Changes for 29th Int’l Ocho Rios Jazz Festival
Published:Tuesday | May 14, 2019 | 12:09 AMMarcia Rowe/Gleaner Writer
The International Ocho Rios Jazz Festival is a labour of love for its organiser, Myrna Hague. But the self-proclaimed defender of music has found this year, the 29th staging, particularly challenging. “When you have huge challenges, you have to think out of the box, and thinking out of the box drew me to other persons who are able to partner with us so that we can continue,” Hague told The Gleaner at the media launch last Thursday at the Wine Shop on South Avenue.
“We are very grateful to our new partners, Frankie Campbell and Fab 5, FDR Hotel, and Old Dillard Foundation in Florida in bringing down saxophonist Randy Corinthian,” she revealed.
The Terra Nova All Suite Hotel is on the roster with its live band experience, and other venues will be announced as the festival, slated for June 2-9, draws closer.
As is customary, the opening day, June 2, will remain at the FDR Hotel in Runaway Bay. The Free Jazz Workshop/Seminar, on June 5, remains and will see a mix of presenters from the established to the young from the music fraternity. A spill-off of this event, in the form of a two-day Jazz Summer School, is scheduled to take place at the Alpha Institution, Kingston.
Closing Day, Sunday, June 9, will remain at Hope Gardens Band Shell, in St Andrew, where patrons will be treated to entertainment from artistes such as Jazz Sombuya (a trio of female musicians), Sydney Thorpe and Andre as a duet, The Jamaica Big Band, Myrna Hague, and the returning Fab 5. Fab 5’s presence, along with Stranga Cole who does Ska and Gem Myers, are also promised.
“We are hoping that the Fab 5 session will be more of a party, and will end Jazz Week on an uptempo beat as a lot of people tend to want to dance. Fab 5 will bring that element.
We hope that people will come out as this year will be different,” Fab 5 Band Leader Frankie Campbell told The Gleaner.
Other events and jam sessions are scheduled for June 4, 6 and 7, with a meet-and-greet cocktail on Saturday, June 8. International acts Ground Zero, from Denmark and saxophonist Randy Corinthian from Florida are also in the line-up for Jazz Week.