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| 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Award-winning Jamaican musician, Marjorie Whylie, is among the artists who will be beamed to the world as the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues festival gears up for a live Webcast. Whylie is set to perform on opening night, Thursday January 24th, along side Myrna Hague, during the Art Of Music Jamaica segment on the festival's main stage. Whylie is an accomplished musicologist who, for the past five decades, has made an immeasurable contribution to the development of Jamaican music. She is a bandleader, composer and arranger, a performer and a music educator. At age 15 she gave her debut concert at the Institute of Jamaica presenting the works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy. A graduate of The University of the West Indies, Whylie also pursued a diploma in Music Education from the Jamaica School of Music (now incorporated into the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts). She subsequently served as Head of the school's Folk Music Research Department and, in 1982, was appointed Director of Studies. She currently holds the position of director of music at the UWI. Whylie has received many honors for her work in music and music education, including the national honor of Order of Distinction. In 1997 she was inducted into the Jamaica Jazz Hall of Fame and, in August 2004, she receives the Prime Minister's award for Excellence in Theatre and Music. Her compositions include “Mountain Women," “Ni Woman of Destiny," “I Not I," “Blood Canticles," “Drumscore," “Caribbean Canvas," “The Black Widow," and “Journeys Beyond Survival." CbeanMedia.tv, in collaboration with festival organizers, have reached a deal to stream Whylie's and other live performances from the 2008 festival to fans around the world. Fans will be able to get a front seat to performances from all Caribbean artists as well as those entertainers on the Art Of Music stage, without leaving their computer. Additionally, the live stream, will offer a behind the scenes look at the artists and fans alike. To access the event live, log on to www.cbeanmedia.tv between January 24-26th. Other artists to be featured on the live video stream include the group Chalice, A.J. Brown, Etana, Jessica Yap, Duane Stephenson and Sonny Bradshaw among others. The 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues line-up is also sizzling hot with international acts, including legendary singer, Diana Ross; eight-time Grammy Award winner, Anita Baker, revered 'Caribbean Queen' singer, Billy Ocean and Grammy winner Jill Scott will be among those thrilling fans at the Cinnamon Hill venue at the Aqueduct in Rose Hall, Montego Bay. Chicago-born Grammy- award-winning blues singer, Koko Taylor, has also been added to the Saturday night line-up while others set to perform are newcomer Ryan Shaw, Spyro Gyra, Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Yerba Buena and 13-year-old powerhouse Nikki. A few tickets to the festival are still available at the event's home page: http://www.airjamaicajazzandblues.com/08/. Meanwhile, veteran radio broadcaster and co-author of 'Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World,' Dermott Hussey, is set to be honored for his lifetime dedication to music by organizers of the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival. Hussey will be presented with an award by Walter Elmore, executive producer of the January 24-26, 2008 festival. The award will be presented on January 26, 2008, the final night of the festival in recognition of Hussey's contribution to the creation of the festival. The veteran radio journalist has already won a Musgrave Medal and a prestigious Jamaican award for services to media and music. The Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, since its introduction in 1996, has attracted thousands of patrons from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica. International artistes that have performed at the festival include Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, Norah Jones, Julio Iglesias, Roberta Flack, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, India Arie, Nancy Wilson, Earth Wind and Fire, Kenny G., Michael McDonald, Gladys Knight, Kool & the Gang, Al Jarreau,Branford Marsalis, Brian McKnight Harry Belafonte, Babyface, Stephanie Mills, George Benson, Erykah Badu, Gladys Knight, Michael Bolton, and many more. And to bring the Jamaican flavor, well-known names such as Ziggy Marley, Morgan Heritage, Third World, Toots Hibbert, Shaggy, Sean Paul Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, Monty Alexander, Ritchie Stephens and many other Jamaican talents have made their mark on the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues stage. This year the festival is being presented by key title sponsor, Olint along with support from Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board, Oasis Bottled Water, Viva Sparkling Water, Audi, Vitamalt, Power and Charmin. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |