June Is Jazz Month in Jamaica, with the 14th annual International Jamaica Ocho Rios Jazz Festival scheduled for June 13 - 20 at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande.  Concerts will be staged at numerous locations in Ocho Rios, Kingston and Treasure Beach, filling Jamaica with hot jazz for eight glorious days.
This year’s theme for the festival is Jazz, Wine & The Blues 2004, and the impressive line-up of performers includes Joe Turner, Frank Morgan, the Jamaica Big Band, Barbara Walker, the Roberto Magris Jazz Quartet, the Jon Seiger All Stars, and many more.  Jon Seiger will perform a tribute to Louis Armstrong.  With the closing day of the festival timed for Father’s Day, the final concert will celebrate fathers everywhere.

Festival organiser Sonny Bradshaw commented on the leadership position of the Ocho Rios Festival, which has been the catalyst for many more jazz events in the Caribbean region.

“We are pleased and justly proud of our leadership role in the jazz movement,” he said, “as many other Caribbean festivals have adopted the innovative features first introduced by our planners and coordinators, including the extension of the festival period from one-day and weekend events to 10-day presentations.”
——-