THE Jamaica Ocho Rios International Jazz Festival, for Jamaica 50 celebrations, will showcase different musical genres during its week-long concert series between June 9 and 17.

Jazz, mento, samba, and salsa will form part of the mix on the opening night on Saturday, June 9 at the Courtleigh Auditorium in St Andrew. The show starts at 7:00 pm.

Headline acts include the soul singer Jimmy James; Brazilian band Ba-Boom; dynamic keyboard players Drs Carol Ball and Kathy Brown, Joy Brown and Kamla Hamilton. Energy Plus Mento Band, the Jamaica Big Band, the Desi Jones Group, and vocalist Karen Smith are expected to perform.

Sunday feature a brunch at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Andrew with sumptuous fare and music. Four Seasons Hotel and Sunset Resort Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St Ann — the jazz villages — will be hosting free nightly jams.

A free public concert is planned for the Ocean Village Shopping Centre in Ocho Rios on Wednesday, June 13.

The Louise Bennett Garden Theatre on Hope Road, St Andrew, will be the venue for a jazz music workshop on Friday, June 15. While Saturday, June 16, Glenn’s Jazz Club in Ocho Rios and the Two Seasons Guest House in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, will be hosting events.

The curtains come down with a Father’s Day concert at the Turtle River Park in Ocho Rios on Sunday, June 17.

This event will feature songbird Mari Isaacs and Harold Davis on keyboard; ‘Drumology’ with drummers extraordinaire Ouida Lewis, Calvin Mitchell, Supersad and Ewan Simpson. The ‘Battle of the Horns’ will feature Mickey Hanson, Romeo Grey, Vivian Scott, Ian Hird, Harold Tingling, and Everard Gayle. Another highlight of the closing concert is ‘Guitar Conversations’ showcasing the expertise of Rupert Bent and Wigmoore Francis. Repeat performances by the Brazilian Band Ba-Boom and the Desi Jones Group will be in the mix.