Commentary by Bill King, Artistic Director

I keep hearing the roar of the crowd and remembering the disappointed faces after Southern blues great Tab Benoit played the final encore. It was ninety minutes of unrelenting rhythm and blues - stinging guitar lines built around one of the finest voices to ever grace the Alex Christie band shell stage. How do you top that? Well, there is method to this programming madness – hunt down soul singing great Jimmy Hall and claim rights for the day.

You’re probably asking yourself – who’s Jimmy Hall? Hall’s been called the white Otis Redding – the best Southern rock singer of his generation. Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers – calls him "My soul brother.” Remember Wet Willie? A few years back Hall made one of the great soul recordings in modern history – ‘Build Your Own Fire’ – a tribute to the late great songwriter and session guitarist Eddie Hinton for Zoho. Not only is Hall locked down but also the mighty Tommy Talton band, Hall’s backing unit. Talton recorded with Bonnie Bramlett, Arthur Conley, Clarence Carter, Greg Allman and a host of greats. Put this date in the book!

Year twenty-one is no different than year one. It’s always a grueling fight for marginal sponsorship dollars needed to keep the summer’s #1 music event rolling. We watch with amazement as millions of dollars are targeted for favored events knowing few will drift this way. It’s a fact of life when mounting community events - especially the most attended and appreciated by our citizens. Rather than labor on the consistent oversight we put our collective brain power together and secure the best talent we can for the dollar. 2009 is no different and we’re ready to rumble!

Beyond Jimmy Hall and Tommy Talton you need look no farther than rising star Hal Linton; four time winner of the Barbados Music Awards 2007. Linton's sound is described as a cross between Marvin Gaye and John Legend. Linton just signed a recording deal with Motown. The BIJF has a long running relationship with the tropical paradise thanks to Barbados Tourism Authority.

How about Kellyee Evans? This is groove based jazz – soul, rhythm and blues, blues, world music rhythms from one of our finest. Kellylee has been compared to Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.

If you love rip-it- up boogie woogie piano then get a seat down front for piano/ saxophonist – entertainer Deanna Bogart. If you enjoy the best of jump blues – then don’t miss Junior Watson. Junior served ten years with American sixties unit – Canned Heat. He’s recorded with Big Mamma Thorton, Jimmy Rogers and others.

We never program the main stage without a ultra hot salsa band! This season is no exception. Cuban born Roberto Linares Brown brings the salsa, reggaeton, son, jazz rumba, cumbia front and center with his fine orchestra. Brown played piano in some of Cuba’s top bands before relocating to Toronto.

Real Divas have arrived with their debut – Café Society – the music of Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Roberta Flack given a new spin. Kinga Victoria, Sophie Berkal-Sarbit, Josephine Biundo and Lauren Margison have spent the past year touring and recording and are ready to sing.

More great blues with our hometown Etta James/Mavis Staples – Shakura S’Aida and her band – great jazz/rock fusion from bassist Rich Brown’s Rinse the Algorithm and some straight ahead hard nose improvisation from local favorite Norman Marshall Villeneuve and his disciples.

OK, so we don't get the money – but we do have the talent! This is just a taste of what to expect. Check out the Woodbine line-up with smooth jazz dynamo Alexander Zonic, singer Daniel Panetta, Blackburn, Lady Son Y Articulo Veinte – the TD Workshops, Youth Initiatives and StreetFest.

Come early and claim a space at our expense.

Bill King
Artistic Director