Renovated Cinergy Field's Ohio River view and real grass weren't the only new things about Friday's opening show of the Coors Light Jazz Festival.

        As usual, the festival features plenty of old-school stars, from perennial headliner Frankie Beverly & Maze to Dayton R&B vets the Ohio Players. But the fest also looked to the future with the debut of Ram-Z, Cincinnati's newest harmony trio to hit the charts. Other newcomers included soulmen Carl Thomas and Joe and the anticipated fest debut of neo-soul queen Jill Scott.

        The new Cinergy made it a very different festival. The opening night crowd was estimated at 20,000, down from last year's because of competition from Indianapolis' Black Expo and the local downtown boycott. For those who came, there were fewer places to sit. With no infield chairs, field seating was cut by 3,000.

        If it survives, the fest will have no shortage of future headliners. Carl Thomas, out of Sean Combs' Bad Boy camp, gave a 50-minute show that showed him to be a superstar in the making. He's a classic R&B singer with the fluid, mellifluous vocal style and sexual heat of the late Sam Cooke. He paid tribute to his inspiration in a stunning “A Change is Gonna Come” that took the Cinergy crowd to church. His show, the first after sunset, finally brought the fest to life.

        Joe then kicked it up, turning the stadium into a huge sing-along, mixing soul with hip-hop (including an onstage DJ) and earning the first standing ovation.

        The Ohio Players gave a 50-minute show that encored with the '70s funk of “Fire.” But the show never caught flame, because of hoarse lead singer Sugarfoot, who's too old for his frontman role. Wizened and bare-chested, he looked and sounded like Rufus Thomas impersonating Sisqo.

        The festival continues tonight at 8.

Start making scents
Fewer attend, but debuts ignite Coors Light fest
Theater review
No place like Llanfair
Ornamentation ruled in late 19th century
In the know
Get to it