The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival has hit a snag and will be rescheduled for March 4 to 6. The show which was supposed to take place between January 28 to 30, had to be changed due to the fact that some international acts are unavailable on the dates advertised.
Organizers said they felt it was the best decision to make in light of the unavailability of these artistes to record their performance, which was caused mainly because of the COVID-19 restrictions in their various places of abode. Producer Adrian Allen explained more to the Jamaica Observer and said that his team felt it was best to shift the dates.
“All things considered we believe that this is the best option for all concerned. Just a day ago we were advised by an international artiste, almost on the point of confirmation, that he would not be able to do the performance within the required dates, due to the California COVID 19 restrictions,” he said.
He added that some of the other international acts would have similar setbacks. “This was a big disappointment to us and in trying to replace him realized that the other performers we could target were subject to the same issues. We decided that it was best to postpone the event,” he continued.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to linger, other music events have been rescheduled, including the 2021 Grammys, which was originally scheduled for January 31 and has also been pushed back to March.
The show recently announced young talents Lila Iké and Tessellated joined the lineup. Other acts that were announced included Richie Stephens, Jah9, and Jon Secada. The event returned after an almost six-year hiatus. Promoters said they expected about 16-18 acts to perform on the virtual stage. They also announced that winners of the Band Quest Competition would join the cast as the opening act.
