Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Singer Anita Baker (left) and pop singer, Diana Ross, will be featured artistes at the annual jazz festival.

Some were specified and a few were not. Some were certain and at least one, the completion of the highway, as much a statement of hope and confidence as a prediction.

Take a slew of improvements were outlined at the Mona Visitors' Lodge, UWI, yesterday morning, as the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival was officially launched.

And while the trio of female headliners for the January 24 to 26 festival has long been announced, an extensive supporting cast was outlined by Turnkey Productions' Walter Elmore, who pointed out that there are six Grammy nominations among those on the line-up.

On Thursday, January 24, when the Sweet Love of Anita Baker is the highlight, Spyro Gyra, JT Taylor of Kool and the Gang, Yerba Buena and Marjorie Whylie, along with a violinist Jessica Yapp and Sonny Bradshaw, among others, will be presented at the Aqueduct, Rose Hall.

When Jill Scott does headline duties the following night, Hugh Masakela, Ryan Shaw and Lou Gramm, of the group Foreigner.

The festival closes with Diana Ross, Taj Mahal, Billy Ocean, gospel group, Mary Mary, and 13-year-old Nikky Yankofsky.

And, for those who have suffered through an Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues' traffic jam, Elmore said confidently, "We will be having a four-way highway for jazz. You will have an underpass."

"We will be closing the nights with the high-energy acts," Elmore said, naming the Kool and the Gang member as the opening night's closer.

Areas of improvement

Zachary Harding, advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Edmond Bartlett, addresses the audience at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues 2008 launch at the Mona Visitors' Lodge yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Carlette DeLeon of Headline Entertainment promised "the biggest and best" festival yet, saying that there will be changes to the venue to make it better. In addition, "the VIP area has been further enhanced".

Another area of improvement is an online ticketing system, outlined by Noelle Nichols of Island Stubbs, through which persons will be able to access electronic tickets as well as pick up tickets at the gate.

Wayne Smith of OLINT, presenting sponsor of the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, said the organisation was happy to be "helping to promote globally the real vibe of Jamaica through this internationally recognised event".

"You can count on our unwavering support, as we believe in partnering with Jamaicans for Jamaicans," Smith said.

Representatives of other sponsors, including The Jamaica Observer, CVM, Supreme Ventures and Cable and Wireless, expressed their confidence in and support of Jazz and Blues 2008.

The Jamaica Tourist Board's (JTB) David Shields saying "this is an important event in our active marketing strategy for Jamaica. It represents all that Jamaica is about."

Air Jamaica's Will Rodgers remembered the start of the festival and commented that, for the airline, "things were a little thicker then." "Fortunately, as Air Jamaica got thinner people like OLINT grew to be a major sponsor today."

Guest speaker, Zachary Harding of the Ministry of Tourism, invited all "to come to Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues to start 2008 with a bang."

He said the festival "epitomises what is possible when we come together and construct products that are designed to be world class".

The talent stage will once again be a part of the festival, Ian Gibson saying that auditions will be held in Kingston at the Deck, Ocho Rios at the Hard Rock Café and Montego Bay at Coral Cliff in the second week of January.

Violinist Jessica Yapp.