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Traffic
Woes A Thing Of The Past For Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues 2008 |
NEW YORK, NY
Jan. 2, 2008: Fans gearing up to descend on the
Caribbean's biggest party this month are being advised to
forget last year's traffic woes and prepare for a great time
and smooth driving.
That's the word from the executive producer of the annual
Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival, Walter Elmore. "Our new
highway and underpass are now open and complete and this
will greatly reduce the congestion to and from the venue,"
said the phenomenal jazz fest producer this week.
Elmore added that festival organizers of the January 24-26th
Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues at the Aqueduct Rosehall in Montego
Bay, Jamaica will be working in tandem with the Head of the
Police Traffic Division, Senior Superintendent of Police
Elan Powell, to ensure there is a smooth flow of traffic to
and from the venue.
"We also have a 2 Lane Underpass that links the outer lanes
with the venue and also the parking lot across from the
shops of Rose Hall," he explained. "This will allow the
shuttle buses to come and go without crossing traffic."
And to top it off, festival organizers have put in place an
official whose sole responsibility will be all parking lots
at the venue. That official will be overseeing several
properly trained attendants to ensure vehicles are parked
quickly and efficiently.
Additionally, in order to ensure the comfort of patrons is
further enhanced, the Jazz Fest team have introduced for the
first time this year a 'Park & Ride' lot. Fans will be able
to use a very efficient bus system located across from the
Holiday Inn hotel to get to and from the venue.
"All in all we foresee no traffic problems this year," said
Elmore. |
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The festival will
also serve to recapture the intimacy of the old Cinnamon
Hill venue but also give fans the space they need to jive to
the music while soaking in the breathtaking scenery and
breathing in the fresh air of the trade winds blowing in
directly from the ocean.
But it is the Grammy winners and 2008 Grammy nominees who
are set to rub shoulders and thrill music fans in Montego
Bay, Jamaica in a matter of weeks that's the talk of the
town. Three of the 2008 artists set to perform at the
Festival recently picked up nominations for next year's 50th
Grammy awards. While two others on the bill already hold the
prestigious statuettes.
Grammy winner Jill Scott, newcomer Ryan Shaw and Spyro Gyra
all been nominated for next year's 50th Grammy Awards, set
for Feb. 10, 2008, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Scott, who already holds two Grammy's, has been nominated
three times for the 2008 awards. She's up for 'Best Female
R&B Vocal Performance,' for 'Hate On Me,' 'Best
Urban/Alternative Performance,' for her collaboration with
Lupe Fiasco on 'Daydreamin' and 'Best R&B Album' for the
'The Real Thing.'
Shaw has received his first nomination in the Best
Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for 'I Am Your Man,' while
Spyro Gyra has gotten the nod in the Best Pop Instrumental
Performance category for 'Good To Go' off the album, 'Simple
Pleasure' as well as for Best Pop Instrumental Album of the
year. Shaw is a 26-year-old singer/songwriter from Decatur,
Georgia who recently launched his debut album, 'This Is Ryan
Shaw' on the One Haven/Columbia label.
Spyro Gyra was originally formed in the early 1970s in
Buffalo, NY. With over 25 albums released and 10 million
copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as
commercially successful groups of the scene. Among their
most successful hit singles are "Shaker Song" and "Morning
Dance," which received significant play on popular music
radio stations, and is still frequently heard nearly 30
years later on jazz and easy listening stations.
The 2008 nominees and two-time winner will be joined at the
prestigious festival by eight-time Grammy Award winner,
Anita Baker.
The line-up also includes Legendary singer, Diana Ross;
revered 'Caribbean Queen' singer, Billy Ocean, Lou Gramm of
Foreigner, Yerba Buena, Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band,
pianist Marjorie Whylie, JT Taylor, Kool & the Gang's former
" Legendary Voice," Jessica Yap; AJ Brown, Dwight Stephenson
and 13- year-old powerhouse Nikki.
Meanwhile, history was made on Monday, Dec. 10 when for the
very first time in the 11 years of the Air Jamaica Jazz &
Blues Festival, tickets began selling on the Internet at the
event's home page:
http://www.airjamaicajazzandblues.com/08/.
But the executive producer is reminding fans that tickets
will only be sold for a limited time to the January 24-26,
2008 event and is urging all to ensure they snap up tickets
early. Only a restricted number of tickets will be sold for
the venue at the Aqueduct in Montego Bay this year, added
Elmore, while insisting he is more concerned about the
comfort level of jazz fest patrons than simply selling
tickets.
The Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, since its
introduction in 1996, has attracted thousands of patrons
from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica.
International artistes that have performed at the festival
include Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, Norah Jones, Julio
Iglesias, Roberta Flack, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, India
Arie, Nancy Wilson, Earth Wind and Fire, Kenny G., Michael
McDonald, Gladys Knight, Kool & the Gang, Al
Jarreau,Branford Marsalis, Brian McKnight Harry Belafonte,
Babyface, Stephanie Mills, George Benson, Erykah Badu,
Gladys Knight, Michael Bolton, and many more. And to bring
the Jamaican flavor, well-known names such as Ziggy Marley,
Morgan Heritage, Third World, Toots Hibbert, Shaggy, Sean
Paul Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, Monty Alexander, Ritchie
Stephens and many other Jamaican talents have made their
mark on the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues stage.
This year the festival is being presented by key title
sponsor, Olint along with support from Air Jamaica, the
Jamaica Tourist Board, Oasis Bottled Water, Viva Sparkling
Water, Audi, Vitamalt, Power and Charmin.
For more information and tickets log on to
AirJamaicajazzandblues.com or call Air Jamaica Vacations at
1-800-LoveBird to make travel plans today. |
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