Sun, sand and sound. Jamaica has it all, with an emphasis on sound
The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival drew in some big names to get the crowds moving in 2015.
Renowned by all as the birthplace of Bob Marley and reggae, Jamaica actually has a far richer heritage of musical history. The lesser known, but still influential mento genre dates back to the 1940’s, and it draws from rural folk music sung on the plantations. Styles including ska and rocksteady incorporated sounds typical of jazz, and rhythm and blues, and served as precursors to the pulsating reggae beats that have become synonymous with the island. The island’s musical tapestry also includes dancehall, dub, and ragga. With a tradition as rich as this, the country fittingly plays host to several music festivals per year to suit any sensibility.
Most recently Jamaica enjoyed the success of another Jazz and Blues Festival, held in the parish of Trelawny. Guests enjoyed the good-time rhythms of all manner of musical genres in an event that pulled in a number of eclectic musicians. The event featured Mariah Carey as the headliner, but she put on a less-than-stellar performance that left many bristling. It was Charlie Wilson’s sensational set that took the show. The 62-year old was brimming with energy, his voice was clear, the outfits were loud and lively, while his back up dancers added some panache to the show. Wilson’s entire performance had festival goers on their feet from beginning to end, offering the loudest cheers and most jovial spirit of the three-day event.
D.C artists SOJA, whose sound is a blend of reggae, go-go, latin, rock and hip-hop, set the younger crowd into a frenzy during their up-beat, multi-faceted and entertaining set. Canadian band Magic! had festival goers singing and dancing along to their reggae fusion summer hit, Rude, and they stirred up the audience by getting down into the trenches and interacting with the fans.
Saxophonist Arturo Tappin mixed up a blend of his signature roots-reggae jazz-fusion which added punch to the atmosphere early on in the festival. Toward the latter stages of the event, the older set enjoyed the mellow sounds of Peter Cetera and an energetic performance by the Pointer Sisters.
In addition to the Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival, the island hosts a number of other musical events throughout the year, including the Blue Mountain Music Festival and Reggae Sumfest.
For more information visits the websites above, or go to: www.visitjamaica.com
Leave a Reply