UCLA continues its annual premier music festival with a few changes, with ticket prices higher and what was once a predominately jazz line-up has been profoundly altered.  Known as the JazzReggae Festival because of the incredible jazz musicians that performed at the festival in previous years, such as the late organist Jimmy Smith, Saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, trumpeter Nicolas Payton, Vocalist Diane Reeves, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and the list goes on and on. However, without changing the name of the festival the first day was flagged as Jam Day to account for the line-up change.

Neo-Soul artist Jill Scott headlined the event for Sunday Memorial Day weekend, Scott known for her fantastic vocal skills—blending many genres of music to create her own unique sound. Yet, before Scott unlashed her amazing vocals on her adoring fans, Hip-Hop sensation Dujeous, a seven member band from New York, got the jam started with plenty of raw energy. This set the stage for the twenty-two year old New Orleans’ native trumpeter Christian Scott who was the only authentic jazz artist in the line-up on jam day. Scott’s sound came across clean and fresh. The audience could feel and enjoy his artistic flow. One of the youngest trumpeters to come out of New Orleans in recent years, Scott has established himself as a talented musician headed for stardom.

With J*DaVeY known for their electro-funk-soul sound they excited the young festival attendees with plenty of vigorous and effectual potency. Through her very interesting style of creative approach to music, Jack Davey along with partner Brook D`Leau certainly kept the audience connected. Speaking of being connected, Soulive delivered an awesome set that thrilled the youngest to the eldest of festival goers. Guitarist Eric Krasno, organist Neal Evans, Drummer Alan Evans and newest member vocalist Toussaint’s style of soul-funk rocked the crowd with great intensity.

Two sisters, Helen and Celia make up the Afropean duo of Les Nubians which performed a touch of hip-hop, R&B, with a bit of poetry to delight their fans. Les Nubians has a similar creative mode resembling the fashion of Grammy winning Floetry, a well known hip-hop British duo that performs frequently in the United States. Also, a Grammy nominated artist—rapper Lupe Fiasco surely gave his fan a forceful and energetic performance, getting them involved early in his set as he continued running about interacting with them from several parts of the stage. The artistic style of Fiasco has won him high praise and recognition among his peers throughout the hip-hop world.

 It was apparent that the festival attendees would be there to the end. No one would dare leave until they heard the incredible vocals of Jill Scott, though thirty minutes behind schedule, the crowd waited patiently. When Scott stepped on stage she was greeted warmly with much enthusiasm. The richness of Scott’s vocals as she sung her latest release “Golden” was sweet and worth waiting for. Scott moved the crowd with up beat selections as well as lovely soft ballads as she was complimented with great support from her band. I’m sad to say that the only disappoint came when media was unable to photograph Jill Scott for this story.