Lionel Richie

Live stars mixed and mingled with realistic wax figures at the 2009 JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival New York launch at Mademe Tussauds in Times Square on Tuesday night.
Cocktails and cocktail patties made the rounds. So too did festival producer and Turn Key chief executive, Walter Elmore, as he welcomed official guests, media, partners and performers to the event which seemed like a preview of the vibe to expect at the festival.

Past performer J T Taylor of Kool and the Gang braved the cold in a black turtleneck and chatted with a casually dressed Lou Gramm, former frontman of the group Foreigner. Lou was billed to perform at the festival last year, but missed the stage due to illness. Having heard great things about the 'JAMAICA Jazz' audience from Taylor, fellow lead singer Graham is looking forward to hitting the stage.

The party was co-hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board. The JTB tall man trio of deputy director, Zachary Harding, regional director Tony King and North East USA regional representative Christopher Dobson flashed their warm smiles while mingling with Madam Consul General Geneive Brown Metzger and Air Jamaica regional sales director Campbell Rudder at various points in the evening.

Also spotted at the event were featured performers Atlantic Starr and Canadian phenom Nikki Yanofsky and her parents.

Festival headliner, Lionel Richie, was unable to attend, but via video, Nicole Richie's dad had plenty of good things to say about JAMAICA Jazz. He summed it up by saying, "It's going to be one big unforgettable party."

Lionel is no stranger to Jamaican shores, "I vacation there, I hang out there, I hide out there. This (the festival) is going to be one more excuse to come back and have some fun," he explained.

The crowd was thick and the presentations were succinct, but it was hard not to notice Bob Marley sitting in the corner and Billy Holiday standing over his shoulders. The famous wax statues of Madame Tusssauds certainly made for a backdrop to provoke conversation 'all night long'. Eye-catching figures aside, the message was clear, 'JAMAICA Jazz' will be a world class affair.

The JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival takes place in Rose Hall, Montego Bay from Thursday, January 22 to Saturday, January 24, 2009.

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