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It’s A Grammy Affair At Air Jamaica Jazz Fest

CaribPR Newswire, NEW YORK, N.Y Dec. 1, 2006: Fans of the annual Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival are in for a major treat from the Grammy line-up of international acts set to take the stage over the three days of the Rose Hall festival, Jan. 25-27, 2007.

Musical icons Kenny Rogers, Michael Bolton and Christopher Cross are among the Grammy-winning acts set to rock the 10th Annual Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival: ‘The Art of Music,’ at the Aqueduct on Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Kenneth Donald “Kenny” Rogers has a career that’s spanned six decades, more than 70 hit singles and three Grammys. His new album and title single, ‘I Can’t Unlove You,’ continues to heat up the Country Music Charts, while old time favorites likes ‘Lady,’ and ‘Lucille,’ continues to thrill fans. Janaury will mark his second time performing at the festival, where he’s a major hit with Jamaican fans.

Bolton, born Michael Bolotin found his biggest success in the mid-eighties and early nineties as a solo vocalist, selling 53 million albums and two Grammys.

Cross, born Christopher Geppert, is perhaps best known for composing the theme for the film ‘Arthur,’ titled ‘Best That You Can Do.’ The song won an Oscar in 1981 but it was his self-titled debut album, ‘Christopher Cross,’ that won him five Grammys in 1979.
Other performances on the bill to date include Roy Ayers, Chuck Mangione, Pieces of a Dream and ABBA The Tribute, Robert Cray, NEYO, Monty Alexander, the ‘new’ Stylistics, NEWA (featuring Arturo Tappin) , and Anthony Hamilton.

Meanwhile, all U.S. fans are urged by Jazz Fest officials to secure their U.S. passport or certify that the passport of their foreign country is valid before traveling to the festival next year.

The call comes as the countdown to the US’ Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative or ‘passport rule,’ begins ahead of the extended January 23, 2007 deadline, which will require all air travelers to present a passport to re-enter the United States.

U.S. passports may be obtained through the U.S. Postal Service while Caribbean and other greencard holder can obtain passports from their local consulates. U.S. passport fee are US$67 plus an execution fee of $30 and a photo fee of $15 Fees for children under age 16 are $52 plus the additional photo and execution fees.

Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival is a Turn Key Production and has been running continuously for the past ten years. It began in October 1996 on the lawns of the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay, with some 3,000 persons but now caters to some 40,000 music fans. International acts that have been featured over the past decade include John Legend, Bo Diddley, George Benson, Air Supply, Patti Labelle, Al Jarreau, Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, Mary J Blige, James Ingram and Nancy Wilson. This year it moves to a new venue – the Aqueduct – on the beach side of the Rose Hall main road, near the Wyndham Rose Hall resort.

Sponsors include Air Jamaica, The Jamaica Tourist Board and American Express. For JazzFest packages call Air Jamaica Vacations at 1-800-LOVEBIRD or for more information, log on to: www.airjamaicajazzandblues.com.