<div id="<?php print $player_id; ?>-playlist" class="jp-playlist">
    <ul>
      <li>foo - outside playlist loop</li>
      <li>bar</li>
      <li>blah</li>
      <li><?php print_r($items); ?></li>
      <?php if ($mode == 'playlist'): ?>
    <?php
       for($i = 0; $i < count($items); $i++) {
        print '<li></li>';
           }
        ?>
        <?php foreach ($items as $item): ?>
          <?php drupal_set_message('item loop' . print_r($item, true)); ?>
          <?php watchdog('jplayer-debug', $item['url']); ?>
      <!-- the following print statements do not display -->
          <?php print 'foo'; ?>
          <li<?php print $item['class'] ? ' class="' . $item['class'] . '"' : '' ?>><a href="<?php print $item['url']; ?>" title="<?php print check_plain($item['label']); ?>"><?php print check_plain($item['label']); ?></a></li>
        <?php endforeach; ?>
      <?php else: ?>
        <li><?php print check_plain($item['label']); ?></li>
      <?php endif; ?>
    </ul>
  </div>
</div>