[MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica] – A key ingredient of any music festival is the lineup of act which will take to the stage. This element is being taken seriously by the organizers of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival which returns to the entertainment calendar, in a virtual form for three days – January 28, 29 and 30.
The event which has been on hiatus since 2015, returns with new promoters who are promising a slate of performers that will excite hardcore fans of the festival, as well as ignite the interest of newer, younger patrons, whom it is hoped will warm up to and become life-long supporters in the future.
Already, the promoters have announced five of this year’s acts, with a full slate to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Lila Ike and Tessellated are the young warriors to join Richie Stephens, Jah9 and Cuban-American singer Jon Secada, the first international act as the first tranche of performers announced.
Between 16-18 acts will take to the event’s virtual stage over the three days including the winners of the Band Quest Competition. This competition is an open call for local bands to vie for a spot on the festival’s opening night. The winner will be determined by public vote.
“In deciding on the artistes for this festival we have taken into consideration the fact that over 400 acts have performed at Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival over the years. Most of the international acts that we want have already performed here, so we decided to bring back one act who has been on the show before, and then look to some new acts to take in the younger demographic of our target market. We are looking to cover the younger, middle and older market segments, taking into consideration the traditional, but not leaving out the younger market which is more familiar with the digital space,” said Adrian Allen of the Florida-based Steady Image Media Group, who in partnership with local marketer and event guru Marcia McDonnough of Touchstone Productions, have been granted the license to stage the festival.
The newest additions to lineup bring fresh musical sounds and perspectives on Jamaican music. Lila Ike has steadily honed her craft and secured her space as the darling of Reggae music in the hearts of fans worldwide. Her energetic delivery and timeless lyrics keeps the anticipation running for each performance.
Tessellated’s eclectic musical style inspires an exciting journey through his notes, rhythms and lyrics. A truly authentic experience guaranteed to tantalize audiences.
Jon Secada
“Jon Secada is our comeback kid… in that he is returned to the stage, and Jamaicans enjoyed his performance the last time. He also appeals to a wide cross section of the market due to his Latin and R&B sound. Richie Stephens has for long been an ambassador for our music and is not stranger to the festival stage, so we definitely wanted him on our showcase this year. Jah9 is known as a change-maker. She is currently in Africa and we wanted to bring some of that energy to the stage coupled with her mix of jazz and dub. She has never performed on the festival and we thought that she would be a good addition. The aim is to find a balance and meet the expectation of this diverse, global audience which a virtual event affords you. So we have to see who will bring that energy. It’s really about resetting the playing field,” said Allen.
Jon Secada was born in Havana, Cuba, and grew up in Hialeah, Florida. He has won two Grammy awards and has sold over 20 million records. His self-titled debut album, released in 1992, contained the hits Just Another Day, I’m Free, Do You Believe in Us and Do You Really Want Me. The Spanish-language version of the album was named the number one selling Latin album of 1992 in the United States. It won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album.
Richie Stephens
Richie Stephens and his deep, rich voice have been part of the musical landscape for well over two decades. His versatility in delivering pop anthems and as a smooth balladeer has endeared him to audiences. In recent years Richie Stephens has moved into another area of the music with his band Ska Nation, which shares and exposes the local musical genre ska to new global audiences.
Jah9
Jah9 has been one of the few female acts who has part of the ‘Reggae Revival’ – a younger breed of artistes dedicated to preserving and espousing the roots reggae brand of the music. Her inimitable musical style which combines, reggae, dub, and jazz, has made her a popular act with music lovers worldwide.
