Entrepreneurship and Music business

According to the business dictionary Entrepreneurship is defined as being and having the “ capacity and willingness to undertake conception, organization, and management of a productive venture with all attendant risks, while seeking profit as a reward. In economics, entrepreneurship is regarded as a factor of production together with land, labor, natural resources, and capital. Entrepreneurial spirit is characterized by innovation and risk-taking, and an essential component of a nation's ability to succeed in an ever changing and more competitive global marketplace.”In the music business there are many problems that need to be fixed and the right entrepreneur can do this. The music business is all about promoting an artiste and their music and entrepreneur can create innovative means of such promotion. When looking at the music industry in retrospect of the art of even the drama industry we see that there are more entrepreneurs who invest in the music business. The music business is extremely viable as consumers keep looking for fresh faces and new sounds thus there is a need to deliver to the consumers.The entrepreneur steps in and market and comes up with strategic plans to generate an income from the demand of the public. They take dire risks that will or will not aid in their aim however they intent are to solve issues at whatever cost. Most entrepreneurs within the music business are good marketers and know how to showcase artiste and many know how to stage successful events in which the artiste can reach a further fan base. They use media as their ultimate weapon as it is the medium of communication.They utilize the radio to promote the songs and the television presents the artiste style and gives their music a ‘face.’ The entrepreneur invests in this an can sometimes be seen as a manager because as the artiste and their music becomes popular the more job opportunities they see and capital (money) will be accumulated as well.

Creole as a Language

Creole is the combination from a European language and a African dialect and has been recently established as language.

Creole has recently been recognized as a language by many nations since the late 1990’s. At first, it was considered to be quite crude and it was only spoken by mere peasants. Now, it is embraced by all as it plays a significant role in culture and heritage of the native countries which they have emerged and developed in. Creole is a language that emerged from contact with another language which is the exact nature of all language. It can also be said that all languages of the world have a Creole version.

With the introduction of the Spanish to the isle of Jamaica, the Amerindians were exposed to their language and culture and many historians believe that the Amerindians fused their language with that of the Spanish during initial contact. However, the reign of the Spanish was short lived and during the occupation of Jamaica most of the Amerindians had died thus there is no concrete fact to prove this suggestion. The English came to the island of Jamaica and with them the Africans.

The English imposed their language and culture on the Africans. Most Africans fused their own native dialect with that of the English. The words were generally mispronounced and being unable to read and write the language passed from one generation to the next changing as it passed down.

In many traditional schools during the early years after slavery up until the late 1980’s Creole was being repressed in schools. English Language was always taught to be the ‘proper’ language of the colonial islands in the Caribbean. Creole and English Language highlighted and imposed status (social) barriers in the Caribbean islands. Only the well educated and wealthy persons spoke Standard English, individuals of menial income spoke Creole.

With the introduction of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission after independence, Creole was slowly being accepted as a language as Jamaicans embraced culture and heritage. Mrs. Louise Bennett Coverley was an iconic figure in helping Jamaicans to accept this dialect. She told stories in Creole and wrote poetry and sung songs in the language. She knew the language of the English quite well but she also sought to show that the Creole language was to be loved as it belonged to us and our fore bearers.

There are many Caribbean nations that acknowledge Creole as a language and have established it as a part of their nation. In Haiti they have fused the French and African languages and have embraced this fusion as it is their national language. Cuba fused Spanish and African dialect but they mainly speak Spanish, their Creole is used in informal settings but they still have embraced the language none the less.

Creole is a language just as English and Spanish is one. They have there own formations of plural, possessions and gender. The pronunciation is unique just as their use of repetition and their usage of positive and negative.

Folk Music in Jamaica

The music of the Jamaican people has been influenced by slavery, independence, political, social and economic circumstances. Folk music is one such music that has existed since the days of slavery and still continues to grow as Cari Folk Singers and the Jamaican Folk Singers keep the music alive. One such form of Folk Music lies within Mento Music

        Folk music incorporates the many styles of other ethnic sounds found in Jamaica. In different parishes of Jamaica there are distinctive sounds and music indigenous to the area. The ethnic sounds are grouped; they are Bruckins, Jonkunnu, Etu, Kumina, Maroon, Mento, Nagos, Rasta, Revival, Gerreh, Tambu, and Worksongs. Mento is considered to be the only genre that maintains the classical beats and sounds of folk music.

   Mento music is a genre of classical Jamaican music. It has a style and flair that utilizes acoustic instruments. It is through Mento music that ska, roots, rock steady, reggae and dancehall music has evolved. The instruments of Mento are the acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drum, shaker, rhumba box, homemade saxophone, clarinet or flute made from bamboo.

     Mento has a fascinating history, according to a study done by Olive Lewin; Mento had its beginnings in Jamaica during the 19^th century and is an infusion of African and European music. The classical sound of Mento is unique; its acoustic nature is complemented by a folksy rural style. In Jamaica Mento is generally referred to as country music. The songs sang were reminiscent of everyday life woes and misfortunes but were generally sung in a lighthearted and humorous way. Even though the songs commented on poverty, poor housing and social issues they were underlined with sexual innuendos. As the years progressed and Jamaican music evolved these sexual innuendos became more prominent and slacker.

Many individuals sought to promote and sustain folk music. The most notable individuals are Olive Lewin and Ms. Louise Bennett Coverley. Olive Lewin is the top researcher in the field of Jamaican Folk music and Louise Bennett Coverley has written several songs which are considered to be a part of Jamaican Folk music, one such popular song is Evening Time.

      Edric Connor is also significant to the development and retention of Jamaican folk music and Mento. Conner was the first person who sought to research and record an LP that was dedicated solely to Folk music. Edric Connor is a Trinidadian native and throughout his early years he recorded several albums of Caribbean folk music. 1952 was the year he released the album Songs of Jamaica this was his last recording of Jamaican Folk music. The beauty of the album lay in Connor’s style. Conner’s voice dominates the tracks and was backed by very little piano and back- up vocals. The LP was the first recording of songs that would later emerge in mento, ska and reggae. It is also believed that the LP helped Harry Belafonte to remake the popular song ‘Day O’.

Olive Lewin is an individual who has materialized in all readings and research done on Jamaican Folk Music. Her research is has been recorded in seven books of the seven the most popular are Rock It Come over: the Folk Music of Jamaica and Forty Folk Songs of Jamaica.  She has also sought to preserve original reel tapes of Jamaican folk songs. Olive Lewin worked closely with figures unknown and unrecognized to this day. However these persons are vital to her recordings of Jamaican Folk music, they are Everald Brown aka Brother Brown and Ms. Ada Lewis. They were able to give Ms. Lewin an oral history of Jamaican folk music.

In conjunction with the School of Music, Marjorie Whylie, Edward Seaga, Markus Coester, Dr. Christian Hausmann and Dr. Wolfgang Bender, Olive Lewin was able to produce a two CD booklet of the recordings from The Jamaican Folk Music Collection. The booklet gives a brief history of the traditional folk music genres found in Jamaica and those who assisted in the research; it also goes into detail of the struggles faced and overcome to produce such a novelty of Jamaican musical history.

Marjorie Whylie worked closely and picked up where Olive Lewin had left off in her research. Marjorie Whylie with her knowledge of music she explored the ancestry of Caribbean folk music and it is from these research she has been able to arrange and compose music deeply rooted in traditional folk music. Whylie also worked closely with the Jamaica School of Music during the 1970’s and1980’s in the Folk Music Research.

 Louise Bennett Coverley is synonymous with Jamaica, poetry, Mento and folk music. Just as Edric Connor had done Louise Bennett recorded the folk music of the Jamaican people on an album entitled Jamaican Folk Songs, however, instrumentals were used and in a released version a mento band was incorporated to add a more vibrant feel. Ms Coverley worked with Ivy Baxter to collect songs and stories of rural folks however inadequate recordings were done of this feat. Easton Lee was able to secure a tape recorder and tried to pick up where these two ladies had left off. These recordings can be heard on Redifussion tapes owned by the National Library of Jamaica and The Institute of Jamaica.

Harry Belafonte is also notable personality of Jamaican Folk Music as he internationalized the music. Harry Belafonte was born to Jamaican parents and grew up in America. In his renditions he kept thee beats and tones of Folk music without the additives of the 1950’s popular instrumentals and rhythms. In most research they classify the music of Belafonte and other Caribbean acts at this time as Calypso; however most of the recordings and albums done by Belafonte were Jamaican Folk songs and classed as either Mento or Calypso.

Mento is a genre of music that is undoubtedly distinctive. It is through Folk music that Mento has emerged and could facilitate the development of other classical Jamaican genre of music. The people that help to facilitate the growth and preserve its history is just as extraordinary as the style of music.

Facts about a talented Movie......................

Better Mus Come

Fact Sheet

1. The movie Better Mus Come draws from the events surrounding the Green Bay Massacre. The Green bay incident was a covert operation carried out by an elite force of the Jamaican Government on the 5^th of January 1978.
2. Leading actor of the film Sheldon Shepherd is a product of the JCDC Festival Competition. He attended Kingston College and it was there his passion and talent grew. He was awarded the Prime Minister’s Youth in Excellence Award anmd is a member of the Dub Poetry group No Maddz
3. This is the first film that Storm Saulter has written and directed. In 2008 Storm had a feature film dubbed ‘TWANG’ it was the first High Definition feature made in Jamaica. Kingston Jamaica. This period was known as The Cold War.
4. Better Mus Come is the first film Ricardo Orgill will make his acting debut. Ricardo auditioned for the role in Sandy Park and it was here Paul Bucknor saw true potential and gave Orgill a lead role in the film.
5. Better Mus Come has created a platform for two individuals unknown to the world of drama and film. This film has showcased the raw acting talent of Nicole Grey and Ricardo Orgill.
6. The film Better Mus Come gave Ricardo Orgill the opportunity to learn to read. Growing up in Sandy Park, an area which is considered to be a ghetto, Orgill grew up uneducated but this did not limit his prospects of making a way out of the ghetto.
7. Everaldo Creary who plays ‘Shortman’ in the film has been on the acting scene for quite awhile. He has appeared in numerous plays, ads, TV series and music videos and is also a member of the No Maddz group. Creary was awarded the Prime Minister’s Youth in Excellence Award in 2005.
8. Roger Guevneur Smith is no amateur to the world of film. Internationally acclaimed actor, writer and director, Smith has appeared alongside Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in American Gangster.
9. Better Mus Come first debuted at the Flash Point Film Festival in 2008. The film was aired not in its entirety; however, it received good criticisms. Coming October 13^th 2010 patrons can see the film in its complete version.
10. Better Mus Come took a measly 8 weeks to film but took 3 years to be completed.
11. Better Mus Come incorporated a scene that draws from the actual events surrounding the massacre. The ambulance and story used to lure the men to their untimely end plays a pivotal role in both the movie and the massacre.
12. The title of the movie ‘Better Mus Come’ was taken from a slogan used by the Jamaica Labour Party during their 1980’s campaign.
13. The events of the Green Bay Massacre not only influenced this movie but it also inspired Laurie Gunst to write a book titled ‘Born Fi Dead’ A Journey through the Yardie Underworld. Even though the movie was not adapted from the book, it helps to give a more visual perspective of the influence politics have in the development of inner city communities.
14. The chain of events of the political strife seen in Jamaica during the 1970’s to 1980’s was derived from the Cold War. The Cold War began from the late 1940’s and spanned over four decades. Jamaica adopted many of the western models; the governing party of the time had two very different views. One was of the communistic way of life and the other gravitated to the Western teachings. These ideologies gave way to many contentions and conflict during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

15. The Green Bay Massacre has been kept hush since that fateful day. The incident has been seen as sheer brutality. Over 1,400 persons were killed between 1978-1980. Better Mus Come highlights the tragic circumstances a man during that era dealt with.

Bleaching and Dancehall Culture

A who seh bleaching nah wear?
Kartel made it known that he is not bleaching, its the cake soap and air conditioning that gives him his cool brown complexion.
But I use cake soap wash my face and all now me can't brown and every day me siddung innah a/c.
My back mussi well stubborn!
Seaga face and PJ body...........that nuh deh again full browning dem a seh.
Michael Jackson ting dem say.
Is it that we are not comfortable with our blackness?
We can go back to the arguments put forth that its a mental issue dating back to slavery and self esteem.
But then again, some persons do look better when they are lighter.
Dancehall culture is littered with the bleachers and the brownings.
Some artistes even have songs saying that they prefer brown skinned girls.

Whatever the case maybe I have no opinions on the matter.
Bleach if you want to...........Just do it modestly

Guinness and its role in Jamaican Culture

Guinness is a Great Beer. Growing up I remembered seeing my uncle's liquer cabinet stocked with a case of Guinness. He would laugh jokingly to my aunt and say......." I buildin' the strength in ma back for you. You nuh see how you thick and big?" In my innocent i had no idea what this satement meant until I got to high school and learnt of the roots concotion.
Roots is believed to 'stregthen a man's back' to increase performance in the bed. and Guinness was the main ingredient.........I guess thats where the Reach for Greatness slogan comes in. Guinness mixwed with peanuts, supligen, vanilla, nutmeg is the pefect STRONG BACK supliment. Even Damian Marley gave credit to this mixture in his song 'Guinness and Peanuts'
In typical Jamaican Dancehall culture, real man drink Guinness. At dances you would see men standing near the sound box with a 'one guinness' bouncing to the beats of the music. Guinness seeped its way into popular dancehall rythm. The popular Red Bull and Guinness rythm displayed a eckletic array of dancehall beats and dances.
On October 23, 2010 Jamaicans came out in their numbers to represent the great Brand of Guinness. Guinness Brand held a concert to celebrate master brewer Arthur Guinness and the great legacy he left for many to enjoy.
 Guinness a great Brand and a Great Beer

Untapped Talent in Better Mus Come

The acting industry was of no consequence to Ricardo Orgill as it was unknown to him and yet he exploded onto the acting scene in the movie Better Mus Come. Ricardo Orgill played a pivotal role in the film not only as a character but as a figure of persistence. Growing up poor and without traditional education did not stop Orgill from dreaming big, he envisioned himself as a future musical artiste, the customary career path of many ghetto youths.

Ricardo represents the undiscovered talent that exists in Jamaica. A talent which is sometimes diminished as many are not given the opportunity to expose their talent. The movie Better Mus Come offers a footing to expose true unforeseen talent. The cast and crew are made up of individuals who have tried to display their true potential in numerous ways, some prevailed and others reached nowhere.

The writer and director Storm Saulter saw that there was a need for a local film industry and his passion for the art of film led him to write and direct his first major film. The film utilized the talent he saw around him, talent that few saw but he perceived to make his film true and substantial. The cast comprises rising actors such as Sheldon Shepherd, Everaldo Creary and Chris McFarlane. As well as known actor Roger Guenveur Smith and new comers Ricardo Orgill and Dwayne Pusey.

Director of Cultural Policy and Monitoring in the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture Tanya Batson- Savage states that the “local film industry offers immense potential for actors, directors and cadre of professionals that work in the film industry.” This statement highlighted that there is a need for funding within the creative industries and the MYCS helps to seek and develop the creative industry. Ms Batson Savage went on to state that “at present the industry is fledging, however, should it be developed into a more vibrant sector the possibilities are endless, both in terms of employment and exposures that it provides for the creative talent as well as the important stories of Jamaica that the films will tell.”