The 2001 WIZ Coors Light Riverfront Jazz Festival ended Sunday at Cinergy Field with a mix of real jazz, contemporary gospel and new and old-school soul. It played to a crowd of about 5,000, part of the smallest fest in years, with three-day attendance totaling little more than 40,000.

        But the big story wasn't the boycott or post-riot ticket slump. It was the changing of the guard.

        The fest has always moved to the beat of an old-school drummer. Year after year, Frankie Beverly and other vets have been able to draw the crowds. Younger acts have been unable to match the older acts.

        Until this year, when the Ohio Players and Four Tops flopped and a bumper crop of young acts — Jill Scott, Joe, Carl Thomas and Brian McKnight — proved they have the talent and star power to take the festival into the future.

        Not all the vets phoned in their shows. Mr. Beverly and Maze closed Friday in their usual blaze of glory.

        On Saturday, Aretha Franklin proved she is still the Queen of Soul, with a voice powerful enough to lead her 23-piece band through her canon — “Respect,” “Natural Woman.”

        On Sunday, soul's new generation was represented by Yolanda Adams, whose open-hearted sincerity and fluid, sensual voice powered a gospel set even an atheist could love. Nothing symbolized the festival better than the closing acts, Gerald Levert and father Eddie's O'Jays.

        The younger Mr. Levert blended classic soul with modern bump 'n' grind, alternating sensitive love ballads with suggestive up-tempo songs.

        The O'Jays followed, with all the vitality of a young group but with the timing and showmanship of seasoned veterans.

        There was even some jazz. Sunday opened with Kathy Wade & the Queen City All Stars — guitarist Scotty An derson, trumpeter Mike Wade (no relation), bassist Jim Anderson (no relation), saxophonist Randy Villars, trombonist Marc Fields, keyboardist Khalid Moss, drummer Melvin Broach and conguero Miguel Maldonado.

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