Air J Jazz Update - Lou Rawls

Legendary crooner Lou Rawls has joinedthe lineup for the 2005 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival, to be held principally in Mpntego Bay. Rawls is scheduled to perform on Thursday, January 27 on a bill that also includes another soul/R& B legend Roberta Flack, as well as Jamaican icon Jimmy Cliff and Barbadian sax man Arturo Tappin.

A free admission concert will kick off the 2005 event in Ocho Rios (about 45 mins. drive from Montego bay) on Wednesday, January 26, with the line up to be announced.

see airjamaicajazzandblues.com for more info


Peace, health and prosperity in abundance to all in 2005 and thanks for checking jazzofonik. Bigger things to come in the new year.

Christ more than anything

With Christmas mere days away, this is to say a big thank you to all
visitors, friends and supporters ofthis blog - especially those who've
taken time to comment.

My main message is that Christmas is more than presents, more than
good times or tradition, or even families. Christmas is about Christ -the
divine-human bridge between us the created and the Creator who loves us.

I pray you'll take this opportunity to put Him first in your life, and also
peace, safety good health and prosperity for you and yours.

And keep it swingin'

Mike

Mickey on Deck

Trumpeter/flugelhornist Mickey Hanson brings his act to the Live Thursday series at New Kingston lounge and grill, The Deck, come Thursday January 6 2005. Also on the bill is well-known Jamaican pop singer of the 70s, Pluto Shervington ("Your Honour" "Ram Goat Liver"). Hanson's lasat album was For The Love Of It.

Also, soundsystem jazz continues at The Deck every Wednesday nite with recorded jazz and the blues courtesy of the JazzoFonik X-perience, featuring Mikey Blu, Chiggy and Michael "My Way" Williams.

None "Finah" Than Dinah

My Jazz Notes bio remebrance (Dec. 12) of the late great Dinah Washington - truly one of the greatest singers of all time - has attracted some gratifying comments, not least from biographer Nadine Codohas, whose book The Queen, documenting Washington's life, is now available, as well as a companion CD with some of her most memorable hits. Go to dinahthequeen.com for your copy of the book and CD and got to jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle and key in "Dinah Washington" for the article.

German Saxman blows through Kingston

German saxophonist and Skip Records recording artist Peter Weniger brought his tiro stylings(Decebal Badilla on electric bass, Heinz Lichius on drums) to the Hilton Kingston poolside over the weekend. Weniger, whose resume includes recording spots with John Abercrombie, Conrad Herwig and David Liebman, is also Professor of Muisc at Berlin's University of the Arts, where he teaches saxophone. Atthe show, he palyed cuts from his last album, Legal Paradizer.

Weniger's trip was sponsored the Mexico-based culture advocacy group the Goethe Institute, and the band's current Caribbean hop takes them on to Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic

Haiol Grammy nominees...and a few we'd like to see

The 2005 Grammys were annopunced recently. Congrtats to the jazz nominees which run a wide range from bebop trailbnlazers like drummer Roy Haynes to relativlely younger players like trumpeter Roy Hargrove, whose Strength EP is up for Album of the Year

There are, of course, a couple we'd like to have included:

Matt WIlson's Arts & Crafts - Wake Up! To What's Happening
Winard Harper Sextet - Comer Into The Light

Waht would your Grammy nominations list look like?(any category)

Air J Jazz Update

When - January 26th - Jan 29th  2005

 January 26th   Ocho Rios, Jamaica
January 27th – 29th  Cinnamon Hill Golf Course - Rose Hall, Montego Bay Jamaica

Ticket Price –

Wednesday       January 26th     'Free'

Thursday           January 27th - $45.00

Friday               January 28th - $50.00

Saturday           January 29th - $50.00

Season ticket:  Main Venue US$ 135.00 (all 3 days)   

Two day pass   Friday & Sat  US$   95.00

 

Tickets on sale – online starting Dec 15th 2004

www.airjamaicajazzandblues.com

  Web sites- www.airjamaica.com

                   www.visitjamaica.com

                  
Wednesday - January 26th         Ocho Rios   - free event    venue  - TBA

Thursday - January 27th            Jimmy Cliff, Dionne Warwick, Arturo Tappin,

Friday - January 28th                Julio Iglesias, Boys II Men, Roberto Perera, Diana King

Saturday -January 29th              Norah Jones, TBA, Roberta Flack, Azucar Negra,

 

Additional acts to be confirmed

He's Now "Dr. Pine"

Saxophonist Courtney Pine was this week cpnferred an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Westminster in London. Pine was honoured for his contributions to British jazz and particularly for his support given to younger players in the idiom. he's also up for another honour, having been named among the 10 Greatest Black Britons in History

Pine also resuems his regul;ar BBC radio 2 programme Jazz Crusades. His latest album is Devotion, on the Telarc label, witha folow-up release due early 2005.

Norah Jones for Air J Jazz

Multi-platinum Blue Note recording artist Norah Jones makes her jamaican debut come January when she headlines the Air Jamaica jazz n Blues Festival 2005, beginning january 25 in Montego Bay.

Jones, whose brand of jazz-inflected pop is very popular locally takes a top slot that last year (2004) was held by country crooner kenny Rogers and R& B sensation Alicia keys.

The complete Air J lineup and schedule will be posted within the week.

jazz in the gardens 2K4 Finale

Songbird Karen Smith returns along with piano/keyboard whiz Dr. kathy Brown, sax man Dean Fraser and a host of others when the Jazz in the Gardens series has its final run for 2004 on the lawns of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Sunday Dc 26 smack in the middle of the entertainment loaded Christmas holidays.

This time around the event will also feature jazz trax courtesy of well known dub poet/radio commentator Mutabaruka and his Blakk Muzik combo.