FORT LAUDERDALE – South Florida will be treated to a rich and explosive combination of reggae and jazz when Jamaican jazz great Monty Alexander, renowned reggae crooner Maxi Priest, and respected cabaret singer A.J. Brown hit the stage for the first annual Reggae Jazz Fusion.
The event, produced by Riddims Marketing, is being presented under the auspices of the Hon. Sandra Grant-Griffiths, Consul General of Jamaica to the Southern United States, and is slated for the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Southwest 5th Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 on Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
Mrs. Grant-Griffiths stated, “Reggae Jazz Fusion – is a timely offering by Riddims Marketing to titillate the discerning palate of South Florida society – a diverse Caribbean-Latin-American gateway that readily embraces quality performances in exciting genres that reflect the Community’s cosmopolitan nature. The Consulate General is pleased to be associated with the quality of the talents offered for this stellar show. These featured top-flight artistes easily recommend themselves based on their repertoire and musical history at an international standard that we can take special pride in showcasing.”
Monty Alexander
Legendary Jazz pianist Monty Alexander will bring five decades of extraordinary talent and showmanship to the stage. He also comes armed with a rich musical background punctuated by the likes of the legend himself, Frank Sinatra, who Alexander accompanied on many occasions; Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespy, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby and so many more.
With over 60 albums under his belt, the world renowned musician has an extensive repertoire to choose from. From classical jazz to reggae, Alexander will take the audience on a musical journey with harmonic and melodic turns, culminating in a crescendo of musical excellence, which has earned him a place in the top five in Hal Leonard’s book The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time.
Maxi Priest
Reggae super star Maxi Priest has sung his way into the hearts of reggae lovers worldwide and is respected for his brand of reggae music which has a heavy R&B influence. Audiences fell in love with the singer whose cover of Cat Steven’s “Wild World” catapulted him into stardom. Maxi Priest has many solo hits and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the business, including Roberta Flack, Shaggy, Beres Hammond and Shabba. Maxi Priest will be sure to please when he brings the reggae vibe to the stage.
AJ Brown
A.J. Brown, singer, songwriter and accomplished visual artist is best known for his excellent vocals. In fact, Brown, who sings everything from Reggae and Jazz to pop and Classical, moves seamlessly across musical genres and is considered as one of Jamaica’s greatest vocalists. Known in Las Vegas circles for hitting the high notes, Brown’s performance will no doubt leave audience members entranced. With these three artistes bringing the reggae jazz fusion, the event promises to be a memorable night of musical delight.
Tickets are available online at www.browardcenter.org, the Broward Center Box office or by phone at 954-462-0222. A limited number of tickets will be on sale at selected Caribbean outlets in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, early March.
Reggae Jazz Fusion is sponsored by The Jamaica Tourist Board, Air Jamaica, Grace Foods, Golden Krust, Western Union, Caribbean Choice, National Weekly, SFLCN.com and No Limit Promotions.
