"Gee Blakka, you look nice. I love how those shoes match your belt, and your shirt, pants and socks are so well coordinated colour-wise. Only gay men dress that well." No wonder most men just give up and dress like ragamuffins.
Despite Red Stripe not being on board as title sponsors this year, Reggae Sumfest is still on course as it has already signed several big acts to its line-up for the event that will take place in Montego Bay from July 13-19.
Some of the artistes include Beenie Man, Richie Spice, Anthony B, Vybz Kartel, Wayne Marshall, Etana, Tarrus Riley, Demarco and Mavado. Robert Russell, chairman of Summerfest Productions , says the production team is in negotiations with several other local and international acts.
"We hope to offer the usual top-class entertainment package with all the best entertainers locally and some special overseas acts," said Russell.
"We will still ensure the same level of state-of-the-art lighting, sound and stage production that have characterised Sumfest."
While the Red Stripe brand has pulled out as title sponsors for the event, it is still the liquor sponsor. He says there are two major companies vying for title sponsorship but the discussions have not been concluded. He says discussions might not be completed in time for this year as the event will take place in two months but commitments have been made for years to come.
In addition, Digicel, Ocean Spray and Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board and VP Records have once again signed on as major sponsors of the event. Supreme Ventures has signed as a Silver sponsor, Red Bull a Gold sponsor, and Jamrock Magazine is a Platinum sponsor.
Russell was also keen to point out that sponsors play a big role but the production team, especially the directors, helps to make the festival 'the greatest reggae show on earth'.
Reggae Sumfest and Summerfest Productions won Concert of the Year and Promoter of the Year awards at the 27th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards on May 4. Russell says the production team is proud of the achievements.
"I am very proud that we have received international recognition for a show that has been running since 1993. I want to thank the directors, artistes, musicians and security forces that put a lot of effort into putting on the show. Everybody worked hard to ensure that the festival is a success," he said.
Russell promises that the event will be a good one. It has been afforded the privilege of going beyond 2 a.m. because it has been designated as an national festival. This status, he says, might be the same for other events like Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and Jamaica Carnival.
"We have been designated as an national festival. That consideration is because of the amount of foreign visitors we attract. That is about 5,000 visitors and US$5 million in revenue. So we have been afforded the privilege of going later than 2 a.m. We will close the festival at the normal times," he said.
interesting points
"Mi neva get dah memo deh!" That was the response of one musical selector when The Star queried whether he was aware of a special licence that sound systems in Jamaica needed in order to operate.
Sound systems in Jamaica have been in operation for years, Merritone Disco, King Jammys, Black Scorpio, Stone Love and others, but for these and other sounds, there is no formal body or organisation to govern or even monitor their operations.
Some veterans in the business say there is grave need for some form of regulatory
body to govern the operations of sound systems, as currently, it's a free-for-
all business.
Winston 'Merritone' Blake, who describes himself as "the last of the foundation selectors" said, "The only thing you need to enter the sound system business is money to buy the equipment. There is no criteria, no standards, nothing."
Blake, who has been in the business for more than 50 years also added, "We want an organisation more than anything, laws that they adhere to. The sound system is not regulated and anybody who feel dem have a money and want to get into it, can do it. We need to get some rules and regulation and if we don't do it, the police needs to set out some regulations."
Although The Sound System Association of Jamaica is listed in the directory and even has a website, many believe that the Association exists only on paper.
Proper representation"They have a membership but there is nothing to convince me that it is functional," Blake said.
"After Louise Frazer-Bennett died, her daughter took over (The Sound System Association of Jamaica), I never knew it was something hereditary, I thought persons had to be elected."
Efforts by The Star to make contact with the association were unsuccessful as the only number listed in the telephone directory appeared not to be working.
Black Scorpio's son, Jermaine Johnson, said, "The whole thing (sound system business in Jamaica) is like a freelance, underground thing. In Jamaica most of the sounds are not licensed, but it's not as strict as in Europe. We will get away with like burnt CDs and stuff out here and that's why 45s sell more in Europe and is still the
biggest thing there."
One may, however, raise the question as to why the sound system concept, which first became popular in the 1950s has not had proper representation and formal structure even until window.Blake offered one theory that, "The hardest thing is to get our people to come together. We don't need to come together to make it work but we need to do so in order to get more recognition and benefits."
Dread, a selector on the Adonai sound system said he agreed that sound systems and other music entities were in need of proper representation.
"Naturally, this is something that not only selectors need, but everybody in music, so we can gather and discuss issues affecting the music. But everybody is for themself, is a dog-eat-dog world. But if everybody could link and come together and even have a body that represent us and ensure certain benefits, then naturally the thing would be better."
He added, "It's only sad that eggae music weh a bring in suh much foreigner inna di country nuh have nuh formal structure and organisation."By Teino Evans
