MUSIC producer and radio jock Kurt Riley is hoping to take patrons on a musical excursion with the inaugural staging of Jambian Music Festival.

Jambian Music Festival will take place on Saturday, October 22, at Pier One in Montego Bay, St James. Among those rostered to provide musical ambiance are Montego Bay’s DJ Crazy Neil, Riley, St Ann’s DJ Presley Hype, DJ Squeak from Team Shella, and Coppershot.

“All the DJs on the line-up play as one. You’re going to hear a mix of soca, Afrobeats, dancehall, reggaeton, Latin music and Caribbean music. This event is really to push the music from the Caribbean in a party atmosphere and in one place,” Riley told the Jamaica Observer.

He continued, “I chose Montego Bay as the location for the first staging because I can get the influx of locals and tourists who are open-minded when it comes to music. I’m also looking to do this event again next year.”

Riley said getting the DJs on board wasn’t difficult.

“They are all my bredrins and we all do things to support each other. When I went to each of them with the idea, they loved what I was doing and they each wanted to be a part of it.”

Riley has some experience in events promotion, having been associated with the popular soca series Hard Wine. He also promoted Trailer Load Wednesdays and the Animal Instinct series which was held in Kingston, Ocho Rios, and St Elizabeth.

His Jambian Music label scored a massive hit with Charly Black’s Latin America diamond-certified hit Gyal You a Party Animal. The song was also certified gold in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

— Kevin Jackson