release confirming two local acts have been named to open the Friday and Saturday night National Stadium shows.

Legacy will take to the stage at 6.30 on Friday night to open for headliners George Benson, Herbie Mann, and Dianne Reeves, and on Saturday at 6.30 Tempo warms up for Gladys Knight, Cassandra Wilson, and Lee Ritenour.

Meanwhile, advance ticket sales, both locally and in North America, look promising, festival producer Stephen Wagner told The Royal Gazette .

"We've fielded over 8,500 calls (in North America) with people wanting to book and we expect in excess of 1,000 people coming in.'' About 4,000 tickets are on sale for Friday night's performance while between 4,000 and 5,000 will be issued for Saturday night.

But unforeseen problems with flight availability, he said, may have hampered efforts to boost off-shore ticket sales.

Bermuda Tourism officials earlier told The Royal Gazette they were hoping for about 3,000 North Americans to visit the Island for the October 11 to 13 festival.

But the collapse of KIWI airlines and low seat availability out of Boston and New York had kept some jazz fans grounded, said Mr. Wagner.

Local ticket demand was good and getting better, Duane De Mello of the Music Box told The Royal Gazette , despite some grumbling that the best seats were available only to North Americans.

Mr. Wagner however denied that was the case: "Seats were broken out for on-Islanders and tourists on an alternating row basis,'' he said. "Obviously we have to balance the concerns of sponsors and the press. You have to take into account the time and money being spent by someone flying in and staying at a hotel for the week; you don't want to put them in the back of the house.'' Meanwhile Mr. De Mello said he had no idea how many tickets had passed through his Reid Street store: "I've lost track. I'd have to say a bare minimum of 500 but probably somewhere closer to 750.'' And while that doesn't sound like enough to fill the National Stadium, he expects demand to pick up: "Bermudians are famous last-minute people,'' he said.

Prices for Friday and Saturday night concerts cost $45 for general admission and $55 for reserved seating, and are on sale at The Visitor's Service Bureau on Front Street, the Reid Street and St. George's locations of The Music Box, Music World in the Bermudiana Arcade, and The Robin Hood Pub.

Jazzscape is the centrepiece of several days of on-Island celebrations beginning today with Harbour Night activity on Front Street. St. George's takes over tomorrow with Heritage Night in King's Square.

On Saturday afternoon the Island's east end again takes centre stage with the St. George's Festival, featuring locals Gita Blakeney, Randy Lambert and Tempo, Time Tunnel, and a guest appearance by Herbie Mann.

Meanwhile the Royal Artillery Centennial Celebrations will be taking place at Garrison Field and the Gombeys will be on hand to bring things to a close.

Rounding up the Island showcase will be Culture Fest, taking place all day Sunday at Dockyard.