The City of Miami Gardens’ 9th Annual Jazz in the Gardens music festival at Sun Life Stadium is proud to announce record breaking numbers for two-day total attendance. The 2014 attendance surpassed 2013, jumping from 63,000 to 68,000 attendees. Jazz in the Gardens is recognized for its A-list performers, delicious food, extraordinary weather and friendly atmosphere which contributes to remarkable tickets sales and continued success.
Fans from all across the nation and abroad, danced in aisles to performances from LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland, Mint Condition, Anthony Hamilton, Stanley Clarke, Rachelle Farrell and Boney James. The festival was hosted by comedian, actor, author, political commentator and syndicated radio host D.L. Hughley.
This year’s star-studded lineup featured surprise appearances by Nelly who appeared to support Kelly Rowland’s performance of the duo’s 2002 hit, “Dilemma.” Superstar comedian, Kevin Hart had the crowd in stitches before Trey Songz took the stage.
“The Human Beat Box,” Doug E. Fresh was the weekend’s hardest working artist with performances at the Friday night pre-party, Saturday with Jamie Foxx and Sunday with Stanley Clarke. Smooth and soulful Tank added more R&B to Foxx’s Saturday set with a performance of, “Please Don’t Go.” Foxx’s “Unpredictable” set showcased his wide array of talent with a mixture of R&B, comedy and theater. His Ray Charles-like performance of “Georgia” was spot-on and “Blame It” was appropriate for the ladies that participated in the onstage dance contest for $5,000 cash. After the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets on Sunday, the crowd went wild for three-time NBA Champion, Dwyane Wade and BET’s star of “Being Mary Jane,” Gabrielle Union’s introduction of LL Cool J. LL energetically graced the stage and performed all his old school hip hop classics such as “Rock The Bells” and “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Rachelle Ferrell’s show was a tough act to follow; her six octave range had the crowd on their feet with her performance of her signature hit, “Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This.” Boney James’ mastery of the saxophone was only matched by Stanley Clarke’s genius on the bass. Mint Condition showcased their range and gave the crowd what they wanted with an incredible performance of, “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).” Anthony Hamilton’s soulful performance was a weekend favorite. D.L. Hughley delighted attendees by bringing fellow comedian Sommore on stage late Sunday night before the final stunning performance of the weekend, closing act and consistent fan favorites, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.
Syndicated radio host Tom Joyner stopped by to catch a few Saturday performances and living legend and social activist Harry Belafonte attended as well.
All of the action at Sun Life Stadium was preceded by incredible performances on Friday night from S.O.S. Band, Dazz Band and Doug E. Fresh at Calder Casino’s Turf Club at the first annual Official Jazz in the Gardens Friday Night Pre-party. The enthusiastic crowd danced to “Take Your Time,” “Let It Whip” and Doug E. Fresh’s journey through hip hop and his rendition of, “This Is How You Dougie.”
“I want to thank everyone’s continued support of this festival which was a whole lotta fun! On behalf of the City Council, I’m honored to invite the world to celebrate Jazz in the Gardens every year. And for anyone that attended the 2014 festival, it may seem hard to believe, but the 10th Annual will be even bigger and better!” said City of Miami Gardens, Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
Sponsors of the 9th Annual Jazz in the Gardens include Presenting Sponsor Music Choice; Platinum sponsors Sun Life Stadium, Miami Dolphins, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Volkswagen; Gold Sponsors MSNBC, Comcast, Tootsies, WHQT, ADT and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
For more information about 2015’s 10th anniversary edition of Jazz in the Gardens, visit www.jazzinthegardens.com, www.facebook.com/jazzinthegardens, twitter.com/jazzgardens and instagram.com /jitg9. Sponsorship requests should be directed to Roane Consulting Group at (804) 506-4020 or sponsorships@jazzinthegardens.com. Food and merchandise vendor request should be sent to vendors@jazzinthegardens.com.
About City of Miami Gardens
The City of Miami Gardens celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013. Miami Gardens is the 33rd city in Miami-Dade County. With a population of approximately 110,000, it is the third largest city in Miami-Dade County. Miami Gardens is a solid, working and middle class community of unique diversity. It is the largest predominantly African-American municipality in Florida and boasts many Caribbean and Hispanic residents. The City hosted the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl™, Super Bowl XLIV™, 2013 Orange Bowl and 2013 BCS National Championship game. The City has demonstrated steady growth in the areas of community and economic development, and has gained a reputation for being a hot destination in South Florida. www.miamigardens-fl.gov
