City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, July 14, 2010) – Jimmy Cliff will headline the sixth week of the 2010 Party in the Park summer concert series on Thursday, July 15, at the Riverside Festival site downtown.
Jimmy Cliff is a Jamaican ska and reggae singer, musician and actor who is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as “Sitting in Limbo," “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “We all are one” and “Many Rivers to Cross.” He has also covered several big hits including Cat Stevens' “Wild World” and Johnny Nash's “I Can See Clearly Now" from the film “Cool Runnings.” Outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in “The Harder They Come.” Jimmy Cliff was one of 5 performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
He began writing songs while still at primary school in St. James Jamaica. After two singles that failed to make much impression, his career took off at the age of 14 when his "Hurricane Hattie" became a hit. Cliff's later local hit singles included "King of Kings," "Dearest Beverley,” "Miss Jamaica" and "Pride and Passion." In 1964, Cliff was chosen as one of the Jamaican representatives at the World's Fair. His international debut album was “Hard Road to Travel,” which received excellent reviews and included "Waterfall" which became a hit in Brazil and won the International Song Festival.
"Waterfall" was followed in 1969 by "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and "Vietnam" in 1970, both popular throughout most of the world. Bob Dylan called "Vietnam" the best protest song he had ever heard.
Opening for Jimmy Cliff are Tinted Image, a five piece pop/rock group that has been receiving national attention. The band has opened for many national acts this year and best describes their music as “the female version of John Mayer and the Dave Matthews Band.”
Food and drink will be available for purchase at the festival site. Patrons may not bring food or beverages (with the exception of one sealed bottle of water) into the concerts. Ample on-street parking is available and at nearby parking garages, including the Court Street Garage at the corner of South Avenue and Court Street and
The after-party, dubbed Party After Dark, will feature a free jam session hosted by Tegan and the Tweeds and late-night happy hour pricing on food and beverages at the Radisson Hotel following every Party in the Park concert.
Party in the Park will take place at the Riverside Festival Site on the corner of Court Street and Exchange Boulevard Gates open at 5 p.m.
This extraordinary lineup of entertainment is sponsored by the City of Rochester with corporate support from City Newspaper, Heineken, the Rochester Radisson Riverside Hotel, Mann’s Jewelers, Continental School of Beauty, 95.1 The Fox, 1180 WHAM, WHTK AM&FM, 100.5 The Drive, 106.7 KISS FM and Rochester Events.
For more information, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/partyinthepark or call 311 (outside the city limits, call 585-428-5990). Visit www.RochesterEvents.com for videos and samples of the music.
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News Media: For more information, contact City Special Events Operations Manager Margaret Reichert at 428-6694.