I HAVE LISTENED TO some of the discussion about this year’s Crop Over season on both Starcom radio and CBC. I found some of the issues raised interesting.
Some contributors made sense, but quite frankly much of it was not necessarily enlightening. We need to look at how best to grow our festival and at the same time make much of that creative effort an export sector which can earn foreign exchange for those in this cultural industries business.
Music may be our best avenue, but I wonder if our songwriters, arrangers and the singers themselves look at it from such a perspective.
I would single out Red Plastic Bag (RPB), given what he has been producing in recent years. He obviously understands the importance of having a catalogue to which event planners, show promoters and talent scouts would listen.
Too narrow
Most of the music I have heard this year remains too narrow, limited to Barbados and in some instances limited to a section of Barbados. I wonder how many of our artistes can make a breakthrough in Trinidad with their music far less Jamaica. The time, effort and money they are putting into getting music out for Crop Over should be better utilised. These small business people need to understand they must have a return on investment which means turning a profit.
The NCF as part of its mandate should do a number of things after Crop Over. Yes, take a two-week break and then return and do some planning over a two-week period. Involve RPB, Nicholas Brancker, Arturo Tappin, Edwin Yearwood, Charles Lewis and the others who have been able to penetrate the international market; use available research; get COSCAP involved; and explore the possibilities which the Economic Partnership Agreement offers.
It would be unfortunate if year after year we are satisfied with merely producing material which is good for a few weeks for a few thousand people with a return on time and effort for a limited few. Rather, we need to exploit the full potential these efforts offer and for as many people as possible, at the same time earning some foreign exchange.
– JENNI ALLEYNE
