Hundreds of talented musicians have begun to audition for limited spots on The 2012 JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival’s talent stage. The festival will be held from Thursday, January 26, to Saturday, January 28, and will feature an amazing line-up of iconic and upcoming artists on two stages.

The auditions began yesterday (Friday) at Studio 38, located at 38A Trafalgar Road, and continue tomorrow at Wickie Wackie Beach, Bull Bay. The auditions tomorrow begin at 5 p.m.

The talent stage platform is the ideal place to promote the talent of emerging musical acts. There is room to accommodate 17 acts performing over the three days of the festival. The eclectic mix of talent is determined by the auditions process and through special invitations.

“Half of the acts to be confirmed for the talent stage are invited and are being referred to as the Blue Chip Set. The other acts will join us by auditioning,” said Ewan Simpson of the Art of Music Production Limited (AMP), organisers of the event.

“To ensure that the talent stage has the perfect blend of the best undiscovered and underexposed musical gems, we have decided to invite some already established acts in the industry as well as invite other acts to showcase their talents through open auditions. Some acts already confirmed to hit the stage include Raging Fyah, Ebony, and Noddy Virtue.”

Non-stop entertainment

Past acts on the talent stage have included Tarrus Riley, Stratdon, Blue Grass, Sherita Lewis, Nickiesha Barnes, Further Notice, Defranco, Cameal Davis, Rootz Underground, and Tessanne Chin.

The talent stage will be located in the food court, which provides delectable treats for patrons. From there, jazz fans can expect seamless non-stop entertainment during intermissions. The food court will present a diverse and tasty culinary experience with offers from quick service to gourmet. The food court will have about 14 food stalls from Jamaica’s premier culinary connoisseurs such as Café Blue, Pelican, and Scotchies.

Performances on the talent stage begin at 5 p.m. each show day and run for one hour before action begins on the main stage. The performances also continue during each main stage band change.

A few of the international and local big names expected to perform on the main stage are Celine Dion, Cee Lo Green, The Temptations Review, John Holt, Shaggy, Destra, Ky-Mani Marley, Gentleman, Earl Klugh, and Heads of State.

The 16th staging of the event, which will incorporate Jamaica’s Golden Jubilee celebration promises another spectacular year aimed at thrilling all patrons.

The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival – The Art of Music is sponsored by The Jamaica Tourist Board, Flow, Iberostar, Half Moon, Jewel’s Dunn’s River, CVM TV, Hilton Rose Hall, The Gleaner, Sunset Beach Resort, RIU Hotel and Resorts, and many more.

The three-day festival returns to the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium. Individuals interested in attending the live performances may purchase tickets at the official website jamaicajazzandblues.com.