets US$500,000 from their Tourist Board", said Mr. Chastanet.
"Last year the festival cost US$1 million and we did not make a profit financially. However, it was a tremendous amount of exposure for Jamaica", said Mr. Chastanet. Black Entertainment Television (BET), BET On Jazz, E! TV, Discovery Television and numerous local radio and TV stations from the United States covered the event last year and over US$500,000 was spent in pre-show advertising.
The festival also enjoyed the support of over 3,000 visitors who came specifically for the shows. The likes of Mary J Blige, Kenny G, George Benson, Erykah Badu and Dr. John have performed on the jazz stage over the four years the festival has been around.
"It is a phenomenal endorsement to hear a George Benson or a Al Jerome speak positively about the beauty of Jamaica", said Mr. Chastanet.
All that Heritage and Jazz that started in 1993, during the National Heroes Weekend was scheduled to be held in mid-October, this year. The event was dubbed 'Jamaican Folk and Food Fair 2000'.
Over the years the organisers have featured the diversity of the Jamaican culture through music and cultural acts ranging from Jamaican folk dance and songs, kumina, mento, junkanoo, gerreh and drumming.
This year, the organisers had planned to incorporate even more of the culture with the likes of Della Manley, Ernie Ranglin and Dr. Olive Lewin who were scheduled to appear on stage as well as conducting workshops.
Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues, though uncertain, is scheduled for January 11 to 14 or January 20 to 23, 2001.
J.S.
