Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival gets five times regular patronage
Published:Wednesday | March 10, 2021 | 12:14 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Staged wholly virtual for the first time, the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival recorded its highest patronage in its more than two-decade-old existence. According to Marcia McDonnough of Touchstone Productions, co-producer of the festival, night three alone had over 50,000 tuned in to the show via YouTube.
The total is not yet calculated, she told The Gleaner, “as we have not yet checked the Facebook numbers or those of our streaming and watch party partners, but based on the figures we now have, there are indications that over 150,000 viewed the show and it continued to grow daily”.
McDonnough added, “As far as how this compares to previous years, this would be more than five times the numbers that would have been in the physical venue. We also recognise that hybrid events are the way to go, and we plan to continue to try to find new ways to bring as much immersion and interaction between the virtual and the physical spaces.”
The three-day event delivered on its promise to present a variety of exceptional artistes and continue its promotion of Jamaica as a competing tourism destination.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
“I think we can safely say that we certainly met our expectations, especially as it relates to delivering the level of production and the talent that we wanted to showcase to the world,” she said. “The way the festival was received by all, who also took the time to comment through social media and directly via emails, have been overwhelmingly positive, and we feel blessed and grateful for the honours that they have given us.”
Local entertainers Lila Iké, Richie Stephens, Jah9, Zia Benjamin, Bunny Rose and Sevana set the virtual stage ablaze with their performances. While Jon Secada, Teddyson John Project and Freetown Collective represented well on the international side. The additional pre-recorded features, Stay With Us with The Mitchells, Tami Chin and Wayne Marshall, and Circle Jamaica hosted by Richie Stephens, were equally entertaining.
Steady Image Media Group’s Adrian Allen, festival licensee and co-producer, said, “As a team, it has been quite a bit of work, but we have been receiving overwhelming feedback on the quality, features, presentation and overall execution, so it is truly a great feeling.”
As it relates to Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival being mounted in a hybrid format in the future, he noted that the virtual element has always been part of signature in-person presentations; however, the show was never considered a hybrid event until now.
“We have been seasoned over time in understanding the addition of a new media component to events. Due to the pandemic, virtual events, which we have been producing for many years, have now become the primary way of reaching audiences nationally, and around the world. The appreciation for integrating engaging content and features makes a world of difference; incorporating that additional layer to our executions will make future events even more dynamic,” Allen said.