Here are five can’t-miss acts at the 2023 Jazz in the Gardens in Miami Gardens
From a music festival perspective, Miami-Dade County has a little something, something for everybody.
Hip-hop heads have Rolling Loud. EDM fans have Ultra. Latin music lovers have Calle Ocho. Soca enthusiasts have Carnival. The list goes on and on.
Still, there’s nothing quite like Jazz in the Gardens. Held at Hard Rock Stadium March 11 and 12, the Miami Gardens festival brings together some of the brightest R&B acts past and present with a sprinkle of gospel. More than that, the festival showcases the diversity of South Florida’s Black community. Aunties and activists. Bahamians and Haitians. Public servants and the public they serve. Wide swaths of the community flock to Miami Gardens to witness what can best be described as an in-person version of the Saturday morning cleaning soundtrack.
After a more heavy hip-hop lineup in 2022, the festival has returned to its R&B roots for 2023 with a splash of dancehall and the same sprinkle of gospel . There are a lot of heavy hitters on this list so it’s tough to narrow down to five. No disrespect to Jilly from Philly, a legend in her own right with at least one classic album in “Who is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1” (mind your business if you see me belting my heart out to “The Way”).
Without further delay, here are five acts you don’t what to miss this who I’m looking forward to seeing:
Erykah Badu (Sunday):
Miss. Badu is a neo-soul legend.
How many people can pull off a music video in which they walk naked down a major city street?
Since she stepped on the scene, her music was the antithesis to the flashiness and hip-hop influence of ’90s R&B. The same is even true about her aesthetic as her embrace of “locs and ’fros” and the “natural state,” as she recently told Vogue, was an anomaly in the 1990s.
Badu truly is one of one: a style icon and four-time Grammy winner who didn’t compromise. What a star.
Charlie Wilson (Sunday):
You’re probably thinking what does this 26-year-old know about Charlie Wilson. Besides being the go-to R&B O.G. for a hip-hop chorus, actually quite a lot: The Gap Band was a staple in my household growing up. Besides, I’ve had to tell a few women you can’t keep running in and out my life.
Still, the hip-hop fan in me has questions. Are we getting “Peaches & Cream?” “EARFQUAKE?” The absolutely beautiful “Bound 2” chorus?
Can’t wait to find out.
Ari Lennox (Saturday):
Lennox is a rising star in the genre of neo soul.
Across her first two albums, Lennox explores the ups and downs of contemporary dating with a silky, smooth soprano. It’s clear, as she told Apple Music ahead of the late 2022 release of “age/sex/location,” that she “loves the idea of love.” Still, Lennox’s latest project finds her more self-assured than ever in her appreciation of self-love.
Her music sounds so soulful that it’s tough to remember that the Washington, D.C., native is only 31. Then again, Dreamville’s resident songstress’ sound makes sense as she’s part of a storied legacy of D.C. soul singers. And while comparison is the thief of joy, Lennox’s future is boundless.
Sean Paul (Sunday):
You can’t talk about dancehall without bringing up Sean Paul.
It’s just not possible. “Dutty Rock” turned 20 last November and that album still gets run to this day. “I’m Still in Love with You?” Banger. “Like Glue?” Banger. “Gimme the Light?” Banger. “Get Busy?” Banger. “Baby Boy?” Banger. The list goes on and on.
Paul is one of the driving forces behind dancehall’s growing influence in pop music. Out of the entire lineup, Paul could easily be the one that gets the entire crowd on their feet. It is called dancehall, after all. Start practicing your wine now before it’s too late.
El DeBarge (Saturday):
Seven words: that high note in “I Like It.”
That alone deserves a spot on this list. Throw in “All This Love,” “Rhythm of the Night” as well as “A Dream” and “Stay With Me,” the latter two being by the legendary 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G., respectively.
While many fans may prefer his work with the group DeBarge, his solo career has produced a few jams. “Can’t Get Enough,” “Lay With You” and his Quincy Jones collaboration “The Secret Garden” specifically come to mind.
IF YOU GO
When: March 11 & 12, 2023
Where: Hard Rock Stadium (347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens, FL 33056)
Tickets: $135-$325 for two-day tickets, $105-$260 for single-day ticket or go to https://jazzinthegardens.com/tickets/ for more information
This story was originally published March 9, 2023, 12:30 PM.
