Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Dean Fraser had his turn at the 2005 Ocho Rios Jazz Festival when it came to Kingston. - file photo

After 17 years, the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival continues to create history with stellar performances and a touch of the past. The sounds of instruments galore will run from Sunday to Sunday, from the opening day on June 10 at Morgan's Harbour Hotel, Port Royal, to the closing Father's Day Jazz at the Shaw Park Hotel, Ocho Rios, on June 17. History will be a great part of this year's event with a 'Port Royal Cultural and Historic Tour' as a part of the opening day.

A touch of the uncommon is the ruling theme of the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival. Each year it brings to the public entertainers and music that are not a staple of the Jamaican diet. Self-proclaimed as the island's only real jazz festival, booked so far for this year are Byard Lancaster, Effie Burt, The Antelope Valley Big Band from California, Idris Ackamoor, Houston Person, Frank Morgan and Overboard productions, as well as many yet unannounced artistes.

Variety of venues

The event will extend its reach to a variety of venues as well, hosting different concerts in Kingston and Ocho Rios. This ensures that almost wherever you are, you can partake in the festival's activities. Events will be staged at Ocean Village in St. Ann, UWI's Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, Strawberry Hill, Christopher's Jazz Cafe, Redbones the Blues Cafe and the Verandah in Kingston and Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, among other places.

According to the festival's website, www.ochoriosjazz.com, the festival began in 1991 as an experimental one-day event which eventually grew to huge proportions. According to Sonny Bradshaw, a director for the festival, at least 5,000 patrons show up each year. From the onset the festival was produced and directed by musician Sonny Bradshaw in an effort to redefine the Jamaican musical landscape and enhance the tourism product, by providing an entertainment atmosphere that whole families could share and enjoy.

Complete jazz vacation

The website continues. "In three years the festival grew from one to eight days and became the Caribbean's complete jazz vacation, featuring the greatest names in Jamaican jazz as well as the very best of international fare. It boasts a youth programme, daily free concerts, a large-scale photo exhibition and events large and small going on simultaneously all over the Island - Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril, Runaway Bay, Ocho Rios. It has established a 'Jazz Hall of Fame', recognising those Jamaican and Caribbean Musicians who have distinguished themselves internationally while contributing to the development of the art form."

Director Sonny Bradshaw is happy about the growth of the festival. "From Sunday to Sunday that pattern has been copied by the rest of the Caribbean. I'm very pleased," he said. Bradshaw said that there will be events for everyone, every day in Kingston and Ocho Rios. He is determined that the show will maintain its authentic feel, which he prides himself in.

Other music neglected

He said "The music is a jazz festival, not popular festival. Reggae, popular music, has gotten all the opportunities, such as Sumfest and Sting. All the other music is neglected. We want to showcase black classical music, which is jazz. We want to give the opportunity to those who want to follow those footsteps of popular jazz musicians. There are some very good Jamaican musicians who would love to compose things outside of popular music."

What makes the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival different from all others? Bradshaw attests that it is pure jazz with no frills. "It's not a cross between jazz and pop or anything else. Its promoting black music," he said. He added that Ashley Karby from St. Vincent, a jazz pan player, has been added to the line-up, as well as a Cuban band called Habanna Brothers, and Jamaica's Dennis Rushton.