Jazz & Rib Fest to feature headliners Brian McKnight, Musiq Soulchild and more

A roster of award-winning performers in genres from R&B and jazz to Afro-Cuban music are featured at the 43rd Jazz & Rib Fest, which takes place July 19-21 at Bicentennial and West Bank parks along the Scioto Mile riverfront.

The free festival, which draws more than 200,000 people to downtown Columbus each year, is to showcase more than 50 artists on three stages, including these headliners each day:

July 19

• Nicholas Payton: A Grammy-winning trumpeter, vocalist and composer whose style is described as postmodern New-Orleans music.
• The Brian McKnight 4: An R&B singer and multi-instrumentalist with numerous chart-topping songs, including "Love Is" (with Vanessa Williams) and "Back at One."

July 20

• Musiq Soulchild: A singer-songwriter who fuses R&B, funk, blues, jazz and gospel with hip-hop and has been featured with many artists and on the soundtracks of several Tyler Perry movies.
• Pedrito Martinez Group: Led by Cuban percussionist, drummer, singer, dancer, songwriter, composer and educator Pedrito Martinez, the group performs rumbas and Afro-Cuban folkloric and religious music

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July 21

• Regina Belle: An R&B singer known for such hits as "Baby Come to Me," "Make it Like it Was" and the Grammy-winning "A Whole New World."
• Dirty Dozen Brass Band: An ensemble blending funk and bebop with traditional New-Orleans jazz were also winners of the Grammy Award for best American roots performance in 2023.

The Jazz & Rib Fest also offers 17 BBQ vendors and more than 25 alternatives to BBQ, including vegetarian and vegan options.

For more festival information, visit hotribscooljazz.org.

bpaschal@dispatch.com