Over the previous week, the energy and economic crisis in the USA, especially the failures of major Wall Street institutions brought on by the sub-prime mortgage crisis, has featured prominently in various conversations I have had with people within the entertainment sector. Coupled with the crash of some of our largest local unregistered saving schemes, the fallout could spell disaster in the short to medium term for the creative industries in Jamaica. The widespread loss of their 401Ks and galloping inflation driven mainly by high fuel prices in the USA, had already begun to impact on recreation habits and lifestyle of the average American.
The statistics reveal that over the last eight months, Americans are traveling less frequently and taking shorter, essential trips. There is growing evidence suggesting a trend towards a reduction of leisure activities and time as people’s real disposable incomes are being eroded. One wonders if this had any direct effect on the reportedly low turnout at Reggae Sumfest this year and how it will impact the winter tourist season for 2008-2009. Any fallout in that November to February period could have negative effects on the local entertainment sector, as it is usually our premier tourist season and generates meaningful employment for artistes and musicians. Large festivals like Rebel Salute and Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues, which attract a significant international audience might also feel the pinch in 2009, unless there is a speedy recovery.
Global music sales had already dropped 8% in 2007, according to a report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries. USA album sales plummeted last year from 2006. For the first time since Nielsen Soundscan started tracking genre sales in 1991, all 12 genres dropped, with rap music down 30% and country music down 16%. Physical sales of CDs and DVDs fell 13% to just over US$15 billion. According to research conducted by the NPD Marketing Group, overall music spending in the US in 2007 was down by 10%, from US$44 to US$40 per capita.
There is a famous local proverb about the monkey and the puss in adverse times. Currently, for the fall season, anecdotal evidence shows that some itineraries for live musical tours have either been postponed or shortened because of low advance sales. Many economists predict that this recession will persist for at least two more years. Bearing this in mind, our local artistes and tour managers may need to put more emphasis on booking show dates outside of the US and aim instead for places like Asia, Australia and Europe in order to compensate for the inevitable further shrinking of the US market.
A few days ago I overhead a conversation between the CEO of Events ‘R’ Us and a senior executive at Kwick Erect Scaffolding Ltd. These gentlemen represent companies that are two of the larger suppliers of specialized equipment and services to live events. One individual asked the other how was business in September, to which the answer was, that in terms of sale volumes, September was the worst month of the year so far. The other conversant responded that the current situation was worse than he had ever experienced in his many years in the business. In Jamaica’s entertainment sector, September is traditionally the tamarind season because it is the month in which the least live events are held. There is no doubt in my mind that this year in particular, the situation has been compounded by the adverse economic environment globally.
Other than annual and brand name events, most of the larger live functions currently being staged are in fact for promotional purposes, being hosted by large companies like Flow and Digicel or to mass market product lines like Heineken and Guinness from Diageo. This has forced a realignment of strategies by promoters and event planners, who now stage multiple small events rather than one large event. In this context, house and theme parties are again back in vogue. Happily, the recent series of celebrations for Usain Bolt was a boon during this depressed period for the industry.
Hopefully, we are now close to the end of this low season, as under normal conditions, the Heroes Weekend signifies a surge in cultural activity and commences the build up of events towards the very busy Christmas period.
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Friday, 19 September 2008
On the Rock with Tradition, Talent and Training
Minister Babsy Grange has made popular her theory on the success of our track and field athletes at the 2008 Olympic Games, as being a combination of tradition, talent and training.
In a sense, the basis of the international success of our music mirrors that of sports. In the case of music, however, the church and other religious institutions have been the crucibles which facilitate both the tradition and the training of our talented youth.
Our problem is that unfortunately, today, the keepers of the flame - not the Olympic one, but our collective morals - have so corrupted it, that now, in this land of ours, nothing is still sacrosanct.
Currently, in rotation on the Dancehall Channel, is the broadcast of a particular recorded dance, where in one scene, we witness the selector instructing a male dancer to simulate rape of his female partner. She plays along without resistance or even protest, except the non-negotiable caveat that her rapist must wear a condom. Promptly, upon the selector's request, a male patron presents a condom, while others by the stage side waved money.
While some of us float through life with heavy blinkers on, the Jamaican society is going through a deep cleavage fuelled by a culture-war over values - the middle class perspective - and neglect (from the point of view of the poor). Let me demonstrate the dichotomy we face. Most members of the JA Rogers Club reject Dancehall's crude and vulgar manifestations as being representative of our culture. On the other hand, the Empress and Kamisha -the Generation X - see it as a little bit exciting, like theatre.
Already extremely popular since Movado released it earlier this year, the song On The Rock written subsequent to his encounter with the police forces, at Temple Hall Estate on the night of his birthday bash in December 2007 took on more significance, and was again catapulted to international anthem status, when Usain Bolt requested it at his homecoming celebration at the Jamaica Pegasus.
The artistry of the song is ingenious. The use of the (African) traditional call and response technique inspires interactivity from its listeners. This is adopted from a traditional Negro spiritual called I Am Under The Rock with words like "I am under the rock, The rock is higher than I, Jehovah hides me, I'm under the rock, Go tell my enemies, I'm under the rock, Jehovah hides me, under the rock.' This version was sung at Leslie Ruel Madden's graveside on Thursday at his funeral. The words come from Psalms 61:2, "lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Movado actually samples the melody of this and another gospel song fusing them into one familiar sound, even though the originals do not necessarily sound alike.
The second song referred to is called Jehovah Jireh. The words are taken from Genesis 22:14 and means 'God is the provider'. It refers to the place where Abraham found the ram when he went to sacrifice his son Isaac. The original song was authored in the 1960's by Canadian gospel singer/songwriter, Merla Watson, and since has become very popular in Jamaican religious cirlces. It says, "Jehovah Jireh, my provider, his grace is sufficient for me, Jehovah Jireh, my provider, his grace is sufficient for me, The Lord shall supply all my needs, all my needs, according to his riches in glory."
Now hear Movado's version, the intro and chorus in part go, "Jehovah guide me, be my guidance, greater salvation for you... Jehovah guide me, be my guidance, no they could never stop me. I'm on the rock, I'm on the rock. Higher than I and I, higher than I and I."
Verse one concludes "wid helicopter inna di air, helicopter inna di air. Bright light a shine a ground, bright light a shine a ground. Dem say nobody nobody run from di river to the bank lock dung, Dem nuh know which part mi tun." And another Rhygin was born.
Now listen to the second verse, "Music a gal over gun, tell dem nuh stop di fun, Cause if dem stop di fun, dem muss prepare fi stop di gun, Di youths dem blood a run, dung deh inna di sun, Dem mek a bag a promise and nah fulfill none,
Mama cry out, you think dem response fi how much innocent youth die out, Look how much sell dem sell and no weh dem nah buy out, If revolution should a start dem rich enough can fly out."
Are we really oblivious of the symbolisms contained, the clear working class sentiments expressed and the deep traditions tapped into, in the dancehall song that the common folk has currently adopted as our national anthem.
As DJ Nanny B from UK posted online on August 22, "when we start the real revelation war then the army a we will come out for our just cause as real Maroon warriors.'
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20080913T210000-0500_140130_OBS_ON_THE_ROCK_WITH_TRADITION__TALENT_AND_TRAINING.asp
In a sense, the basis of the international success of our music mirrors that of sports. In the case of music, however, the church and other religious institutions have been the crucibles which facilitate both the tradition and the training of our talented youth.
Our problem is that unfortunately, today, the keepers of the flame - not the Olympic one, but our collective morals - have so corrupted it, that now, in this land of ours, nothing is still sacrosanct.
Currently, in rotation on the Dancehall Channel, is the broadcast of a particular recorded dance, where in one scene, we witness the selector instructing a male dancer to simulate rape of his female partner. She plays along without resistance or even protest, except the non-negotiable caveat that her rapist must wear a condom. Promptly, upon the selector's request, a male patron presents a condom, while others by the stage side waved money.
While some of us float through life with heavy blinkers on, the Jamaican society is going through a deep cleavage fuelled by a culture-war over values - the middle class perspective - and neglect (from the point of view of the poor). Let me demonstrate the dichotomy we face. Most members of the JA Rogers Club reject Dancehall's crude and vulgar manifestations as being representative of our culture. On the other hand, the Empress and Kamisha -the Generation X - see it as a little bit exciting, like theatre.
Already extremely popular since Movado released it earlier this year, the song On The Rock written subsequent to his encounter with the police forces, at Temple Hall Estate on the night of his birthday bash in December 2007 took on more significance, and was again catapulted to international anthem status, when Usain Bolt requested it at his homecoming celebration at the Jamaica Pegasus.
The artistry of the song is ingenious. The use of the (African) traditional call and response technique inspires interactivity from its listeners. This is adopted from a traditional Negro spiritual called I Am Under The Rock with words like "I am under the rock, The rock is higher than I, Jehovah hides me, I'm under the rock, Go tell my enemies, I'm under the rock, Jehovah hides me, under the rock.' This version was sung at Leslie Ruel Madden's graveside on Thursday at his funeral. The words come from Psalms 61:2, "lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Movado actually samples the melody of this and another gospel song fusing them into one familiar sound, even though the originals do not necessarily sound alike.
The second song referred to is called Jehovah Jireh. The words are taken from Genesis 22:14 and means 'God is the provider'. It refers to the place where Abraham found the ram when he went to sacrifice his son Isaac. The original song was authored in the 1960's by Canadian gospel singer/songwriter, Merla Watson, and since has become very popular in Jamaican religious cirlces. It says, "Jehovah Jireh, my provider, his grace is sufficient for me, Jehovah Jireh, my provider, his grace is sufficient for me, The Lord shall supply all my needs, all my needs, according to his riches in glory."
Now hear Movado's version, the intro and chorus in part go, "Jehovah guide me, be my guidance, greater salvation for you... Jehovah guide me, be my guidance, no they could never stop me. I'm on the rock, I'm on the rock. Higher than I and I, higher than I and I."
Verse one concludes "wid helicopter inna di air, helicopter inna di air. Bright light a shine a ground, bright light a shine a ground. Dem say nobody nobody run from di river to the bank lock dung, Dem nuh know which part mi tun." And another Rhygin was born.
Now listen to the second verse, "Music a gal over gun, tell dem nuh stop di fun, Cause if dem stop di fun, dem muss prepare fi stop di gun, Di youths dem blood a run, dung deh inna di sun, Dem mek a bag a promise and nah fulfill none,
Mama cry out, you think dem response fi how much innocent youth die out, Look how much sell dem sell and no weh dem nah buy out, If revolution should a start dem rich enough can fly out."
Are we really oblivious of the symbolisms contained, the clear working class sentiments expressed and the deep traditions tapped into, in the dancehall song that the common folk has currently adopted as our national anthem.
As DJ Nanny B from UK posted online on August 22, "when we start the real revelation war then the army a we will come out for our just cause as real Maroon warriors.'
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20080913T210000-0500_140130_OBS_ON_THE_ROCK_WITH_TRADITION__TALENT_AND_TRAINING.asp
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