Appointment of new JaRIA Board of Directors

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

When JaRIA was formed in 2009, its primary goal as an umbrella organisation was to unite all individuals and organisations within the music and entertainment industry. JaRIA is extremely pleased to announce that its new Board of Directors comprises of, a representative of JACAP Mr. Vernal ‘Junior’ Weir, a representative of JAVAA Mr. Frankie Campbell O.D., a representative of the Sound Systems Association Mr. Winston ‘Wee Pow’ Powell, and a representative of Manifesto Jamaica Mr. Rupert Abishai Hoilett.

The other directors of the board are Mr. K. Michael ‘Ibo’ Cooper O.D., J.P. (Chairman), Mr. Charles H.E. Campbell (Vice-Chairman/Executive Director), Mr. Junior Lincoln, Mrs. Mary Isaacs Black, Mr. Stephen Stewart J.P., Ms. L. Nichole Brown, Ms. Coleen Douglas, Mr. Paul Love, Ms. Shani Nembhard, Mr. Deleon ‘Jubba’ White, and Mrs. Carol Lawrence.


This enhances the ability of the music and entertainment industries to speak with one voice in lobbying for public policies and legislation which better serve the interest of the industry. In addition to being the main organisers of the annual Reggae Month programme, JaRIA’s current focus is on a) forging formal links with European promoters, booking agencies and agents; developing channels of communication to resolve issues such as difficulties faced by European promoters and our artistes on tours b) developing a programme/platform to provide greater airplay for the wider industry and c) advocating and lobbying for an Entertainment Encouragement Act, the formal designation and establishment of Entertainment Zones, the Preserve the Music Campaign, and the revision of the Noise Abatement Act. Also, in order to better protect the rights of composers, authors and publishers, we are striving to get greater compliance with the JACAP license and permits from musical events and businesses that use music daily.

Please visit our website at www.jariajamaica.com

Manifestos and Cultural Demands

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

Sunday November 20, 2011

The silly season is upon us in full force. Of course I’m not talking about Christmas; rather I’m referring to the impending General Elections. Both parties have become quite adept at saying the right things and using the current catch phrases in relation to the vast potential of the cultural and entertainment sectors in increasing the contribution to our gross domestic product.

However, if truth be told, the kind of resources that are required to mobilise the disparate parts of the sector into a thriving industry have not been forthcoming either from the PNP administration of the past, or the present JLP administration.

For instance, Jamaica Jazz and Blues is no doubt the best annual event staged in Jamaica in terms of its production quality, organization and international promotion. But in large part the music presented at this festival, as the name implies, are non-Jamaican music forms and the headliners likewise are foreigners.

Let me make it clear that I totally endorse the financial support that this important festival on our cultural agenda obtains from our ministry of tourism each year. If reports reaching me are true I gather that this year they expect to get something in the region of $60m in sponsorship from the Tourist Board.

On the other hand, while the contribution they give to the national celebration of Reggae Month is critical to the execution of this proclaimed salute to our indigenous music, the actual figure is a paltry $2m, 3% of what is given to Jazzfest.

I know what the immediate response will be. I’ll be told that Jazzfest contributes more by way of income to the GDP through visitors. But are we sincere in our proclamation of February as Reggae Month? If we and our government are not prepared to nurture the development and popularity of Reggae Month and market it internationally then we should never have gone through the ceremony of a national proclamation until the private and public sectors were prepared to put adequate financial support behind this laudable initiative.

Having done so however, we do ourselves a disservice by allowing it to be tinkering along, relegated to the dregs, the ‘wat left’ after other private ventures such as that mentioned above have been taken care of. The Reggae Music Industry must demand our share of the pie. No more must we accept pittance while the ministry of tourism sound off all the appropriate platitudes in their national speeches. The ministry of tourism must match with appropriate funds the elegant and politically correct words that the minister has been making.

In a private meeting months ago Minister Bartlett gave his personal commitment that funding for Reggae Month in our 50th Independence Anniversary would be substantially increased and yet now it seems we will not get even as much as last year from the Tourist Board for the programme planned for February 2012. Our appeals to the private sector for support have not fared much better.

Let’s use the upcoming national elections to make our voices heard and to get firm commitments of support for the cultural industries by whichever political party will form the next government. The creative industries are desperately in need of a national venture capital fund, to drive innovation, as my good friend and colleague, Clyde McKenzie, has long mooted. This fund would provide financing for events, projects, products and ventures for which there is no tangible collateral. It is the type of fund and investment in IP that launched such great companies as Google, Microsoft and Apple.

In the performing arts sector our people are at a disadvantage because their training starts late in the game. We need a high school for those who display the aptitude for the arts.

We need to be doing more to preserve the achievements of outstanding practitioners. With our rich musical heritage, we should have an appropriate museum, not some musty old room. Therefore, the Reggae Museum needs substantial funding so that it becomes a hip place with holograms and modern technology with facilities.

Most importantly, for the creative industries to increase its contribution to GDP, the amount of royalty fees collected is critical. Additional mechanisms are needed so that entities engaged in making copyright music available to the public be required to comply with the 1993 Copyright Act. This will encourage our creators that the industry can work to their benefit.

Government needs to facilitate an ongoing public information campaign about JACAP license and permit. This is extremely important for the longevity of the music industry in Jamaica.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

Visit JaRIA's website at: www.jariajamaica.com

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Manifestos-and-cultural-demands_10200975

Is Reggae Relevant

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

Sunday, November 06, 2011

This was the moot question on a radio interview in which I participated last Thursday morning.

Ironically, the public discussion occurred during a week in which we were honouring the tremendous song-writing accomplishments of Keith 'Bob Andy' Anderson. Also I'd been spending time at the Harry J Recording Studio observing the sheer engineering/producing genius of Stephen Stewart as he recorded and mixed instrument upon instrument, blended voices — interwoven like a tapestry of sonorous arrangements and lyrics — into what, I'm sure, is destined to become another excellent roots reggae album.

Instructively, the project is being undertaken by Bermagrande, an Italian group, who've come to the cradle of reggae to nurture their nascent stirrings into our iconic Jamaican sound. This, I mention first because it is the basis of my dissent from our moot; only in Jamaica would this question arise!

Italian music producers Emma Lercari (second Left) and Sandro Donda (right), share a moment with, from left: studio engineer Stephen Stewart, and reggae acts Queen Ifrica and Tony Rebel.

Being fortuitously able to observe the sheer force of our 'little' sound from many points, I am a constant witness to how reggae impacts the world, and also, sadly, how this knowledge is lost to our people. Also somewhat of a moot is that France, unlikely as it seems, is the business headquarters of reggae and the largest single market for sale of our music both in terms of live and recorded material. It's as though we gave birth to an illegitimate child, gave it up for adoption, yet it has turned out to be our most brilliant offspring. Not only France, but Germany, China, Japan and Italy — a list I have severely truncated, have embraced our little 'Orphan Annie' as their own.

At the studio, a month-long sojourn into reggae's depths has seen such artistes as Freddie McGregor, Luciano, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, The Abbysinians and The Congos lend voice to a project that, while propitious in the short-term for them, can have much longer-lasting success for Barmagrande on the other side of the world.

The band, made up of brothers Sandro and Marco Donda and Emma Lercari, do not, however, attest to the enthralment of fame or success. They measure success as more a slow burn that leaves traces of their impact and as such, don't favour the offerings of the usual suspects. Even within the aforementioned list of artistes my order was almost totally tip-tilted, an almost apoplectic look took Sandro as he mentioned the influence working with Bernard Collins had on him; Emma was just shy of likening him to a god. Their idea for the album Back from the Future was to go back to their past and rekindle with their roots reggae origin.

They had departed from their reggae start through an inability to find a blend of musicians who could authentically represent the sound. But, after years of experimentation and through the mentorship of Jamaican musician, Franklin Montague, who's been living in their hometown for eight years, they were able to better hone the skill of playing reggae.

So they came to Jamaica, after first debating the merits of going to France or America, and were fortunate in their decision to record at Harry J's. It was a no-brainer for them having Stewart co-produce their album. Sandro described the eureka moment when he suggested it to his brother; "Marco, how do you feel about..?" an abrupt interruption, and an emphatic "Yes!" met his suggestion.

The ease of this decision came from their knowledge of Stewart's history on landmark albums of Bob Marley, the grammy-winning offerings Calling Rastafari by Burning Spear and True Love by Toots and the Maytals and his work with Sly and Robbie — whose album with French DJ Bob Sinclair served as Bermagrande's introduction to Queen Ifrica and Tony Rebel. This endeavour serves many functions beneficial to Jamaicans, not the least of which is the opportunity for our musicians to work on such projects.

Those who shared their skills included Everton and Evrol Gayle on trombone and saxophone, Evrol Ray on trumpet, Uziah 'Sticky' Thompson, Noel 'Scully' Simms and Denver Smith on percussions and Dalton Browne on guitar and backing vocals. Stephen Stewart composed and played keyboards.

It's a big production with big names; they even endeavour having the input of Max Romeo and Bunny Wailer on some songs. But, even bigger than the names attached is the fact that the names most exciting to the Italian band were those of our woefully forgotten artistes. Cedric Myton singer of The Congos and Bernard Collins of The Abyssinians are not names that incite fervour in the hearts of young Jamaicans today, but these are the people who were formative of the love for reggae music and Jamaican culture that the rest of the world embraces. To them, a decidedly more populous group than our two plus million, Reggae is far from irrelevant. So then, what are we doing?

On Friday October 28, at the tribute to Bob Andy the love and fellowship that permeated the cast of artistes, musicians and technicians backstage was so strong that it filtered out to the audience and enhanced their experience from more than just the audiovisual, but to the existential. I am convinced that when our artistes perform for a worthy cause they are at their best; they made me feel proud and patriotic.

Much love to Phebe-Ann Henry for co-authoring this article.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

Read More: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Is-reggae-relevant-_10099495