Tickets are now on sale for the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which will be celebrating its 17th anniversary this year. Headlining acts will include Mary J. Blige, John Legend and Monica. Kicking off the three day event will be Third World Band, who will be celebrating their 40th year of music making. Running from Thursday January 24 to Sunday January 26, the event is expected to bring in tens of thousands of fans.
“We have a tradition of great entertainment experiences at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and this year we will return aspects of the experience favored by our patrons and add some new elements,” festival producers Walter Elmore said, according to South Florida Caribbean News. “2013 will be even more interactive and engaging for persons at the event with the introduction of our digital lounge, and an integration of our social media spaces.”
Singer songwriter Michael Bolton and Mary J Blige will perform on the festival’s Saturday night, with Monica and John Legend closing out the event on Sunday. Monica released her seventh album earlier in the year, reaching number four on the Billboard 200. Saxophonist Arturo Tappin of Barbados will also make an appearance. Elmore spoke highly of Monica’s Jamaican fan base.
“Each year, we poll the artist that Jamaica wants to see on the festival and Monica is always a request,” he told the Jamaica Gleaner. “We are pleased to have her, and I believe patrons will enjoy her.”
Both general admission and VIP tickets are available at jamaicajazzandblues.com. Single day prices start at $50, going up to $200 for festival-long passes.
