Jazz lineup takes shape - Big names join the festival set for January 27

The Booking of Maroon 5 for the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival seems to be just one of the stories that will provide interest.

An array of international and local musical stars have been confirmed for the event's 15th staging, which will once again make the picturesque Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium its home.

Already confirmed for the ultra-exquisite week-long festival is Sisters with Voices better known as SWV. The American female contemporary R&B trio from New York has been mesmerising fans since coming together in 1990. Their infectious sounds have brought hits such as Weak, Right Here/Human Nature and I'm So Into You. The group, which reunited in 2005, after disbanding to pursue solo projects in 1999, has been ranked number 100 of the top-500 pop artistes of the past 25 years.

Confirmed acts

Other confirmed acts to date are Jamaican songstress Diana King and Irish recording artiste Laura Izibor, who has been compared to legendary singer Aretha Franklin.

The soulful singer's debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, peaked at number 27 in the United States and number two in Ireland.

According to Walter Elmore, chief executive officer of TurnKey Productions, the company that stages the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, the patrons are the ones who determine the line-up for the festival.

"Each year, we ask our patrons who they want to see on the festival, then we go in search of those acts. We are in the process of signing additional headliners," Elmore explained.

Some of the créme de la créme in international and local music have previously graced the north coast of Jamaica for the festival, including Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Anita Baker, Hall & Oates, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Maxi Priest, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander, Billy Ocean and Third World.

The event, which has grown from a modest 1,500 patrons to well over 25,000, will be held January 23 to 29, 2011. Maroon 5 performs on January 28.

Major sponsors for the 2011 edition are the Jamaica Tourist Board, Heineken, Baileys, Johnny Walker and Flow.

Air Jamaica, the now defunct national airline, started the festival in 1996. That first effort was done in association with the Jamaica Tourist Board and several other business entities.

Ticket prices

Tickets for the events are as follows:

Thursday

Silver presold - US$80

Gold presold - US$110

Platinum presold - US$160

Friday

Silver presold - US$85

Gold presold - US$120

Platinum presold - US$170

Saturday

Silver presold - US$85

Gold presold - US$120

Platinum presold - US$180

Group tickets

Friday and Saturday

Silver - US$170

Gold - US$240

Platinum - US$340

Thursday-Saturday

(Season tickets)

Silver - US$250

Gold - US$350

Platinum - US$500

Further information on the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival can be found at the website www.jamaicajazzandblues.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter.