Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Maxi Priest, who will perform on the last night of the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival 2006. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE 2006 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, slated for January 26 to 28, was launched in the gardens of the Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday night. Once again, in keeping with a tradition of the past two years, the jazz and blues element of the festival is almost null and void.
Nonetheless, producers Turn Key Productions cannot be faulted for what appears to be a stellar line-up of adult contemporary music, which allows the festival to live up to the addition to the title: 'The Art of Music'. Additionally, it is a formula that has worked in the past, allowing them to more than double the 10,000-strong audience which turned out at the inaugural
festival in 1996.
OPENS ON THURSDAY NIGHT
This year the festival opens on Thursday night with a round of reggae, neo-soul, R&B and Latin jazz. Shaggy, who is busy making clothes drop with his latest work, his first album with Geffen Records, along with Morgan Heritage, will bring two different reggae flavours to the night.
The touch of neo-soul comes from the rich vocals and piano work of John Legend, whose simply soulful Ordinary People co-opted control of international airwaves over the past year. Lyfe Jennings brings the night's offering of R&B, while Latin Grammy winner, flautist Nestor Torres, rounds out the night.
Friday night also finds a wide range of musical offerings. Chief among those are the ruler of adult contemporary music from the 1980s, Air Supply, who gifted lovers with All Out of Love and Making Love Out of Nothing at All. Air Supply will share space with the phenomenal Al Green, who will bring R&B classics, while Richie Stephens comes with reggae in tow.
The night will also feature authentic blues from legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Bo Diddley. Nicole Henry, who has two albums - The Nearness of You and Teach Me Tonight - under her belt, brings contemporary jazz flavour to Friday.
The inimitable Patti LaBelle will be among the vocal talents to grace Saturday night, which has traditionally been the biggest night of the festival. Having given the world On My Own with Michael McDonald, If Only You Knew, If You Asked Me To andLady Marmalade, LaBelle has boasted enviable longevity in the fickle world of music.
TRIBUTE TO BYRON LEE
Saturday night features a tribute to Byron Lee, smooth jazz artiste KEM as well as the Reunion Jazz Quartet and the night's audience will also receive double doses of smooth. One shot comes from James Ingram, whose notable career has included Yah Mo Be There, I Don't Have the Heart, Just Once and One Hundred Ways. The second round comes from Maxi Priest, who has collaborated with Roberta Flack on Set the Night to Music and Shabba Ranks with House Call, and has had a plethora of successes, including the early hits Some Guys Have All The Luck and Wild World.
The festival takes place at the very cool, sloping terrain of the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club, Montego Bay, St. James.
