Sunday, 15 February 2009
Building A Consensus Of Indignation - Bruce Golding
Groundins
By: Charles H.E.Campbell
Without taking too many tales out of school, in organising the Prime Minister's reception for the Reggae fraternity on Sunday, February 8, Junior Lincoln and I- forever the insurgents - brought off a coupe.
Mutabaruka made a passionate plea for immediate government action to tackle the moral crisis facing the Reggae industry and society at large.
There was some initial consternation to the suggestion that Mutabaruka be asked to give the address on behalf of the Reggae fraternity, welcoming the birth of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) - a non-aligned, independent umbrella body established to formalise and regulate the Reggae industry, with the primary aim of influencing policies, laws and legislation related to or impacting the industry and lobbying in both the public and private sector as one strong voice.
At the reception, however, Muta's passionate plea for immediate government action to tackle an urgent issue- that of the moral crisis facing the Reggae industry and society at large - arrested the PM's attention. It came on the heels of a directive from the Broadcasting Commission, two days prior, to programme managers and station owners instructing that they take immediate steps to prevent transmission of any recorded material relating to "daggering" or which fall into the category of edited musical content using techniques of 'bleeping''.
Against the background of the national debate which has been raging since then, there seems to be an emerging national accord, aptly called "a consensus of indignation" by PM Golding, who took up Muta's challenge and called a meeting with the Reggae music industry for Friday, February 13. In the meeting between the PM and representatives of the industry, including Spice, RDX, producers Don Corleon and Donovan Germaine, Bob Andy, Tony Rebel, Copeland Forbes, Sharon Burke and Jerome Hamilton, the PM urged caution in how we approach the problem, pointing out that artistic expression and certainly the Reggae genre, should not be bridled, regulated or controlled by the government. In appealing for a coalition of values and recognising the powerful influence of the music on the population at large, and the youth in particular, PM Golding called for a greater sense of responsibility, since some of Dancehall's lyrics had gone beyond the bounds of public decency and were obviously "doing great damage to our psyche".
In presenting his position, Muta congratulated the Commission for finally taking some decisive action and went a step further than the PM in saying that the lyrics are actually "an instruction manual for the youth" and therefore needed to be cauterised at its source - that is, during the creative and production process. He emphasised that the campaign is not by any means aimed exclusively the Dancehall, but more specifically at obscenity in the public sphere and made the poignant parallel of 'daggering' with Turn it Around (The Plumber) by Square One.
As I am writing this, the set next door is playing Vybz Kartel aka Adi Di Teacha's lyrics, "gun shot inna yuh bl-dcl-t head. nuff gun deh pon di corner and when mi a buss shot from di gullyside, mi naw hide".
One of the recommendations made to the government is an updating of the public decency act, the obscene publications act and the strengthening of their enforcement. The industry players present were of the view that rather than ostracise and alienate the artistes or stifle their creativity, the approach should be to putting the focus on the producers and distributors and seek to have them regulate and rate the products being released.
In a commentary from my Groundings series, published in the Sunday Observer of June 12, 2005, I proposed that "it is high time that we become proactive and begin some sort of self-regulation, accept a modus operandi and enforce standards of the industry, rather than always being forced to resort to reactive measures - applying band aids and covering up in pretence that nothing has happened or is wrong." Patently however, this proposal seems to have fallen on deaf ears and since then, the situation has deteriorated to the point where one station manager claims that to fully implement the new directives of the Broadcast Commission would require the removal of 60% of their current songs in rotation.
In his column on Sunday, February 8, Clyde McKenzie has put more concrete form to this approach in suggesting the following; "I strongly doubt we will be able to secure the kind of regulatory control of the airwaves which some in our society might be seeking without the introduction of some system of prior restraint. This would mean that there might need to establish a body which would rate individual recordings and recommend them for the inclusion on the playlists of the media houses.
Such a role could be assumed by the Jamaica Federation of Musicians; RIAJAM or the newly established Reggae Industry Association of Jamaica. Under such a system all producers would have to submit their work for evaluation to this body which would be working in conjunction with the Broadcasting Commission as a condition for securing airplay. If this body does not certify a work then it would not be fit for airplay and a station would be in breach if it carries material that has not been approved. Every station would generate a playlist from this database of approved songs and presenters would have to generate music sheets from these approved playlists."
In my view, this would lead to enlightened public-private collaboration to stem the disintegration of our musical patrimony, while safeguarding the treasured human right of freedom of expression.
Email: che.campbell@gmail.com
Host: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20090214T220000-0500_146222_OBS_BUILDING_A_CONSENSUS_OF_INDIGNATION___BRUCE_GOLDING.asp
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Reggae Month and the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association
For the second year, today in Jamaica, February 1, the month-long celebrations of the emergence and worldwide impact of Reggae and its accompanying culture begins with three main events. Firstly, there is the church service at Fellowship Tabernacle, off the Washington Boulevard. Then we have Dennis Brown's birthday special on IRIE FM, this being the 52nd anniversary of his birth. Today happens to be Pam Hall's and Junior Lincoln's birthdays too. Thirdly, the week-long Bob Marley birthday bash being staged in West End, Negril, also kicks off appropriately with Nyahbinghi drumming.
The yearly Bob Marley Symposium staged by the JCDC runs from Tuesday through to Friday. A new feature on this year's calendar is a tribute to Reggae icons at the Pegasus Hotel. This is being organised by JAAVA on Friday, February 6. Other noted events for the month include three Reggae villages. In Negril, the venue is Bourbon Beach, commencing on Valentine's Day and running until February 22. This village will highlight on various days, traditional folk forms that influence Reggae music, such as Mento, Kumina, Dinki Mini, Gerreh and Jonkunnu.
On February 24, the Kingston Reggae Village at Ranny Williams Centre will be launched and will remain open until February 28, featuring nightly live performances and music video and film screenings. Ocho Rios will stage its own Reggae village from February 19 to 21 at Island Village. The Trench Town Culture Yaad will be officially a national monument during February.
The month of celebrations officially comes to a climax with the Jamaica Record Industry Awards at Jamaica House on Sunday, March 1.
I have deliberately taken time out to inform my readers of the above outline of the calendar of events. On the surface, however, it does not seem to have been an improvement nor does it provide the depth and broadened exposure that members of the industry had been hoping for. This is because for the second year in a row, an unrealistically short planning time was dedicated to this event and there was a paucity of sponsorship support. On the bright side however, this year, the planning committee brought many industry players together in January, in a series of intensive, critical, analytic and introspective discussions on the state and future direction of the Reggae industry. This has prompted a resolution to attempt yet again, to establish an umbrella organisational structure to avoid a recurrence and which will authoritatively speak on behalf of the entire sector. "Hell ago bruck loose, if yuh doan deliver us". [Bob Andy]
The main objective of this body is to reposition Jamaica at the centre of the global Reggae movement and culture, with the primary aim of commencing the complex process of repatriating our birthright and patrimony.
Although there is the unavoidable emotionalism present at the meetings, the parochialism of the past attempts has largely been absent. There is a new driving motivator- how to develop the organisational capacity encapsulating all elements of the sector so as to successfully compete on the world stage with the appropriate benefits accruing to the Jamaican economy.
The first paragraph of the Governor General's proclamation of 2008, declaring February as Reggae Month read "where as Reggae is the heartbeat of Jamaica, the unique music that springs from the creative imagination of a diverse people, forged in a crucible of common experiences, struggles, successes and spirituality that survived the Middle Passage to become our indigenous creation, our national expression, our musical voice in the world, a driving force of our economy and the industry providing the greatest opportunity to transform the country".
The fourth paragraph started by saying "Jamaica's exports of Heritage, Culture and Music are phenomenal, setting our Tourism Product apart from competition, giving Jamaica the greatest potential for a sustainable competitive advantage". Add to that the last three lines of the second paragraph, "Jamaica's rich cultural industries and varied musical rhythms […] have attracted millions of tourists to experience our island's culture and provided income and employment for thousands of our people".
Against the background of the value of the recent JTB sponsorship of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival to the tune of US$550,000, ask yourself why the JTB could only come up with a measly US$24,000 for the entire Reggae Month program of activities. Does this then mean that they hold no faith in their own proclamation? The answer certainly has much to do with the lack of cohesiveness, organised strength and lobbying clout of the sector we represent. As it turns out, the Festival only attracted between 16,000 and 18,000 patrons over three days, all told- 90% of which were Jamaicans. This year, post-Olint, the contrast of the folks in the sky boxes versus those in the general audience, by skin colour, was quite stark. Lou Gramm of Foreigner was a great disappointment. Half-way through his performance, the park had all but emptied out. The few hundred who remained for the after party were thoroughly thrilled by a band including Pluto Shervington, Ernie Smith, Boris Gardener, Dwight Pinkney and Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt. A similar exodus had occurred the night before during Matisyahu's performance, prompting Ragga to speculate that the closing acts were paid for by the sanitation company, so that their crews could complete their clean-up work early.
To redress this historically debilitating reality, using Reggae Month this year as our launching pad and henceforth as our clarion call, we must summon the gumption and maturity necessary to unite in our self-interest so that we will no more be under-appreciated or treated lightly with the usual slight of hand. After all, when the Tourist Board speaks about the level of foreign media exposure and promotion necessary to qualify for their funds, someone needs to remind them that it is Reggae music that they and the top hotel chains in Jamaica use to promote their offerings! The Jamaican music fraternity must vow to make the annual Jamaica Reggae Industry Awards not just the preeminent awards in the worldwide Reggae industry, but the best sponsored, promoted and produced event in Jamaica.
For this to be accomplished, we need to put aside our petty differences, uniting our collective wealth of experience, intellectual skills and professionalism, in efforts bonded by a broad-based, democratic, non-aligned, non-profit organisation, speaking with one, powerful voice, thereby levelling the playing field, so that when we demand our share of the pie, we cannot so easily be scoffed at.
The yearly Bob Marley Symposium staged by the JCDC runs from Tuesday through to Friday. A new feature on this year's calendar is a tribute to Reggae icons at the Pegasus Hotel. This is being organised by JAAVA on Friday, February 6. Other noted events for the month include three Reggae villages. In Negril, the venue is Bourbon Beach, commencing on Valentine's Day and running until February 22. This village will highlight on various days, traditional folk forms that influence Reggae music, such as Mento, Kumina, Dinki Mini, Gerreh and Jonkunnu.
On February 24, the Kingston Reggae Village at Ranny Williams Centre will be launched and will remain open until February 28, featuring nightly live performances and music video and film screenings. Ocho Rios will stage its own Reggae village from February 19 to 21 at Island Village. The Trench Town Culture Yaad will be officially a national monument during February.
The month of celebrations officially comes to a climax with the Jamaica Record Industry Awards at Jamaica House on Sunday, March 1.
I have deliberately taken time out to inform my readers of the above outline of the calendar of events. On the surface, however, it does not seem to have been an improvement nor does it provide the depth and broadened exposure that members of the industry had been hoping for. This is because for the second year in a row, an unrealistically short planning time was dedicated to this event and there was a paucity of sponsorship support. On the bright side however, this year, the planning committee brought many industry players together in January, in a series of intensive, critical, analytic and introspective discussions on the state and future direction of the Reggae industry. This has prompted a resolution to attempt yet again, to establish an umbrella organisational structure to avoid a recurrence and which will authoritatively speak on behalf of the entire sector. "Hell ago bruck loose, if yuh doan deliver us". [Bob Andy]
The main objective of this body is to reposition Jamaica at the centre of the global Reggae movement and culture, with the primary aim of commencing the complex process of repatriating our birthright and patrimony.
Although there is the unavoidable emotionalism present at the meetings, the parochialism of the past attempts has largely been absent. There is a new driving motivator- how to develop the organisational capacity encapsulating all elements of the sector so as to successfully compete on the world stage with the appropriate benefits accruing to the Jamaican economy.
The first paragraph of the Governor General's proclamation of 2008, declaring February as Reggae Month read "where as Reggae is the heartbeat of Jamaica, the unique music that springs from the creative imagination of a diverse people, forged in a crucible of common experiences, struggles, successes and spirituality that survived the Middle Passage to become our indigenous creation, our national expression, our musical voice in the world, a driving force of our economy and the industry providing the greatest opportunity to transform the country".
The fourth paragraph started by saying "Jamaica's exports of Heritage, Culture and Music are phenomenal, setting our Tourism Product apart from competition, giving Jamaica the greatest potential for a sustainable competitive advantage". Add to that the last three lines of the second paragraph, "Jamaica's rich cultural industries and varied musical rhythms […] have attracted millions of tourists to experience our island's culture and provided income and employment for thousands of our people".
Against the background of the value of the recent JTB sponsorship of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival to the tune of US$550,000, ask yourself why the JTB could only come up with a measly US$24,000 for the entire Reggae Month program of activities. Does this then mean that they hold no faith in their own proclamation? The answer certainly has much to do with the lack of cohesiveness, organised strength and lobbying clout of the sector we represent. As it turns out, the Festival only attracted between 16,000 and 18,000 patrons over three days, all told- 90% of which were Jamaicans. This year, post-Olint, the contrast of the folks in the sky boxes versus those in the general audience, by skin colour, was quite stark. Lou Gramm of Foreigner was a great disappointment. Half-way through his performance, the park had all but emptied out. The few hundred who remained for the after party were thoroughly thrilled by a band including Pluto Shervington, Ernie Smith, Boris Gardener, Dwight Pinkney and Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt. A similar exodus had occurred the night before during Matisyahu's performance, prompting Ragga to speculate that the closing acts were paid for by the sanitation company, so that their crews could complete their clean-up work early.
To redress this historically debilitating reality, using Reggae Month this year as our launching pad and henceforth as our clarion call, we must summon the gumption and maturity necessary to unite in our self-interest so that we will no more be under-appreciated or treated lightly with the usual slight of hand. After all, when the Tourist Board speaks about the level of foreign media exposure and promotion necessary to qualify for their funds, someone needs to remind them that it is Reggae music that they and the top hotel chains in Jamaica use to promote their offerings! The Jamaican music fraternity must vow to make the annual Jamaica Reggae Industry Awards not just the preeminent awards in the worldwide Reggae industry, but the best sponsored, promoted and produced event in Jamaica.
For this to be accomplished, we need to put aside our petty differences, uniting our collective wealth of experience, intellectual skills and professionalism, in efforts bonded by a broad-based, democratic, non-aligned, non-profit organisation, speaking with one, powerful voice, thereby levelling the playing field, so that when we demand our share of the pie, we cannot so easily be scoffed at.
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