Jazz In The Gardens (JITG) Music Festival is a vibe that\u2019s like nothing else you will ever experience. It\u2019s a vibe that allows you to go to the festival alone, or come with a friend. If you attend alone, rest assured there are people that will dance and sing with you, and if you attend with a friend you will leave with more friends, because it\u2019s not just a concert, it\u2019s a complete experience, promises Oliver Gilbert III, City of Miami Gardens mayor.<\/p>\n
In its 15th year, JITG promises something special with a stellar lineup \u2013 Mary J. Blige, the most requested artist in JITG history who is expected to tear up the stage in her repeat appearance; Jill Scott, one of the most talented artists in the world will again grace the stage; as well as H.E.R.; then there\u2019s everyone\u2019s favorite uncle, Charlie Wilson who, after multiple appearances at the festival, never disappoints; The Roots with Bilal; Stokely from Mint Condition; SWV; and Kirk Franklin bringing the gospel \u2013 with more artist announcements expected prior to the March 14-15 festival at Hard Rock Stadium.<\/p>\n
Comedian Rickey Smiley will once again return as host of the event that this year will be produced by Live Nation Urban and Live Nation Miami.<\/p>\n
JITG is the City of Miami Gardens\u2019 special way of saying hello to the world, according to the City of Miami Gardens mayor. And Bahamians are among the thousands flocking to JITG in droves to take in the city\u2019s signature event.<\/p>\n
For the 11th year,\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0and Star 106 Hits has partnered with Bahamasair, Comfort Suites Sawgrass and Dollar Thrifty Hertz to give Bahamians the opportunity to take in this amazing experience that Tony Williams, Star programming director describes as \u201cfantastic\u201d after the initial lineup was announced by Gilbert.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is going to be a fantastic show and they haven\u2019t finished naming the artists yet,\u201d said Williams. \u201cI want to see Uncle Charlie. I enjoy him every time I see him. And Mary J. Blige \u2013 I just love her \u2026 you get so much emotion from her because she puts herself into the performance because she tells her life story. Jill Scott is great. And Kirk Franklin is going to be a really upbeat performance. They will definitely name some locals and from past experiences the local acts have been really good and to be looked forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n
JITG is a show that Williams said he definitely looks forward to annually, but he said he\u2019s most excited to partner with Jazz In The Gardens to give\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0readers and Star 106 Hits listeners the opportunity to enjoy a great show and experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery seldom do you get the opportunity to see this many artists together \u2013 and so for me to be able to do this for our readers and listeners is a real treat. Through our partnership with Jazz In The Gardens we can give them an opportunity to see the best show in town in the City of Miami Gardens.\u201d<\/p>\n
While random concert ticket winners will be announced daily from\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0and Star 106 Hits in the weeks leading up to the festival, the grand prize winners who will receive airfare, concert tickets, accommodations and car rental, will be drawn on Thursday, March 5, to give winners a one-week turnaround. Williams encourages people to read\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0and listen to Star 106 Hits to find out how they can win.<\/p>\n
Woodrow \u201cWoody\u201d Wilson, Bahamasair senior consultant, sales and marketing, said at the national airline they look forward to partnering with\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0and Star 106 Hits every year for JITG.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is one of our major events because we know it\u2019s an event the Bahamian public looks forward to, and we look forward to providing the public with the best rates out there to take them to Jazz In The Gardens. We\u2019ve been a partner from day one, and as long as\u00a0The Nassau Guardian<\/i>\u00a0and Star are promoting Jazz In The Gardens, we will be there with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Bahamasair will offer a rate starting at $242 inclusive of all taxes for JITG for people from New Providence as well as Grand Bahama.<\/p>\n
As usual, Wilson and Bahamasair have partnered with hotels in Florida to provide special rates for Bahamians flying in for the popular music festival and have negotiated special rates at Comfort Suites Sawgrass at $109 plus tax per night, and at the Holiday Inn on 103rd Street at $129 plus tax.<\/p>\n
Wilson, a huge fan of JITG, says he\u2019s looking forward to seeing Charlie Wilson perform again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to seeing Uncle Charlie every year, he\u2019s my favorite. I don\u2019t care how many times I see him he puts on such a show. They don\u2019t make music like that anymore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s lineup came a little later than usual, but the wait was worth it when the roster was finally revealed.<\/p>\n
Brittany Flores, Live Nation Miami president said Live Nation was honored to partner with the City of Miami Gardens for the 15th anniversary of JITG.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been outsiders looking in for quite some time \u2013 we look to make this the best year yet, joining forces with the city and creating a spectacular event.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shawn Gee, Live Nation Urban president, who is also an artist manager, spoke to the gem that JITG is and the fact that artists want to play the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I was booking Mary J. Blige this year, I called her manager who is a good friend of mine, I said \u2018I have this event, it\u2019s in March\u2019. She\u2019s checking Mary\u2019s avails and went on with \u2018Mary\u2019s busy, she\u2019s shooting her TV series, and don\u2019t really have a lot of time\u2019. And I said, \u2018Well, it\u2019s Jazz In The Gardens\u2019. She paused and said \u2018Let me call you right back\u2019. Literally, Mary is shooting all week until Friday, jump on a plane, fly down, perform and then jump back on a plane and go back to set.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the impact the festival has within the artists and manager and agent space,\u201d said Gee.<\/p>\n
Gee, who over the years managed two of the artists in this year\u2019s lineup \u2013 The Roots and Jill Scott \u2013 recalled The Roots playing JITG two years ago, and Quest Love after his set taking it all in. Gee remembered looking at Love as he walked off and asking him why it was his first time playing JITG, with Love expressing his want to return.<\/p>\n
As fans prepare for the 15th edition of the popular festival, the City of Miami Gardens mayor reminded them of where the music event came from; that JITG was literally a garden that emerged from concrete and that he wasn\u2019t on the City Council when initially created.<\/p>\n
\u201cShirley Gibson went to the Riviera Beach Jazz Concert they had on the beach, and she said \u2018We can do this in Miami Gardens\u2019. And I said \u2018Well, where would you do it?\u2019 She said \u2018The stadium\u2019. I said \u2018Where in the stadium?\u2019\u2026 I was thinking inside the stadium, she said \u2018We can do it right here in the parking lot, all you need is land\u2019. The idea that you could look out at what was just a parking lot and create what\u2019s become an extraordinary, world-renowned musical entertainment venue destination was extraordinary foresight from her and the initial council persons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilbert said 15 years in, sometimes it\u2019s easy for people to say everyone loves JITG, but he reminded them of the fact that in the early years, people took a lot of heat for the now-popular music festival.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone didn\u2019t like it,\u201d he reminded them, but said the music festival is popular now, and a testament to what can be done when people believe in themselves, each other, and believe in a place.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can create virtually anything if you\u2019re persistent. That\u2019s why I thank them for their vision and their persistence,\u201d said Gilbert. \u201cWe don\u2019t just do Jazz In The Gardens in Miami Gardens. This is a whole week of extraordinary events.\u201d<\/p>\n
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