Jamaica - Interviews

Interview with Jamaican filmmaker and videographer Michael "Ras Tingle" Tingling

X Murphy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:45:02 UT

This week we interview Jamaican filmmaker and videographer Michael Ras Tingle Tingling. His is the chief principle of Tingle Films that has done quite a few music video production, films and documentaries in Jamaica. Michael is willing to “push buttons” with his productions and is always willing to assist in introducing film production to the youths in Jamaica. . With a passion and dedication to his country and family his upcoming projects include documentaries with a focus on stories indigenous to Jamaica and television programmes aimed to empower and uplift our youths. Here is our conversation with Michael.

How did you get started in film making?
I got started at Advidco productions. It’s a company owned by Trevor Ballie. He was one of the first video directors from Jamaica, doing videos for Sophia George , Boris Gardner etc. My Rasta brother Ras Kassa brought me in and Kevin Lee , Ras Asher and Ras Shack helped encouraged me a lot. My interest grew when top filmmakers DOP Chris Browney and R .Lanamon recommended me for film projects

What was your first film production?
One of my first film projects I worked on; worked on so many I’m trying to remember ...think it was Third World Cop, but did a lot of videos on film as key grip, assistant gaffer, camera operator and assistant director.

What was your first short film?
My first short film was done in 2011 , it’s called Paris Bull....it’s a collaborative effort by us young filmmakers in Jamaica who work on each other’s film for free ...making the way for younger folks to follow a trend by not waiting on hand outs.

You have done quite a few music videos. What was the most recent one you did?
Most recent video is IWAYNE 'Drugs and Rum vibes'.

What is the main difference you find between writing a script for a video, film and documentary?
Main difference in writing for a video/film /doc....I find writing for a video is crunching in a short film or documentary into a 3min 30sec window.

You are currently producing a documentary series on stories indigenous to Jamaica. Can you tell us about this?
Stories about the people of my country is getting into the lives of simple but effective people living their lives as natural as naturalists , also I am exploring a touchy gay topic in Jamaica.

When will the first of the series of this documentary be released?
Series release will be in late 2012

Do you have any other projects in the works?
Yes other projects are in the pipe line from VP records to Nasville to Soul beats rec, Marley Brothers to name a few...

Ten years from now where do you see the film industry in Jamaica?
I see the industry as the city of films in the Diaspora.

Are you doing any work for the celebration of Jamaica 50?
Yes I am confirming some stuff for Jamaica 50th ...soon let it out.

Thanks for the interview. Do you have any final thoughts?
I give thanks for all the support I got and thanks for this interview ...all the best in your endeavors...

A Conversation Bruce Wayne Gillies producer/filmmaker of “Rude Boy” the Jamaican motion picture

X Murphy — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:45:02 UT

This week interview filmmaker Bruce Wayne Gillies who is using crowd funding to underwrite the production of “Rude Boy” a Jamaican motion picture. Rude Boy is the coming-of-age story of Winston Brown who navigates the shanty town gangs, recording studios and government yards. Winston pioneers ska music into reggae celebrating his Rastafarian transformation and reaching rock star status.

How did the idea come about to do a film on Rude Boy?
RB: A few years back I was approached by the Jamaican group THE HEPTONES about writing a story about their struggle, reggae music and their oppressive experience growing up in Trench Town, Jamaica. Trench Town was a garbage dump before the government built public housing on the land - it is a portion of West Kingston - also known as Kingston 12 where many of the reggae artists grew up. In the early '60's police oppression and the British Commonwealth combined to keep the voice and music of a new generation from being heard. The music was a mixture of native mento and U.S. rhythm & blues from New Orleans and Miami drifting in late at night on transistor radios. This was the sixties - a lot was changing around the world and Jamaica mirrored this re-awakening by delivering revolutionary music, the spiritual reggae sound upon the world stage. These were mere kids – young teens navigating RUDE BOY battles and limited studio time to produce profound rebel music. I did much R&D and realized many groups followed the same path in Trench Town and composited all the characters - Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, Barry Llewelyn, Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan, Dennis Brown, Don Drummond - into our lead Winston Brown. Another composite character is the Rastafarian wherein the Rasta drum beat plays a critical role in the sound and therefore affords the luxury of exploring this cultural phenomenon. The Rastafarians God, their Jah - H.I.M. Haile Sallasie I 1966 visit is depicted in the film - a second coming of Christ to the believers. The Heptones wanted their story that's never been heard to be told - and I certainly agree with them given that it's a natural Hero's Journey. Having had the script written prior to screening the Oscar© nominated film CITY OF GOD I was excited at how closely it resembled RUDE BOY back drop. It’s powerful, and the progression of the music from ska to rock steady to reggae even follows a natural three-act structure. The sub-text of The Heptones' motivation is 'maximum respect' for creating a music sound and beat that is basically the back-bone for modern day hip-hop & rap music. If you think about listening to 60's rock and roll - it's dated - but ska and rock steady and

Tell us about the film?
RB: This story has never been heard or told or seen. You sort of know Jim Morrison or Elvis all basically self-destructive – or – The Beatles & Motown sound. RUDE BOY rises above the cliché’ and pomp and circumstance and delivers a simple story about a complicated character facing true-to-life insurmountable hardships is triumphant. A spiritual – coming-of-age & a rites-of-passage dramatic musical epic – all-in-one. Not only has this story never been told but this music too has never been heard – it was banned from the radio in Jamaica. Plus, it wasn’t really played all that much once it was allowed – to hear it you had to go to the dancehalls – the ‘jump-ups’ . The Sound System dances in West Kingston ghettos was the place to be, a mountain of speakers blasting over-modulated music for dancers and RUDE BOYS! Ska music first broke in the UK in 1964 providing a much larger and diverse fan base in the European market and even finding it’s way to the South Pacific. The music wasn’t heard in the United States at all until finally reggae migrated onto America’s shore in late 1972 early ‘73 from Bob Marley’s Catch’a Fire LP. This was the first time reggae music was heard on the U.S. mainland and it caught fire with and remains revolutionary and associated with disenfranchised. RUDE BOY will most certainly increase general knowledge of this legendary story thereby finally affording MAXIMUM RESPECT to this spiritual music across all classes! A general appreciation of the music you hear in the malls. Perhaps, even lending a seismic shift in modern-music based on having modern-day recording stars re-record the soundtrack as a bonus soundtrack option. Not to mention, it’s an event movie – each time it premieres or shows in a festival – there will most certainly be Reggae Concert that follows with the original artists singing their own song from the soundtrack – just maybe – soon come.

When can we see the release of the film?
RB: This project has not been produced - it is in a funding development stage at present seeking support and like from a fan base.

Are you Jamaican? What is your connection to Jamaica?
RB: No, it is just by happenstance - but I gravitate towards great stories - and this is the greatest story never told! The Heptones are my main connection and this story, of course.

What is one of the main messages you wanted the film to convey ?
RB:Triumph-of-the-Spirit - a musical revolution that spread the world over - desrves maximum respect.

Tell us about the challenges of funding the film? How can crowd funding help?
RB: The hardest part about funding this story is the realization that there's a very good chance it may never see the light of day based on the cold shoulder Hollywood and UK funding sources and studio and independents have afforded. I see this as a brilliant no brainier but apparently I am the only one. I do ask your readers and followers and subscribers and fans perhaps embrace the project and promote it through their personal friends and family and so on. In the near future we plan to launch a crowd funding campaign that can perhaps solve our financial shortfall. I think crowd funding is simply brilliant. It’s a massive market correction that benefits both the audience member, who’s already pre-disposed to celebrate and appreciate a project, and the filmmaker desperate to fund their project. It’s a pre-sale to the consumer instead of the foreign sales distributor that you can then bank – crowd funding eliminates that middle man and is fairly fascinating in that respect. For instance, if a TV show can’t afford the $2M an episode budget based on advertising sales even though they have 4M fans that want the show saved tell your fans. 4M fans crowd fund $.50 per episode and their show will continue and you bank the advertising sales – fascinating! A pre-purchase - it’s akin to ordering a car at a dealership – you go in you tell them what color you want and a couple weeks later – it arrives. In this case it’s a couple more months, but the pre-purchase amount is considerably less than a car down payment – so you get the point. Waiting for a film executive or sales agent to cross collateralize your cast against pre-sales or debt financing based on budget and return-on-investment you can die a slow, excruciating indie film producer death. With Crowd sourced film financing the filmmaker goes directly to the base and it’s do-or-die and in a timely fashion – you get your answer. A positive by-product is the story concept is king rather than the cast member or director – we should filter out the clunkers and only fund the classics. With the global reach of the web – social media empowers your project to reach farther than ever before – limitless reach into every corner of the world. Every time I have shot overseas – I always find the local watering hole blasting reggae music – it’s inevitable. The trial & error period of how crowd funding can work continues right now for us and we see the model developing in phases of funding in order to reach a high-dollar goal. That is, over the course of the production there can be several phases of crowd funding campaigns that will eventually deliver a completed and professional project. For instance - phase one get’s a trailer shot & cut and some cast on board while phase two can deliver the crew and pre-production process and perhaps phase three is principal photography and so on. Whereby, all phases will derive benefit from a larger, third-party fan-base grown and fostered over the course of physically beginning the production process. Have these individual crowd funding phases and by including these crowd funding fans directly in the production process a mutual benefit is realized for exposure and complete co-mingling of ideas and expectations. A harbinger for direct distribution model is not far off too based on the current rapid acceleration of web speeds and host sites. Essentially your own movie channel – YouTube and others like it already provide this avenue right now. There could not be a more suitable option for crowd sourcing than RUDE BOY. RUDE BOY is a project that already has a demonstrative built in fan base for reggae music – or rock steady or ska – it’s a perfect example. Case-in- point as RUDE BOY holds the ‘most popular’ spot on film funds for now – its ability to attract these international reggae and indie film fans is pretty remarkable – and deserved of Maximum Respect!

What movie is on replay on your DVD?
RB: CITY OF GOD

Any advice for upcoming filmmakers?
RB: Get used to being told no but you don't have to accept that as the answer...

Visit the “Rude Boy” website to learn more. – rudeboymovie.com

Interview with Zenesha Zenny Riley, assistant Director & Producer of the Jamaican documentary “ Hit me with Music"

X Murphy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 UT

This week we interview Nicetime Productions Limited Productions Manager and Assistant Director/Producer, Zenesha Zenny Riley about their documentary on “ Hit me with Music”. Nice Time is a film company committed to capturing and documenting in film and music significant cultural and sports achievements of Jamaicans. Here is our conversation with Zenesha.

Zenesha is a very lovely and unique name. What is the history behind the name?
The history behind my name is a funny one, when my mother : Andria Hylton-Riley gave birth to me my dad had just Bought her a brand new color Television called Zenith at that time it was like A HD plasma tv, so she got excited, and thought what would she name her daughter? she couldnt call me ZENITH, since that was already taken by a TV, so I was called Zenesha, and since Back in the early 80's every ones child had a isha Or a sha, so Zenesha was created thats my name.

Where in Jamaica are you from?
I was born In St Ann, St Ann's Bay the Capital to be exact, the birth place of Bob Marley, Burning spears, Shabba Ranks, Marcus Gravey to name a few, I grew up in a small Rural community called Farm Town, In Discovery Bay St Ann.

How did you get started in film making?
I started doing films when I was introduced to it By Fernando Garcia Guereta a Spanish Business man, who Just simply loved Jamaica, Bob Marley and its Culture, I was in Entertainment management, Music and fashion at the time, and still is in a few of those, but ventured into making documentaries with Nando as he made me the head of Productions of his Company Nice Time Productions.

Tell us about the documentary Hit me with Music? What is about?
30 years after Bob Marley’s death Jamaica continues to be on top of the world-wide music scene. Reggae has evolved to produce a new genre,

Dancehall. Anywhere, at any time, tunes created by artistes from the ghetto fill the island’s soundscape. They tell the story of a society whose reality

is marked by violence and poverty. Through the protagonists of this documentary you'll get to know Dancehall and what it is about.

A diverse group of individuals, including Yellowman, the original King of Dancehall, talks of the context in which these songs are born and what the phenomena represent in their life and the lives of many supporters. Hit me with music presents and represents the urban street culture and lifestyle that fuels and is born out of the new music of young Jamaicans, and captures the elements of dance which form an integral part of nightlife in Kingston.

The Dancehall phenomena is unstoppable in Jamaica and the rest of the world, and continues to highlight the realities

of life for poor Jamaicans, in spite of the efforts of the Jamaican government to attract tourists by hiding this reality behind its “Jamaica No Problem” image.

Artistes, dancers, music producers, schoolchildren and the youths on the street explain the content of the polemic Dancehall lyrics and the

lifestyle created by the music. The Gully – Gaza clash between supporters of Vybz Kartel and Mavado, the controversial subject of “Daggering” and

the reasons why people bleach their skin, are all explored in this documentary.
We’ll also get to know about the dreams and hopes of the majority of the poor and underprivileged people in Jamaica.

Where did the idea come from to make this documentary?

Spanish selector kamikaze from Kiki sound was doing a few recordings in Jamaica, we were shooting "why do Jamaicans run so fast" at that time.

Since we love dancehall also, it became our aim to show our view about what dancehall means for Jamaicans, especially for those living in poor comunities.

We felt that there was a lot of good documentaries about reggae, but dancehall deserved to have its own space.

The title is from the Bob Marley song. Is there a connection you are trying to make with foundation reggae and dancehall with this title?
Fernando always had in his mind an interview made with Bob Marley for a reggae documentary. While playing football, Bob was asked what

was the meaning of reggae, he told the interviewer that "reggae is the music and beat of the ghetto". That was a wonderful inspiration for us as Bob marley fans. Today dancehall is still the music of the ghetto, theres no question about that.

If there is one thing you want audiences to take away from this documentary, what would it be?
For me the nicest thing about dancehall is that it brings joy to the people of the ghetto and rural surroundings, even though we know there is a lot of controversy about Certain aspects on dancehall music, when we see the people dance to it we feel good.

They say documenting culture in film is a learning experience. What is the one thing you learned about dancehall/Jamaican culture from doing this documentary?
We learn that when you dont have many chances in this hard society music is like a healing process for the spirits of those who suffer, and dancing is an

art of expression its extremely powerful.

Do you think Jamaicans are doing enough to document their culture?
Before I thought not, but being in the film Industry you see that there are a lot of potential Jamaican producers and directors,who tries to tell there stories of the culture. Maybe because there are not much funding opportunities in Jamaica to facilitate their production budgets, you don't see enough, but In time I believe there will be more doors open to document our culture. The NLJ-National Library of Jamaica, has played their part in trying to document and collect as much as they can to preserve the culture and its existence. And Nice time productions ensures that All documentaries done by us, is donated to the NLJ.

Has the documentary been entered in any film fests? Has it won any awards?

Yes we have entered it in to TIFF Trinidad and Tobago film festival, and we have won, Best Documentary and The peoples choice Award.

Hit me with music has been screened and premiered in several countries.

Jamaica.

East End Film Festival- London UK

Norient Music Film festival- Bern,Switzerland

Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Germany, Italy

African Film festival - legos Nigeria

Malcom x blvd New york, USA

Pan African film festival,Los Angeles, USA : in February

Just to name a few.

Documentaries always struggle with financing as is not for commercial distribution. How was that film financed?

The film has been financed by the CEO of the company, Fernando Garcia Guereta

Tell us more about Nicetime Productions Limited Productions goal of capturing Jamaican culture on film?
Nice Time gets a lot of inspiration from Jamaican Culture, and we are determined to make the whole world know more about it, we have

realized that there is something about our Jamaican culture that caption the attention of fans all over the world.

How well did the project on “Why Jamaican run so fast” did? Any new awards?

WDJRSF was successful, We have won 4 International awards

1,The “GUIRLANDE D’HONNOUR” at the Milano International Ficts Festival 2009 (Italy)
2.“BEST FILM & BEST DIRECTOR” at the Sport Film Festival Palermo 2009 (Italy),
3.1st place in the category SPORTS AND SOCIETY at the Atlant International Ficts Film festival 2010 (Russia)
4.BEST OLYMPIC MOVIE at the BCN Ficts Film festival Barcelona 2010 (Spain)

Any plans for the Olympics?

The Olympics: Plans are already in high gear as 2 major airline companies will commence to show WDJRSF: British Air ways and lufthansa, starting

in February, we are in preparations to merge with an athletic magazine called Runners world to do a spread and add a bonus DVD & CD of WDJRSF and Authentic reggae and dance hall music for each edition.

Our Executives and legal Administration are also making talks to merge with the Ministry of Sports Youth and culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna and JAMPRO to prepare and coordinate different activities in the London Olympics.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

Yes, our most present project is called " Songs of Redemption.

Songs of redemption is a documentary about The rehabilitation process through music.

Please see link Jamaica Gleaner for more details.

With the emergence of technology movies are copied and distributed illegally on flash drives. Many will say that this practice is quite popular in Jamaica and worldwide. Do you see this as a threat to your film making or do you see opportunity?
We are aware of it, but we understand we live in a technological society, we understand a lot of people cant afford to pay for dvds so we try our best to find different ways

to finance our projects, trying to stop technology is a waste of time. We think some big companies have been stealing peoples money for a long time. We are little but we tallawah.

Are you doing any work for the celebration of Jamaica 50?

We are negotiating our presence in Jamaican 50th anniversary during London Olympic games.

What are you most “proudest” about with Jamaica turning 50 years old?

We are still alive and working to be better in how we do business, trade and understands the international language, how we handle national security

and how we protect whats ours - Brand Jamaica. As our generation gap expands and changes and technology improves, That little rock that Jamaica sits on has improved, I have only lived 27 years on it, some of it there some of it in Europe, but from the History I know and where we are comming from,

Im very proud of its achievements, In music, world Number one In sports ( Athletics), in Education, technology and culture.

50 years as an independent nation might seem Long in the eyes of some, but we still have a far way to go.

Learning from our mistakes as a nation and working towards improving a better quality of life for the poor and recovering from years of piracy and corruption, so Im most proud about our strength and determination.

Thanks for the interview. Any final thoughts?

U a go tyaad fe watch our movies, cant tek we outta di race, Jamaica to di world.

A conversation with Menelik Shabazz the creator, director and producer of the documentary film Lovers Rock

X Murphy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:35:00 UT

This week we interview Menelik Shabazz the creator, director and producer of the documentary film Lovers Rock. The documentary tells the story of how Lovers Rock music defined a generation in the late 70s and 80s hugely impacting on British Pop Culture. The feature length documentary contains interviews, comedy sketches, dance, live performances and archive footage which are used to shed light on the music and the generation that embraced it. Here is our conversation with Menelik Shabazz.

How did the idea come about to do a film on Lovers Rock?

The Story of Lover’s Rock came about as a result of seeing an advert in our community newspaper about The Lovers Rock Gala Awards organised by Castro Brown. This Awards event featured over 20 acts who were the real Kings and Queens of the genre what struck me was that it was the first time and only time that so many of these artists had come together. To me this was a historic moment that had to be captured. This was the spark that started the journey to make a film.

In the documentary one is lead to believe that Lover Rock genre originated in the UK. There are many in Jamaica that may dispute that. What would you say to those critics?
Lover’s Rock is a UK genre of romantic reggae that is defined by it’s harmony structure, girl power and it’s UK context. British reggae was seen as softer than Jamaican reggae. and this difference found expression in lovers music, drawing on influences from the US 70s, Philly sound. Later on Jamaican artists like Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott, Gregory Isaac and others came to England to embrace this lovers style. Of course there is a history of Jamaican reggae love songs, that pre-date lovers Rock but this was dominated by male artists whilst in the UK the female artists where the ones in front which had a strong impact in defining the genre.

In what countries has the film premiered?

The film has been premiered in the UK and US so far.

How has it received by these audiences?

The audiences have been loving the film, quite a few has seen it more than once. I the film rolls back the years taking people back to a time of first love, going out raving - a sweet spot in time for many. The film is in the top six UK box office for documentary films which is significant for this type of film.

Will the documentary be entered in any film festivals?

It has entered a few Festivals and where asked it will go but Festivals are not at the top of my list. I am more concerned with getting the film in the cinemas and doing business rather look for festival plaudits.

How long was it from concept to production?

The film has taken me three years to make. I financed it myself along with the support of a lot of people. I had to take my time on this project but it is also been an empowering experience.

What was the earliest Lover Rock song you could find ?
In the film, Caught You in a Lie by Louisa Marks is seen as the defining moment, even though the term was not used then. This song had an assertive and confident feel that even though the lyrics are sad it somehow transcended into empowerment for many women, who still sing that song today. There were other artists even before Louisa but there is always a song that defines any genre and Louisa’s track was it.

Who are some of the unsung heroes of this genre?

There are so many. Artists like Carol Thompson, Jean Adebambo, Winston Reedy, Brown Sugar, I could go on and on, there are producers like Dennis Bovell, Len Chin, Clem Bushay, the musicians like Drummie and Tony Gad from Aswad, Black Steel, there were so many talented musicians who raised the bar as far reggae music. These players, singers and producers like the genre itself has never received the recognition in the UK yet they influenced British pop. It was in places like Japan especially that Lovers Rock really took off and has become an international brand.

As a Bajan what made you in made you interested in reggae music?

I came to London since the age of 6 and was socialised with Jamaicans from that time like others from different Islands reggae was our music it was the music we could hold on to in an hostile and racially charged environment. So I grew up with Ska, Eock Steady and reggae. This became was our identity in the concrete jungle.

What is one of the main message you wanted the film to convey ? Do you think this genre of music continues to influence British culture?

The main message in the film is to bring back the love that we have lost. Looking back helps us to move forward. I want our young to know our story, what we created, what we achieved and also understand the struggles we went through. The film is not just about the music, it combines comedy, dance added to the confrontations we had being black in a white world. We in the UK and black people need more love because we are in spiritual and emotional dis-array. This is reflected in the way our children are behaving. We can’t blame the youths. We need more love!

They say that creating films and documentaries is like sitting in a classroom learning about your subject. What are some of the thing you have learned doing this film?

The process of making film whether doc or fiction teaches you about yourself. There have been challenges on this film financially when you think that the road you are trodding has no end. Your mental state is important because it is that that gives you insight, strength, courage and belief that things will manifest in your favour. I also give thanks to my God and my Ancestors because we never go through alone. It was also whether after a break of 14 years away from film whether I could still make films and make them at a certain standard. I learnt that I can!

What other projects do you have planned for 2012?

I do have some film projects I want to do but at the moment I am working on a small theatre play that has become my latest obession. I have never done theatre before so it a little bit of a detour but the joy of being back on your creative path gives you the passion to try anything. Film projects take years of your life and after 3 years making THE STORY OF LOVERS ROCK, I am just taking my time.

Do you make New Years Resolutions?

New Resolutions – No . I am learning to take life as it comes.

What song is on replay on your iPod?

The song on my Ipod – is Living in the Light a track by Fertile Ground.

What movie is on replay on your DVD?

The movie I am currently watching is an old Hitccock movie The Paradine Case

Any advice for upcoming filmmakers?

Advice to new filmmakers is – fortune favours the brave

Thanks for the interview and we wish you the best in the future.

A Conversation wtih Yola Gray-Baker the Fashion designer and CEO of House of Flayva

X Murphy — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:35:00 UT

This week we interview Yola Gray-Baker the Fashion designer and CEO of House of Flayva. House of Flayva is known for their street life designs which, draws from Jamaican culture and the vibrant colors of the Caribbean. Yola Gray-Baker was the 2010 Saint International's Avante Garde winner.Here is our conversation with Yola.

Where in Jamaica are you from?
I am originally from St. Mary in Jamaica, but currently reside with my husband in Stony Hill overlooking the city of Kingston.

What inspired you to create House of Flayva and where does the name come from?
My inspiration – OK – Street Life/Hobo – yes. Originally my designs were inspired by street people wear - tucked, pinned, tied, draped. There was no need to sew. I took a piece of fabric and tied it, wrapped it, do whatever you want to do with it to make it look sexy and classy into a great garment. Could make up a garment in 5 minutes. None of my fabric goes to waste. Left over pieces are always being used for patching or striping or whatever. Very simple. Have a Carnaby Street image – whimsical, floaty, conservatively revealing and edgy.

How many lines of clothing do you currently have under the label?
Mostly ladies resort wear but am currently working on a “T”weed shirt collection as well as a beach wedding collection. The “T”weed meaning T/shirt with the ganja weed logo. Ironically these will carry inspirational messages – won’t tell you any more. You will have to wait to see the outcome.
The beach wedding is a “Flash it then Trash it” collection in which the couple can jump in the ocean after their “I dos” and not worry that they have on $50,000 wedding garments and is worried about messing it up in the salt water. By the way, I will be doing the groom’s wear as well.

You recently launched a rasta color line. What was the inspiration behind the line?
From time to time I launch a different line – always using the rasta colors and lifestyle as my inspiration. For one, they are always a good sell, but also I will never forget my Caribbean roots. I am not a rasta myself but I do like the naturalness and down to earth (literally) nature of their lifestyle.
The calmness of the Caribbean sea will also always be an inspiration to my pieces.

When did you first fall in love with fashion?
I think as a child growing up I always had a love for it as my aunt, with whom I lived in the rural St. Mary sewed for all the women in the district and at age 10 I made my first dress. Plus I am artistically gifted in so many other areas so it’s a natural.

How would you describe your own personal style?
My own personal style is first and foremost – comfortably edgy, classy and unique.

Describe your fashion mission?
Always make a statement – I guess you can say it’s my Mission Statement – I think I will do a Collection called MISSION STATEMENT. Thanks for the idea.

Which designers do you love right now?
Nicole Miller, Tracey Reese, Jason Wu

Anything we should look out for from you in the coming weeks/months/year?
Definitely my Wedding Collection and a Collection I’m in the process of creating to commemorate Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary of Independence. I hope to do a show in Florida for the commemoration – am not sure exactly when this show is, I think in June. I will be doing New York Fashion Week later on in the year. Am also launching the beach wedding collection at a show in Orlando in March for a “'Beautiful Brides” magazine.

A phrase you use far too often?"
I don’t think I have one.

What food brings your comfort when you are disappointed?
None, my stomach gets in a knot and I can’t eat. It’s the reality of a perfectionist. If it’s not right I worry and lose my appetite.

Fashion tip for 2012?
Dare to bare and take the plunge.

In a nutshell, your philosophy is?
When you love another for who they are,
whatever they do or think is irrelevant.
Welcome to the Reality of God.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts?
Judging is not a problem. Judging is innocent.
It is when you judge your judgment and believe it,
that is when judging becomes a problem for you.

Interview with popular Jamaican Entertainer Christopher “Johnny” Daley

Chris Daley — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:45:01 UT

Interview with popular Jamaican Entertainer Christopher “Johnny” Daley . The multi-talented entertainer does it all, film, television, radio, theatre and comedy. In 2010 Chris won Best Actor in a Lead Role winner at the 20th Actor Boy Awards in Jamaica.

Listen to his engaging interview.

Part 1

Part 2

A Conversation with Caribbean Beta PitchFEST winner, Dmitri Dawkins

X Murphy — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:30:01 UT

This week we speak with Dmitri Dawkins the winner of PitchFest the Startup Contest at Caribbean BETA, which was recently held in Kingston, Jamaica.Caribbean Beta was the first of its kind Tech Entrepreneurship Conference that brought together the smartest Caribbean minds in a single event to connect to each other, learn from region & global experts, hear success stories and pitch their ideas in a Startup contest called PitchFEst. Dmitri Dawkins pitched his idea and won the PitchFEST.

Where in Jamaica are you from and which high school did you attend?
I grew up in Irish Town District, which is in the Blue Mountains, St. Andrew and I attended Campion College.

How would you describe yourself? Are you an inventor, entrepreneur, social media marketer or all of these and more?
Lol, all of the above? I sold my first item, a quartz crystal to a classmate in prep school. In High School

I convinced my physics teacher that I could sell him a computer for less, that was the first computer I ever sold. My parents would tell me I was too focused on money. While at UTECH I realised that maybe they were right and switched my focus on trying to make solutions that would have the most impact for change. When social media came around, I jumped on it quickly, everyone was using it, I wanted to see how all that data could be used.

I don't consider myself an inventor, I just take things people have created already, merge them and apply them in ways people didn't imagine before. My Grandfather made the first TV in Jamaica when he came back from WW2, he gave me a soldering iron, multimeter and a desk at the age of 5. He always told me to use the technology that exists and make it better. I think that's what I do.

Solutions Development is what I do.

Why did you enter the PitchFEST at Caribbean Beta?
To be honest I entered for the experience. It's not often that competitions like that are held in Jamaica and I thought it would be a great learning experience even if I flopped. After I made my presentation I realised I made several mistakes. Winning was a surprise, however the overall pitch experience was the true value of the competition to me.

Without giving away your all of your idea can you give us a high-level overview of your entry for the PitchFEST at Caribbean Beta?
I pitched on a product concept I have had for a couple years. What it does is integrate businesses together, sharing data and enabling more efficient reporting and business processes. Information is what businesses need to operate and the software brings a repository of data for businesses to use to make better decisions. It is based on the concept of enterprise resource planning.

How long have you been developing your idea?
About two years now. I was involved in an ERP implementation and thought the process was flawed. I outlined points that would make it better, did research on what was available on the market and tried to find what was missing. Thankfully I also know several people in the ERP business who have helped me tweak the feature set, advised me what is practical and feature requests their customers have been asking for.

How did you feel when you were named one of the top 3 and then eventually the winner?
I was in shock. I ran out of time during my presentation and thought I had absolutely messed it up. I covered the main points but the really cool features I didn't get to mention. Thankfully the judges were already sold on the concept.

Has winning infused in you new confidence about your idea?
It definitely has. Before I thought hey it's a good idea but maybe it's just that. Technically currently it still is just an idea, but at least now I know others think it is a good idea as well. The feedback from conference attendees has also been great, with several people contributing points to make the concept better.

I know if is just a few days since the event but did you find any potential investors interested in investing in your idea?
I have a couple. However I am open to more. I really just want to see it built, even if someone wants to buy the idea. This is just one product. I have a book of concepts for technology, energy, food and waste management. I just want to get one off the ground to then fund the rest.

You have keen entrepreneurial mind. Tell us a story of you as a child doing something entrepreneurial?
Well as mentioned before I started sales from prep school. My most fond story is in high school though. I was in second form and I used to help out at my Uncle's computer store. I used to get enough lunch money for two patties, a drink and exact change for my bus fare. Yes I said bus fare. All of my friends were eating Burger King and Chinese food after school. I knew my parents couldn't afford it, however I had the advantage of getting my lunch money in a lump sum month to month. I used my entire month's lunch money to buy a CD burner from my uncle. I would burn cd's for people I knew and within a week I was not only eating out every day but also having ice cream as well. My mother had to have a serious conversation with me asking me how I could afford to do so. In a couple years I switched to open source, stopped all piracy and provided low cost solutions using open source software. My trusty burner eventually burned more Linux CD's than all the music CD's I had ever done.

What technology tool you cannot live without?
Gmail, I manage all my email through it. Since Google has added on Docs etc it's a must have.

Outside of facebook and twitter, what is the one website you visit daily
Gmail of course, but also WheelsJamaica.com

Digicel or Claro?
Well, currently I have two Digicel phones and a Lime.

What is the song that is on replay on your ipod?
Hurt by Johnny Cash

Thanks for your time. Any closing thoughts?
Live life now. Stop asking what if and just do. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Oh and it's not about the amount of money you have, what matters is your quality of life.

Interview With Jana Bent – Producer of The Reggae Pickney™ Children’s Edu-Tainment Series

Chris Daley — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:30:01 UT

Jana Bent is a Jamaican who has worked in the entertainment business as a dancer, choreographer and backing vocalist, touring with The Wailers, Julian Marley, Damian Marley and Shaggy among others. She recorded 3 albums of all original songs, with her Producer/brother Rupert Bent III, (musical director for Sean Paul) including the hits: “You So Fine”, “My Man Dat” and “No Regrets” featuring Bounty Killer.

Jana Bent is the Producer of The Reggae Pickney™ Children’s Edu-Tainment Series of multimedia products.

Jana is also a gifted songwriter, with a publishing administration deal with the Royalty Network in New York City and has written songs for placement on international TV shows and movies. She has songs that have been placed on shows such as ‘American Idol; MTV’s ‘The Hills’; "The City", “Privileged” and in the movie "Spring Breakdown" .

Recently, a twist of fate led her to shift away from a performing career, to form her own company, KQC Enterprises, that creates children’s Edu-tainment products under the brand name Reggae Pickney™ with Jamaican and Caribbean educational content, using entertainment to deliver environmental protection messages and themes from the early childhood curriculum. The first product, was a CD Storybook, “Shaggy Parrot and the Reggae Band”, featuring the voice of Grammy Winning Reggae Artiste, Shaggy, and authentic reggae music by her brother Rupert. This first book has been named one of the Top 60 Books by a Caribbean Author Every Student Should Read, by the Jamaica Library Service. This CD Storybook also won the 2009 Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center, the world’s largest Parenting advocacy group.

The second CD Storybook in the series “The Reggae Band Rescues Mama Edda Leatherback”, funded by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WIDECAST, the sea turtle authorities for this hemisphere.

Both CD Storybooks were developed with guidance from early childhood education authorities and environmental agencies, and are listed on the Early Childhood Curriculum Resource List for Jamaica.

The book series is just the beginning of great plans. Jana still has a twinkle in her eyes for hitting it big, but this time with her dreams for a Caribbean enterprise patterned off of the Disney Corporation.

Listen to her engaging interview.

Making Bad Friday Better: An Interview with Deborah Thomas

Andrea E. Shaw — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:01 UT

Dr. Deborah A. Thomas

Dr. Deborah A. Thomas is a professor anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, a dancer, and most recently added filmmaker to her accomplishments. Deborah directed and produced the new documentary Bad Friday in partnership with her husband John L. Jackson, Jr.; Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn; and Junior "Ista J" Manning. Bad Friday focuses on a community of Rastafarians in western Jamaica who annually commemorate the 1963 Coral Gardens "incident," a moment just after independence when the Jamaican government rounded up, jailed and tortured hundreds of Rastafarians. It chronicles the history of violence in Jamaica through the eyes of its most iconic community, and shows how people use their recollections of past traumas to imagine new possibilities for the future. Here is our conversation with Deborah on her new film Bad Friday.

Please tell us about the event that is the subject of your documentary Bad Friday.
On April 11, 1963, five men understood to be Rastafari responded to a long-term land dispute that had resulted in the shooting and imprisonment of Rudolph Franklin by seeking revenge on the handful of persons who were responsible. In doing so, they burned down a gas station and killed a number of persons including two policemen and a white Jamaican from Kingston. As a result of the hysteria that followed, Bustamante is said to have proclaimed, “Bring in all Rasta, dead or alive!”, and as police attempted to find those who perpetrated the incidents in Coral Gardens, civilians also arranged themselves into vigilante groups and hunted down all Rastafari in western Jamaica and beyond. This meant that Rastafari far from the event itself were being rounded up, beaten, jailed, and in some cases killed, only because of the Jamaican population’s extreme fear of Rastafari during that period.

How did you come to know about this incident in Coral Gardens, given that it is has generally received limited discussion in the Caribbean media?
It is mentioned briefly in a couple scholarly books dealing with the decade after independence, but in these cases the authors relied on The Gleaner’s (Jamaica’s most widely circulated newspaper at that time)reporting of the incident itself. At the time, John Maxwell also published some articles (some with firsthand accounts) in Public Opinion. I had read about Coral Gardens in these venues, but realized that nowhere was there a full account, and that because of this the events of 1963 had largely been silenced from the general story of Jamaica’s history, particularly in the immediate post-independence years. Another such silenced historical moment, by the way, is the Green Bay Massacre, and Storm Saulter has recently released an excellent film based on that event in 1978.

The incident on which your film focuses took place in 1963. Why do you think that in the half-century or so since that time such little information about this event in Jamaican history has been available?
I am not sure. That the government and security forces would have had such an alarmingly violent response to the actions of five individuals is stunning though of course, we have to understand this in relation to the climate of extreme fear of anything having to do with black consciousness at the time. I’m sure the excessive response constitutes an embarrassment on the part of the government, but times are different now and people are ready to bring these sorts of violent legacies to the fore. Additionally, around the world there is a very limited understanding of the various brutalities and struggles earlier generations of Rastafari faced, given that many outside the Caribbean who come to Rasta do so because of the music and know relatively little about the social and political context of Jamaica during that period.

John L. Jackson

How many people died on Bad Friday, and was anyone ever charged and tried for these deaths?
By the end of the day 11 April 1963, at least eight people had been killed, including Rudolph Franklin and two of his crew. Three men were hunted down and arrested for murder and conspiracy to commit murder – Carlton Bowen, Clifton Larman and Leabert Jarrett. Their lawyers – Mssrs. Beresford Hay, David Muirhead, Carl Rattray, and Hewart Henriques – argued a defense of “diminished responsibility.” All three men were sentenced to death by hanging. In May 1964, Jarrett was released on appeal, but Bowen and Larman were hanged on 2 December 1964. It is still not known exactly how many Rastafari were rounded up by the police, jailed, tortured, or killed.

What is your professional background, and how did it prepare you to make this film?
I am an anthropology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and in my life before graduate school, I was a professional dancer in New York City. I don’t have a professional background in film, obviously, though my husband John Jackson, who is the co-director for the film does, so this is why we thought we could tell this story in that way. Junior Wedderburn and I did most of the camera work and the interviewing, with the help of many Rastafari involved with the Coral Gardens Committee (especially Junior “Ista J” Manning, when he was still living, and Ras Simba and Ras Iyah V). Junior, John and I sat together to think through how we wanted to tell the story and who the primary audience should be, and Junior also created the music for the film, working with a number of excellent musicians in Brooklyn.

Of all the subjects you could have had as the focus of your documentary, why the Coral Gardens Incident?
I was working on a book about violence in Jamaica, that has actually just been released. It’s called EXCEPTIONAL VIOLENCE: EMBODIED CITIZENSHIP IN TRANSNATIONAL JAMAICA. The last chapter of that book concerns the Coral Gardens “incident” as I wanted to talk about the history of state violence against Rastafari and how this violence was geared in part toward solidifying a particular idea about citizenship that Rastafari countered. As I was doing the research for the chapter, one of the elders with whom Junior Wedderburn and I had been talking suggested that it might be more useful to make a film about it, so we did.

Where did you get funding to make the film?
The University of Pennsylvania has provided all the funding for the film, which has been incredibly helpful, obviously, as all the trips back and forth and the archival footage we use, as well as our own time and energy (which has been uncompensated), have ended up costing quite a bit. The good thing is that because we’ve been supported by the university to make the film, we are now not concerned with recovering all these costs through sales of the film. Instead, we are able to donate all of the proceeds from the film to the Rastafari Coral Gardens Committee, and indeed this was part of our agreement with the community all along. Right now, we are in the final stages of creating the cover design for the DVD and making copies so that we can bring them some boxes to sell in Jamaica. The film will also be available on our website: (it is still, currently, in construction).

What was one of the best decisions you made regarding how to develop this film project?
I think our decision about audience has been important. We went back and forth about the kind of documentary it should and could be, and how it could reach the broadest audience, and we ended up deciding that the community itself – both within and beyond Jamaica – should be primary. The secondary audience, which of course overlaps with the community, comprises those interested in issues related to Pan-Africanism, Rastafari, black consciousness, and Jamaica. We know there are communities of Rastafari or like-minded individuals who will be interested and who will look for the film all over the world. We also feel that Jamaicans generally should see it, both on the rock and abroad, in order to have a better sense of our post-independence history.

Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn

What was the biggest challenge you faced while making Bad Friday?
Because Rastafari have been so over-exploited in terms of their imagery and iconography, and because they have also been mis-represented on numerous occasions, or mistreated by researchers, cultural workers, or filmmakers, or not given what was promised to them, there is a fair amount of skepticism among leaders within the community about any project like this (though in our experience, this skepticism did not extend to the elders themselves). We were fortunate to have the support of key individuals who were part of some of the current initiatives within the community, like the move to secure some degree of intellectual copyright protection and to protect their interests vis-à-vis the mobilization of their image in tourism advertising, etc. This meant that while we were in some ways taken as a test case for these initiatives, we were also, for the most part, trusted as to our sincerity. A big plus in this regard is that we ourselves are not trying to make money off the film, but instead see it as a gift to Jamaica and to the worldwide community of Rastafari.

If you could spend an afternoon interviewing anyone who has passed away but was involved in the Coral Gardens Incident, who would that be and why?
There is a sistren who was one of the only women arrested during the aftermath of Coral Gardens with whom I would love to have spoken; and there is another brethren who was involved and who was mentioned by several of the elders and others close to the situation, who has since passed. A number of policemen who were part of the original battalion who responded to the events of that morning have also passed, and it would have been interesting, I think, to see whether they were willing to rethink what happened on those days. A few of the elders who we did have the privilege of interviewing have also transitioned since, so we were happy to have been able to record their stories so that others may hear them. Thankfully, the Public Defender is now investigating the case, in part because of the film but also as a result of the long-standing agitation of members of the community. He has asked for our raw interview footage (which we gave him) and members of his office have already traveled to MoBay to take sworn testimony from individuals who went through the experience. I know that he is also asking that if anyone beyond western Jamaica or even outside Jamaica can talk about their own experiences in relation to the events at Coral Gardens, they should contact his office, by email or by calling 876-922-7109 or 876-922-8256.

If you had an unlimited budget to make any one film, what would it be about?
This was it, really. As I am not a filmmaker per se, I don’t lie awake thinking about the next one. However, if something arose as organically as this did and it seemed to make sense in terms of what it could do to support the efforts of those I am working with, I might think about doing it again.

How can people purchase the film or get more information about it?
The film is being distributed to institutions (educational and otherwise) in the U.S. and Canada by Third World Newsreel and individuals can buy it from our website within the next few weeks! The soundtrack from the film will also be available from both sources, and will feature a couple of extra tracks.

About the Interviewer:
Andrea Shaw, Ph.D., is assistant director of the Division of Humanities and an assistant professor of English at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. She was born in Jamaica and is a creative writer and a scholar of Caribbean and African Diaspora studies. Her book, The Embodiment of Disobedience: Fat Black Women's Unruly Political Bodies, was published in 2006. Her creative and scholarly writing have been published in numerous journals, including World Literature Today, MaComére, The Caribbean Writer, Crab Orchard Review, Feminist Media Studies, Social Semiotics, and FEMSPEC. She graduated from the University of Miami with a Ph.D. in English and from Florida International University with an M.F.A in Creative Writing.

NOTE: "Bad Friday-Rastafari After Coral Gardens makes its New York premiere at the mulit-media, family friendly, Reggae Culture Salute 2011 on Saturday, Nov. 5th. The event honors the 81st anniversary of the coronation of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen of Ethiopa with a salute to the unique relationship between reggae, rasta, Selassie and Jamaica. The event which features Big Youth, Dubtonic Kru, IWayne and others benefits the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc. (CPR) a 501 (c) (3) organization. Email info@cprreggae.org or call 718 421 6927 for further information."

Interview with Sharon Gordon and Carlyle McKetty of The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR)

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:45:02 UT

This week we interview Sharon Gordon and Carlyle McKetty of The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR). The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR) is a charitable organization, established in 2005 to bring reggae lovers together to work to preserve the art form and its traditional message of healing and unity. Sharon and Carlyle are also the organizers of the annual Reggae Culture Salute which not only an event but a campaign to increase understanding of the development and significance of reggae music. Here is our conversation Sharon and Carlyle.

How did the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc (CPR) get started?

“It was the 75^th anniversary of the coronation of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia and we saw nothing being done in commemoration of this significant milestone, in particular and in general, to honor the unique relationship between, reggae, rasta, Selassie and Jamaica. Understanding the significant and profound contribution of Reggae music to world development, we set out to spread the good news of reggae music and preserve the genre.”

A part of your mission statement say “to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music”. What are some of the things your organization has done to do this?
In addition to staging Reggae Culture Salute, CPR has shown leadership by example in 2007 with the development and staging of the Reggae Cabaret a series of after-work networking events at the upscale Manhattan Center which paired veteran artists with emerging artist in an up close and personal early show.

CPR is also the convener of the Community Conversation Series, a series of monthly forums addressing critical issues facing the industry in engaging the community in playing a role in raising the bar in reggae music. Most recently, CPR launched CPRLive, an internet based broadcast platform offering 24/7 music and talk programming.

What would you say has been the major accomplishments of the organization so far?
Clearly, consistency in staging and producing Reggae Culture Salute over the past seven years, becoming the most successful event of its kind in that period of time is an accomplishment of which we are very proud. In addition, CPR has managed to show steady growth and expansion over this same period, as evidenced by the three year history of conducting the Community Conversation Series and two years of broadcasting.

Sharon, you are the host for the radio show Reggae Calling and Carlyle you host Real talk. How do these shows tie in with the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc (CPR)?
In the Spring of 2010 we were invited to produce and host these programs on e2onair.com introducing CPR to the arena of broadcasting. Every Saturday, Reggae Calling presents the best in reggae music with reasoning, interviews and the popular Female Focus. It’s an unpredictable but enjoyable journey. On Thursdays, Real Talk presents a no holds barred talk show reinforced by music which explores diverse human development issues that relate to and impact the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music.

These two programs became the flagship programs of CPRLive. All programs presented on CPRLive are intended to advance social development and serve the mission of CPR. CPRLive now offers The Evenings Suite, a series of live programming which also include of Social Living on Tuesdays, Peppa Pot on Wednesdays and My Generation, youth programming produced and presented by the Ifetayo Youth Ensemble on Fridays. The establishment of these programs is only the first phase of a multiphase plan to make CPRLive a leading broadcast organ.

What type of music and discussions take place on the program?
CPRLive boasts a dynamic mix of roots reggae, lover’s rock, old school dancehall and dub. All the music on CPRLive is programmed by Sharon . The discussions offer exciting examination and analysis of reggae music and world affairs, with a particular focus on Jamaica and the Caribbean.

You guys are pioneers in reggae music industry doing research. Can you tell us one statistic about reggae that typically raises eyebrows?
“Today’s youth in Iran are big Bob Marley fans, huge!”

Your organization seems to host monthly free workshops on reggae music and related genre. One of the most interesting event you hosted was a conversation with Kool Herc the Jamaican who is heralded as one of the founders of rap. Tell us about the relation between reggae and hip hop?
It was the innovation of Kool Herc, overlaying the toasting technique of delivery derived from “old school dancehall” to the rhythms of rhythm and blues that created what was then known as rap and has since evolved into Hip Hop. Hence the relationship is that the old school form of reggae is the progenitor of Hip Hop.

Tell us about your upcoming Reggae Culture Salute event in New York ? How did it get started and how many years have you held this event?
Now in its 7^th year Reggae Culture Salute honors the unique relationship between reggae, rasta, Selassie and Jamaica . In addition to showcasing the best in roots reggae music, the multi media, family friendly event encompasses nyahbinghi drumming, a movie, the Pinnacle Award and a tribute to Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. RCS has secured Congressional honors for reggae pioneers like The Mighty Diamonds, Big Youth and Ernie Smith and each year, The Pinnacle Award for Excellence, CPR’s highest honor is bestowed on a reggae pioneer who has contributed to the development of the genre.

Who are the artists your team will be honoring this year?
Big Youth will receive the 2011 Pinnacle Award for his more than forty years in the industry as a pioneer singjay and Rastafarian who has always shared a message of love and unity.

Dubtonic Kru will receive CPR’s first ever Simba (Young Lion) Award for their forward leaning roots reggae ensemble which captured the Global Battle of the Bands award in Malaysia earlier this year.

Is there a theme to each year’s Reggae Culture Salute?
Yes. Last year’s theme was “Salute to the Foundation” and this year, we salute the future of roots reggae music.

Where do you see reggae 10 years from now?
We see reggae firmly established as a world music, widely known for its characteristic of speaking truth to power with Jamaica continuing to provide the most authentic expression of the rhythm of reggae music.

Can you each tell me who are your favorite reggae artist?

Carlyle: Bob Marley

Sharon: I have two favorites, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

Who are your favorite ska artists?

Carlyle: The Skatalites

Sharon: The Skatalites

Who are your favorite rock steady artist?

Carlyle: The Paragons

Sharon: Alton Ellis

Your favorite dancehall artist?

Carlyle: Big Youth and URoy

Sharon: General Echo

Thanks for the interview? Any closing words?

Carlyle: Long live Reggae music.

Sharon: Jamaica gave the world a few gifts in the 20^th century, Rastafari and reggae music. In addition, when we look at the influence of Marcus Mosiah Garvey on rastafari and on reggae music, we understand why we must honor his work and that of pioneers like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Big Youth, URoy and so many others who took it global. I am motivated by their sacrifice. Long live sweet reggae music.

RasTa: A Soul's Journey Interview: Patricia Scarlett

X Murphy — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:30:02 UT

An eighteen-year veteran of the international television industry, Patricia Scarlett has developed an impressive list of clients, partners and co-producers around the world. As president and owner of Scarlett Media Inc., a television and film distribution consulting company, she has developed ongoing relationships with many international broadcasters and producers. Patricia’s early experience in the industry began at TVOntario where she worked primarily in international sales. During that time she developed and nurtured a number of valuable relationships with producers and broadcasters which have culminated in a number of significant professional achievements, including her representation of “Ataranjuat:The Fast Runner”, winner of the Camera D’Or at the 2001 Cannes International Film Festival. Here is our conversation with Patricia on her new film: RasTa: A Soul's Journey

Tell us how the idea for the film was conceived?
In my earlier career, I worked as an international TV Sales rep for TVOntario. During this period of my life, I had the good fortune to travel extensively. Everywhere I sent, I encountered Rastafarians -- not just people wearing dreadlocks as a hairstyle. Know the humble beginnings of the Rastafarian movement, I thought that this was a story that needed to be told, on film, in an interest and dynamic way.

Bob Marley's grand daughter Donisha Prendagast is the main character in the documentary. Was she targeted because of the history of the film idea or did she approach you?
The idea for the film was conceived long before I even knew Donisha existed. I had, in fact, shot a promo of the film with a journalist as the lead. Even though broadcasters and funders, liked this journalist, they felt that she did not have a name. So, I went in search of a name. At the time I was shooting another documentary in Jamaica and I mentioned to Jennifer Armond, our local production manager that I was looking for someone with a name and who was Rastafarian to take the lead in this documentary that I was developing. It was Jennifer who suggested that I contact Donisha. I called her and from our first conversation, I knew I had the right person.

How long from Concept to production?
From conception to production was six (6) years. We shot the first segment in Washington at the Smithsonian and then had to stop due to a lack of funding. In the last two years, with much pain and suffering, we managed to pull additional funding together to complete shooting the film.

When will the film be released?
The film will be released in Canada October 2011. Thereafter, we roll it out in other countries.

Ahead of the release can you tell us the countries on the Rasta journey?
USA, United Kingdom, India, South Africa, Ethiopia, Israel, Canada & Jamaica

Why did you want to do this project?
I wanted to do this project because the face of Jamaica that the world knows belonged to that of an unapologetic Rastaman, Bob Marley. I think, in fact I know, that Rasta culture -- music, fashion, etc -- put Jamaica on the international stage. The film is also a hommage to Leonard Percival Howell, Dr. Barry Chevannes, Bob Marley, Stephen Wade, and all the other Rastafarians, particularly the artists who continue to spread the message via reggae music.

Who is the audience?
All the peoples of the world who know and love reggae music, Bob Marley, Jamaican and Rastafarian culture.

Will there be subtitles for non-Jamaican speakers?
Only in select areas of the film.

Do you have full funding for the project? If not how can others help?
We still need some funding to properly market and promote the film. People can help by doing any of the following:

making a small contribution online
purchasing a RasTa eco T-shirt
purchasing a copy of the official poster for the fillm (it will be online next week.)

With the emergence of technology that now allows anyone to create a film do you think it is watering down the art of film making?
Like any art or craft, it takes time and practice to really develop and your skills. I personally think its great that the barriers to filmmaking have eroded as a result of digital technology. Now, young men and women who have no tradition or link to the art of filmmaking can now build careers in this field if they choose to do so.

Do you think in the future reality/documentary type films will dominate the industry similar to how it dominates TV?
I think in time reality TV will fade. However, future documentaries will continue to incorporate elements of reality TV.

Any chance we will see this at a film festival?
We submitted the film to the Toronto International Film Festival but it was not accepted. In some ways, this may be a blessing as we are now busy executing our Plan B which includes private industry screenings followed by a theatrical release in October. The film has also been invited to many international film festivals. We will be persuing some of these.

What is the best documentary you watched recently?
The British Empire in Colour

Are you working on any other film projects?
I have a few other projects that I'd like to do that are about some aspect of Jamaican history/culture. However, at the moment, I am physically and emotionally exhausted from getting the film to the finish line. Will need to take some time out.

The best career advice I was ever given was
. . . keep focused and keep going.

What is playing on your mp3/player today?
Shaka Zulu Pickney, Back to Your Roots and One Love arranged by Playing for Change.

What is your guilty pleasure?
The guilty pleasure I can't live without dessert, preferrably a fine pastry.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts?
It's important that we finds ways and permit ourselves to tell our own stories. We bring a different and an insider perspective to our stories. Years ago, I read a French poster that had the tagline, "Il ya des chose qui ne se disent qu'en francais . . ." (There are things that can only be said in French.) Well this is also true of patoi. Irie.

An Interview with Jamaican Media Consultant & Author, Marcia Forbes, PhD

Glen Laman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:30:01 UT

Dr. Forbes is author of the book, Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica. She is well known in Jamaica for her success in transforming the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) into the privately owned Television Jamaica (TVJ). She was also the keynote speaker at Atlanta’s Jamaican Independence Ball in 2011.

1) Why did you write, "Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica?"
For many, many years I’ve felt that I have at least one book in me. Based on my experience from Phase Three Productions, the multi-media production company my husband and I formed in the 1980s, later complemented by what I learnt at TVJ, I really wanted to write a book on the history of media in Jamaica. Having watched the way in which television evolved from a single station (JBC) which broadcasted for a few hours each day in the 1960s to three free-to-air stations and a plethora of cable systems with numerous channels and being in the forefront of the cut and thrust of some of these changes gave me a great vantage point from which to write. Serving on the board of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union based in Barbados and the executive committee of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association in the UK, allowed me the opportunity to view the role of media not just from a local perspective but regionally and globally as well.

When the time came to settle down to reading toward a PhD, my focus was on the ways in which youth audiences interfaced with television, in particular with music videos, a key programme genre of youth culture and one which had captured the hearts and minds of young Jamaicans. Having observed the ways in which music videos had morphed into soft porn, a far cry from my days as video producer and director at Phase Three in the 80s and early 1990s, I was keen to understand what youths made of the video images and lyrics and how these influenced their creation of self, social and sexual identities.

The overseas examiner commented that she had never seen a Ph.D. candidate take on such a large body of work and commended me for being able to get it done. The process toward the Ph.D. was a journey I’d never again want to experience in life!! More than anything else, it taught me humility, patience and perseverance. But from day one of that journey I was clear that this body of work would become my first book. And so it has! Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica is written in honour of our youth who gave a tremendous amount of time and showed great interest during my data collection. My plan is that they will learn and grow from reading my book which has been accepted by the Caribbean Examination Council as a required text for sociology at the Advanced Proficiency Level. It is equally relevant to Caribbean Studies and to several other university courses.

2) What are the implications of the trends you describe for Jamaica's future?
Since the time of my data collection in 2004 to 2007, there have been some changes in locally produced music videos. These have been brought about by the actions of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, with focus on ensuring that certain types of images and lyrics are not aired on free-to-air TV during times when children are likely to be a main part of the audience. Parental advisories and labeling of all programmes have also been mandated under the Children’s Programme Guidelines. Clearly though, decency and good taste are highly subjective and very controversial, additionally media are invasive and ubiquitous plus the internet offers the easily accessible world wide web. Jamaica’s youth are not peculiar. All around the world there are concerns about certain types of media contents.

It really boils down to parenting and instilling certain values in our youth. Media literacy programmes which will help youth to understand the motivations behind media messages are also quite important and that’s the direction I’m heading with my work. There are tough issues which Government, civil society and parents – all of us need to tackle!! While I would never support the argument that media merely reflects reality, the fact is that our youth are beset with social conditions such as high levels of sexual violence (incest, rape etc.), poverty, crime and neglect which go to the heart of why media may be so easily able to negatively influence so many of them. Media provides the escape some of them are searching for and allows them to live large vicariously. We need to address the social conditions to allow our youths, especially males, more opportunities to succeed by pursuing acceptable avenues toward wealth creation.

3) What were the most unexpected findings from your research?
The ways in which young males, based on heavy consumption of certain genres of music videos, are influenced into sexual activities.

The resilience of females--despite heavy consumption of music videos.
That religion did not play as much of a salutary role as I had anticipated.
The powerful and pervasive influence of dancehall across gender and social class.
I found that, to youths, music videos represent far more than entertainment and serve several important roles in their lives.

4) You have had several successful careers prior to this, what prompted the latest change?
I don’t see being a researcher and author as so much of a career change since the work I’m doing is entirely media-focused. It’s really about making progress in one’s life and moving to self-actualize in ways which will benefit society and ambitiously, the region and even the world. I’m taking on one aspect of media work that no one else in Jamaica or the English-speaking Caribbean is doing. That is to hear from youth themselves and what they have to say about their relationships with media and to analyse this and present it back to them in book and other forms that they can use to enlighten themselves. Having focused on youth and television and represented that body of work through Music, Media and Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica, my focus is now on ‘new’ media, which is really perhaps not so new anymore since the internet is now 20 years of age but it’s new to many Jamaican youths. Then there are the social networks like Facebook and Twitter, at 7 and 5 years old, respectively, they are new but are revolutionizing the ways in which we communicate. I’m getting in on the early days of these in Jamaica and riding the wave of youth engagement with these technologies, what they make of them and how they are shaped by them. It’s fascinating work really!!

5) Which of your former careers has had the most profound impact on you?
Everything I am today is a coming together of everything I’ve done in my life so far and so it’s extremely difficult and I daresay impossible for me to dissect and say this or that aspect had the most profound impact. I went into nursing as a teenager because my boyfriend (now my husband of over 30 years) was sure that the sun rose and set on nurses. So it was really to prove to him that I could be as good as any of the nurses he worshipped. By the time I was 30 years of age I left nursing having been trained as a Registered General Nurse, Registered Midwife, Critical Care Nurse, Nurse Educator and Nurse Manager. I was a Ward Sister (Charge Nurse) in my 20s, unheard of in those days and being trained for a leadership role in the profession. Nursing has had a great positive influence on me even now that I’m studying youth behaviour. I remember a Professor at UWI wondering how I could take on the kind of research work I did for Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica. She felt it required a background in psychology. What she did not know is that I had done quite a bit of psychology in my various nursing training programmes plus on the job experience with children and adolescents as Sister in charge of a paediatric ward.

Whatever area I take on, my goal is always to balance on-the-job experience with formal training, so on leaving nursing for the media world, although I co-owned and worked full-time in my multi-media television production business, Phase 3 Productions Ltd., that didn’t stop me from getting my BA and MA in media/communication. Soon thereafter it was the challenge of Television Jamaica (TVJ) which is where I came to national and regional recognition through my work and the successes I, along with a small team, was able to achieve. My Ph.D. was done through the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication so I’m really entirely steeped in media and this is the area I plan to continue with through writing books, conducting workshops, giving lectures/presentations etc. My media life has been and continues to be an awesome journey. This body of work that I’m currently engaged in examines youth in relation to new media. It keeps me interested and fresh in my outlook. I’ve been learning a great deal and that always makes me happy. It’s just the money that continues to evade me in this new role of researcher, author but I’m convinced that it will come.

The one year foray into Government was really a great way of fleshing out my life experience. As a Permanent Secretary I served at the highest level of the civil service and learnt a tremendous amount, the kinds of things one could never learn from a book, listening to the radio or watching TV. It made me understand at a very intimate level why so many things in Government and in Jamaica do not work and the ways in which the Civil Service and the Political Process are in dire need of total overall. This extremely packed one year stint also allowed me to serve Jamaica in a different way since private sector representation is so different from representing at a Government to Government level. The fact that I covered two different ministries, Mining & Telecommunications and later Energy & Mining when the Prime Minister made changes, allowed me to represent Jamaica on issues relating to telecommunications, mining and energy, taking me to China, Singapore, Peru, Venezuela and the Caribbean. I know it was an honour to have served my country in this way.

6) How would you describe your upbringing?
I will answer this by telling you the professions and training of my adopted parents, my paternal Aunt and her husband. My Aunt having attended Teachers’ College and later attained her Master’s Degree, was the head teacher of an All-Age School in Irish Town. My Uncle served in the Royal Air Force (administrative services), was trained in theology and worked as the Financial Controller of what was quite a large company in those days, Cremo Limited. They were both professional and conservative.

I grew up understanding right from wrong and knowing very well that wrong-doing was punishable. So as a little girl when I got angry and bit a child in the line, Auntie made them pull me from the line, had me apologize to the child and instructed the school to call me dog so as to teach me a lesson. That was the end of my biting ways!!

Books were always a part of my life and I had to read. There was also discipline in doing homework and accomplishing household chores, even when there were two helpers. Aunty made sure her girls learnt to cook and wash and bake, attend church, teach Sunday School, sing on the choir, were confirmed in the Anglican faith and understood that failure was not an option. We had to come to something – ‘Miss Oyen girls’ as the community lovingly called my cousin and I. My Aunt, to whom my book is dedicated, is Ho-Yen, hence the Jamaicanism of Oyen. Her husband, God Rest His Soul, was full Chinese and instilled that work ethic in us.

7) Is there a life lesson you can share with us?
It’s not where you are coming from but where you are going. Never look down on anyone, except to lend a helping hand.

You can learn more about Marcia Forbes on the web at http://www.marciaforbes.com/

An Interview with David Ritter the Director of the Documentary, "The Forgotten Faces of Jamaica”:

Kerri-Ann M. Smith — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:45:02 UT

History books have long told the stories of scores of African slaves who were chained and taken across the Atlantic Ocean by white oppressors. Since then, the stories of these slaves have been the canvas upon which most West Indians have drawn their ancestral portraits. However, what most people tend to forget is that the Caribbean region has a vast history that is tied to other ethnic groups, which had no connection to the slave trade. These are they who came after chattel slavery ended and human capital and labor were still in high demand. These are the indentured servants who came from France, Germany, Wales, Spain, Syria, China, and India. However, the pages of history books are turning and somehow, their history and influence are being swept aside as time progresses. David Ritter hopes to uncover the stories of the descendants of these immigrants to Jamaica. We spoke with David Ritter to get further information on his documentary “Forgotten Faces of Jamaica” and to understand his commitment to putting names and faces to our Jamaican motto, “Out of Many, One People.”

Who is David Ritter?
I am a resident of Haiti who spends lots of time in Jamaica. I have lived and worked in Kingston. Prior to that, I studied art and minored in music production at a school in Boston, MA. I do audio production and sound engineering and I’m a selector for various sound systems in northern Haiti. In my free time, however, I create film projects between Haiti and Jamaica. I am West Indian, born of French, British, and German heritage.

What gave you the impetus to begin this project?
At 23, I moved back to the West Indies. I started spending time in Kingston, working with Father Holung and Missionaries of the Poor. On one occasion, I was catching a ride from some of the brothers. As you know, Missionaries of the Poor always has a lot of volunteers who come in and work—it’s almost like missionary vacationing for some of them. This particular day, I caught a ride from them in the back of a truck and they picked up some volunteers to take to St. Andrew. As we were on our way, one said, “I’m so glad I’m safe inside this truck”. Another one said something about how violent the locals are and said, “they will probably chop you up with machetes; they don’t know what a white person looks like.” So I asked him how he thought the white Jamaicans got around and he retorted with, “there aren’t any white people in this country, are you stupid or something?” Fate would have it that soon after, the brothers stopped at the house of some benefactors, who are white Jamaicans, and I sat there and looked at the faces of these same missionaries. They were shocked! They kept trying to get to the root of where the people were from. It was as if they could not believe that Jamaicans could be anything but black. So that inspired me to do this project.

What was the process by which you acquired participants?
My first project took place in northern Haiti. It was just a matter of talking to people I was acquainted with. It’s very hard, to be honest, because many people are afraid to talk about these kinds of subjects. A lot of minorities within the Caribbean are private people and they don’t want to make it [their stories] into a big display. People already see them as strange already. I eventually got enough people and we had a conversation about the different things they experience as minorities. I simply used my acquaintances and went from there. Now, I’m expanding my network so I’ve been working on a series where I can try to include every different group that has migrated to Jamaica.

When I went to Jamaica, I went on a pilgrimage to Seaford Town (Germantown as some people call it). I had been doing some reading and found out that -Seaford Town, Westmoreland, has the largest concentration of Germans in Jamaica. So I went to Jamaica, got a map and drove up there from Kingston. I just drove up there and got my camera and started talking to people. I think most people received me warmly. The second I went there, I went to a church (Catholic). That was the first place I thought I should go and I talked to the deacon, who was of German ancestry . Most people were very eager to share their history and talk to me and then there were some other people who were very shy and who wanted to stay in their homes and then others who didn’t care either way.

What are the most fascinating things you’ve discovered so far?
I think I’ve found some pretty painful sections of history. I found some pretty big events amongst the Chinese populous like riots, etc. I find it interesting that there is so much history that people have forgotten and how few people can actually speak German amongst the community and how much culture has not stayed. I think recently there has been a resurgence to preserve and celebrate their culture and history with the building of community centers and museum in these minority communities, particularly amongst the German Jamaicans.

The whole concept of non-Black slavery is something that isn’t addressed often in academic settings and it’s an interesting topic to study. It can get into semantics sometimes when it comes to the discussion about indentured servitude versus slavery. Indentured servitude is voluntary and there’s a chance to get out. A lot of my research shows that there have been lots of Asian and White slavery in the New World. I can’t confirm it in Jamaica but indentured servitude is something that people don’t get into. There is the belief, in Jamaica, that if you are white or of Asian descent, you’re a merchant or rich. This is not true for my project. The people in this project do not necessarily come from a history of wealthy merchants. Their families came to Jamaica to escape their homelands or to seek a better life by serving as indentured laborers. This shows you that the color of your skin does not make you a part of a certain class or ideology. Slavery and class differences have affected all kinds of people in the world. As far as Jamaica goes, indentured servitude is the biggest thing amongst Welch, Scottish, Chinese, and East Indian immigrant families. It offends people sometimes when I talk about these cultures because they think I’m taking away from the hardship that blacks have gone through. I want to emphasize that this is absolutely not my intent; the hardships that blacks in the Caribbean have experienced is evident and well recorded. I’m just trying to get into something that hasn’t been talked about. I’m delving into that to show a sliver of Jamaica that is rarely discussed.

German history has been very bumpy and a result of that has made a lot of Germans migrate all over the world. The Ottoman Empire pushed a lot of Syrians out and they came to the Caribbean because they were accepted there.

I have found one book, Lost White Tribes, that focuses on this history of minority cultures in the Caribbean. Every now and then I’ll find little things popping up on the internet; little articles here and there. My documentaries alone help me connect with all kinds of people all over the world, so that is allowing me to gather even more information.

What kind of responses have you gotten from Jamaicans?
I’ve gotten everything from “thank you, this is amazing and I never knew this kind of history” to “this is stupid, who cares, I don’t wanna hear it.” When I get the second type of responses, I say to myself “ if you don’t care, then why are you taking so much time to talk about this?” I understand that I’m doing something that is exclusive because it focuses only on this one group of people as opposed to talking about everybody. I didn’t do it to offend any Jamaican people. I’ve met anthropologists and sociologists who are researching African heritage but it’s been done so many times. I wanted to focus on all of the cultural aspects that my ancestors and other people from the Caribbean have had. Reggae music has roots in German music. The Creole that Jamaicans speak has roots in the many African and European influences on Jamaica. Sometimes critics of my project tell me “I must be a racist”. But I’m not doing it to put down anyone but rather, to celebrate my heritage and the heritage of others who are not known by the world. If it offends people then I’m sorry because that was not my intent.

What are you hoping people will glean from this project?
This project is my response to westerners and those missionaries who come for a few days and a few weeks to “help”. When they see me in my community, the first question they ask is “what mission are you a part of?” I tell them I live there and they instantly jump to conclusions to explain why I live there. With this project, I want them to see that this is very normal. Our cultures have played a part in making these countries what they are. Just because there’s a page in history that said “these people once existed” doesn’t mean they all went away. The books talk about the evil white people but leave out these other groups of people who had nothing to do with that. There are those who came to start businesses and get a better life. Jamaican is not a race, it’s a nationality. People might have a stereotype that lighter skinned people are rich and live above everyone. My hope is to break down stereotypes. I come from a middle class background. I don’t relate to the ultra elite group of people. I never made this project to emphasize class. It is to celebrate positive aspects of culture. The history of whites and the whole concept of plantocracy is just a chapter in history, not the entire book. There are several people who need to be a part of the full story. I don’t expect a huge emphasis. I just wanted something that represents how I felt as a descendant of the people who had nothing to do with slavery and oppression. I get tired of people seeing me enjoying my culture and then saying to me that “the white man is trying to eat Haitian food”. What gives them a right to eat it more than I can? Why is it that I can’t speak Creole as opposed to French. My culture is still living on and there are people with direct lineage still living on and we are not any less Jamaican or less Haitian than anyone else.

I just hope that anyone who gets to see the project watches it with an open mind and that the message gets through and they watch it in its entirety before casting any judgments. I hope it fascinates people who have never contemplated these subjects. I hope it has an educational value that everyone can appreciate. The Jamaican populous has been very supportive to me. It’s been wonderful! So many people, so much passion comes from Jamaican people. Jamaican influence is everywhere. Many countries, can take a lesson from how well Jamaicans promote themselves. I am grateful that Jamaicans have embraced me and the project.

How can people get the full version of the documentary?
A production company is interested in distributing it and we are currently negotiating that. I plan on doing some screenings so by August there will be something available to the public. For now, people may watch my Youtube channel (forgotten faces 001 or subscribe to raqsattaq) and check my website (http://forgottenfaces.info/) and once the post production is taken care of, I will notify the public and have copies available. I would love if scholars could contact me so that we can work together. They can contact me at djjazzydave@juno.com. I check my email pretty regularly.

A Conversation with filmmaker Diana O'Gilvie on the film "The Jerk Tour"

X Murphy — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:30:02 UT

This week we have a conversation with award winning filmmaker, Diana O'Gilvie as she delves deep into Jamaican jerk cuisine with her upcoming film "The Jamaican Jerk Tour." Diana explores Jamaican jerk cuisine’s humble beginnings to its rise on the global culinary stage. Diana plays host in the film as she traverse from the streets of Kingston, the hills in Walkers Wood and to the birthplace of jerk, Boston, Portland. The tour hops across the ocean to Florida, New York and New Mexico to feature young, innovative chefs and their interpretations of Jamaican jerk spices.

How did you get started doing films, did you go to school or are you self-thought?
I've always been a visual person and I fell in love with the moving image after my first Bachelor's degree in Journalism. I then went on to Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York to do a Master's degree in Film and Video Production.

How many films have you created?
I've created two documentary shorts, "Does Hair Matter?"A film about Black women's concept of beauty."Chasing Daddy" is my last film and it deals with women's self esteems when their fathers are absent from their lives.

Have you won any accolades for any of these films?
"Chasing Daddy" has been very successful. It was selected in the 2009 American Theatre of Harlem Film Festival, won 2010 Best New Honor Award at the 2010 Reggae Film Festival and specially selected at the 2010 Aluta Film Festival in South Africa.

Tell us about your latest project Jerk Tour?
"The Jamaican Jerk Tour" is a project of my love of Jamaican food, especially jerk. I kept thinking about showcasing Jamaica's indigenous food on film. Sure, you've seen it on the Travel Channel and travel webisodes, but I wanted to delve deeper. Jerk is a cultural phenomenon that is now on the global stage and I want to show the humble beginnings of that, then elevate it by showing innovative recipes from world renowned chefs in Jamaica and abroad. So in the film you will see the jerk shacks of Vineyard Town, the Red Hills Road line of jerk pans then we go into high end gourmet kitchens where jerk is the star of these recipes. The street cooks get as much respect as the culinary trained chefs in my film.

Why did you want to do this project?
As I said, it's a source of pride for me as an ultra-proud Jamaican. The idea formed when I saw that President Barack Obama was served jerk catfish at one of his fundraisers in Washington. I remember thinking, "Look at that! The leader of the Free World is eating Jamaican food."

Who is the audience?
The target audience is all who love Jamaica and Jamaican food. Foodies, chefs and people who like to make their own jerk sauce can steal a tip of two from the many recipes featured in this film.

Will there be subtitles for non-Jamaican speakers?
Absolutely.

Do you have full funding for the project? If not how can others help?
Thanks for asking this question! Walkers Woods has been very good to the film's funding. Along with StooshPR, Ted LABS and Cupcake Jubilee. However, their contribution is just a fraction of the film's US$19,000 budget. The rest is coming out of personal contributions from friends and family and my own pockets. It's been very hard to garner corporate sponsorship financially. Everybody just want to give products, but no money and I can't pay my crew with just drinks and food. So filming has been slow and I do it stages.

If anyone reading this will like to contribute, you can use the secure Paypal link . I thank you in advance for your donation. Every little bit helps.

When will the film be released?
That depends on fundraising. I am looking to release it in early spring 2012. But at this point, I feel that's a bit too ambitious.

With the emergence of technology that now allows anyone to create a film do you think it is watering down the art of film making?
Ah, no I don't. In fact I like what all this technology is doing to film making. The barriers to access are now lowered, and more innovation is coming through via flip phones, iPhones and all sorts of gadgets. The art of telling a story is a lifelong learning process and a good story isn't watered down. Gone are Hollywood and old fuddy duddy expectations in film making. Stories can now be told in 10 minutes for web consumption and there are some great 10 minutes stories out there. Because of the You Tube phenomenon, there are now production companies that are strictly catering to filmmakers that make web videos. So filmmakers have other options outside of the Hollywood boy's clubs. Shooting on film is becoming de passe, more and more filmmakers are using HD and editing on non-linear programs like Final Cut and Avid. It is now cheaper to make a film, so someone can say to him/herself, "Hmm I bet my cat running up a slide would be a good movie." But as educated consumers we can sort through that fluff and find good stories.

Do you think in the future reality/documentary type films will dominate the industry similar to how it dominates TV?
Documentary making is reality TV. As documentarians, we put the camera lens in front of life to illuminate a particular aspect of society. I have a problem with scripted reality tv. My film's aren't scripted.

Any chance we will see this at a film festival?
In the words of emcee Tommy Cowan, "Yes Indeed!" I plan to pump this baby through the festival pipelines worldwide.

What is the best documentary you watched recently?
It's hard to choose. "Restrepo," "Food Inc.," "Born into Brothels" are all films I've seen in the past month, and all tugged at my heart strings- the hallmark of a good documentary is to extrapolate emotion.

Are you working on any other film projects?
Right now it's all about "The Jamaican Jerk Tour"

The best career advice I was ever given was...
Keep practicing, keep working, keep filming, keep writing. This way, when the opportunities come, you'll be ready. (Thanks Larry Banks!)

What is playing on your mp3/player today?
I love me some Adele! That girl can sing. I am also a huge fan of 80's dancehall so I keep Yellow Man, Super Cat, Josey Wales and Admiral Bailey on heavy rotation. Latin jazz is always a good time for me so I play Gato Barbieri and anything from Sergio Mendez.

Mac or PC?
Mac all the way! Dem just too sexy!

The guilty pleasure I can't live out...
Sweets! And I don't care what form, from Jolly Ranchers to gourmet cupcakes.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts.
Nuff respect to the Jamaicans.com team! I've been following you for quite sometime now and I am impressed with the content, especially the recipes! I've created a Facebook fan page for the film "The Jamaican Jerk Tour" go on the page, 'like' us and share your favorite jerk spots and recipes. You can also see pictures from behind the scenes filming in Jamaica and New York and also meet the sexy chefs cooking up delicious jerk cuisine.

If you would like to help or learn more about this project visit The Jamaican Jerk Tour page.

Conversation with Deika Morrison, the founder of Do Good Jamaica.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:30:02 UT

This week we interview Deika Morrison, the founder of the online information portal Do Good Jamaica. The website is a clearing house for projects by civil society organizations in Jamaica. It provides an opportunity for organizations to collaborate and individuals to verify NGO’s. Here is our conversation with Deika.

1. What is Do Good Jamaica?
Do Good Jamaica is an online information portal for an about civil society organizations in Jamaica. The objective of Do Good Jamaica is to celebrate and encourage activity by civil society organizations. As a vehicle for sharing information among organizations and between the organizations and their stakeholders, Do Good Jamaica is designed to be a central hub for comprehensive information for and about the organizations, and especially highlighting the good work that they do.
dogoodjamaica.org features:
•    a searchable database of civil society organizations, as well as the relevant regulatory, planning and development entities
•    the latest news about the good work of these organizations with an information widget referencing the relevant organization database entry
•    completed projects conveniently displayed on an interactive map
•    vetted potential projects seeking funding
•    resources such as links and documents for civil society organizations to strengthen their operations
•    a calendar to show opportunities for supporting events and volunteering for projects
•    a dedicated page for photos of events - projects, fundraisers, meetings, conferences etc.
•    a dedicated page for civil society organizations to live stream their events
•    social media tools
It has been created for three main groups of users – the organizations, the donors and the general public.
•    The organization – whether in Jamaica or in the Diaspora who assist Jamaica - are seeking more visibility and support for their projects and events. With the news, database, information widget, photos, live stream, event calendar, projects and interactive map, organizations have multiple mechanisms to show the public, donors and each other what they have done and what they would like to do. We are hopeful that this will encourage volunteerism, philanthropy and collaboration. Also, there are resources for organizations to assist them with sustainability.
•    Donors are always looking for more information about organizations and good projects to support. With the news, database, information widget, photos, live stream, event calendar, projects and interactive map, there are ample opportunities for donors to find out about organizations objectives, as well as completed and proposed projects
•    The general public is often looking for good projects to support, opportunities to volunteer and to attend fundraisers for worthy causes. With the news, database, information widget, photos, live stream, event calendar, projects and interactive map, there are many avenues to find something to become involved in. There is the ability to volunteer for events through the site

2. Tell us about the moment you came up with the idea come up with the idea for Do Good Jamaica? Was it a specific incident where you saw the need to help someone?

Because I had been involved in NGOs for many years, I knew they faced several challenged and Do Good Jamaica is a response to expressed needs and challenges facing the civil society sector and the three groups mentioned – organizations, donors and the general public. The inspiration to create the website came from the fact that more than 150 organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals worked together to break a Guinness World Record for charity. In May 2010, I led an effort that result in the Guinness World Record For The Most Books Donated to Charity in Seven Days. The previous record was 242,624 books. Our record (now held by the Rotary Clubs of Jamaica) is 657,061 books. We smashed it – together – and I thought we could do more good work like that together. So I wanted to create a virtual home for organizations to garner support from donors and the public and find out about each other to work together all the time.

3.    How can an individual use the Do Good Jamaica website? How would an NGO use the website?
As an individual, the most significant benefits are the information provided – easy to use and easy to search as well as the ability to volunteer right there for a project or an event. Information is available about organizations in the searchable database – contact information, description, services, benefits, eligibity, process for registration etc. If you are looking for help, one of these organizations should be able to help you. If you are just curious, we have news and the information widget which explains the organizations, an interactive map with previously completed projects by organizations, a live stream channel to watch organization events, photos from events and projects, proposed projects and events to attend and volunteer. Of course, with social media, every page can be shared in multiple mediums.
An NGO has many opportunities to promote its work (database entry, interactive map, live stream events, event calendar, news, photos, projects completed and proposed) to seek support from the public and the donors. NGOs can also search for information to seek assistance from other organizations or seek potential partners in similar fields to collaborate. NGOs can also access resources that may be useful to their operations. Projects seeking support must be vetted prior to posting. To get started, a NGO must submit a completed Information Request Form to be included in the database.

4.    What has been the most successful project that Do Good Jamaica has helped to facilitate?
Do Good Jamaica was launched on June 16th 2011. We have been just delighted at the response and so in general, the site’s ability to share information has been very well received - comments from readers, as well as the number and variety of submissions. It is still early to comment on the projects themselves, but in terms of meeting its major objective as an information portal, we are satisfied that it is doing that.

5. What project currently listed on the site would you encourage other to support?
Once a project is listed on the site, I would encourage anyone to support it. At present, there is only one. We should have a few more up in a few weeks.

6. How do you vet the projects listed on the site?
At present, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica – a founding sponsor – provides the vetted projects. The EFJ has 18 years of experience as they evaluate projects every year for funding. We will soon release guidelines for submitting projects to be vetted.

7. How can members of the Jamaican diaspora get involved?
First, we would love to hear about all the organizations in the Diaspora that are doing good with Jamaican organizations. They are welcome to complete the Information Request Form and become listed in the database. They are also welcome to provide news, events, photos, projects for the interactive map (completed projects) and proposed projects and use the live stream facility.

Second, we appreciate all help to spread the word about the site www.dogoodjamaica.org and our links www.facebook.com/dogoodjamaica and www.twitter.com/dogoodjamaica.

See 10 for the third way 

Oh - one more thing for the Diaspora - the beauty of a website is that it is available 24/7. We know that the Diaspora is very interested in what is happening here and we wanted to be a place to find information about all the organizations that are doing good.

8. What has been the greatest challenge of Do Good Jamaica?
Do Good Jamaica has been very easy to set up. We had a very clear mission of what we wanted to achieve. Unique Media Design did an excellent job creating a website focusing on making it as user friendly as possible. The founding sponsors have been incredibly supportive – Spanish Court Hotel funded the project to get it off the ground, the database of organizations was created by USAID who allowed us to make it a searchable online database (previously it was a print directory), Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI) provided the interactive map, Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) provided ongoing advice about what these organizations needed and provides vetted projects and monitoring support, the Gleaner Co. Ltd. provides media support and sponsored the information widget on the front page, Kaizen Interactive provides graphic and social media support, and my company Mdk Advisory and Consulting led the effort with conceptualization, organization etc.

9. Are you personally involved in any of the projects listed on the site?
I am a member of a number of the organizations listed but not involved in any of the projects listed.

10. Any big plans for Do Good Jamaica in the making?
Yes, what you see now is Phase I. Phase II involves allowing the organizations to communicate with each other on the site. That is underway. Phase II is also exploring facilitating online donations to projects directly in a model similar to DonorsChoose.org. The COO of DonorsChoose.org, Cesar Bocanegra, spoke at the launch and is a project advisor. That model is very successful at facilitating citizen philanthropy in a transparent and effective manner. This is something we are working on to further encourage involvement of the public and especially the Diaspora.

Any final thoughts?
Just want to express my sincere appreciation to the media (like you) who play a pivotal role in sharing this information that this site and its resources exist for the benefit of the organizations, donors, general public and of course, those who benefit from all their efforts.

Interview with Jamaican Fashion designer Asanyah A. Davidson

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:45:03 UT

This week we have a conversation with Jamaican Fashion designer Asanyah A. Davidson. Born in Clarendon, Jamaica Asanyah is ready to make her mark on the fashion world with recent release of her own label Circa24. Asanyah spent several years in the fashion industry and completed her MA in Design Studies at Central St Martins in London England.

Tell us the meaning of your first name?
According to my mother its bad luck to tell anyone the meaning of my name (wives tales) but I will tell you it can mean anything from "The one" to "God is listening" depending on what part of Africa you are from;-)

What inspired you to create Circa24 and where does the name come from?
I've been in the fashion industry for years and always wanted to do my own line but the timing never seemed right and I didn't think I was ready till now. The name is part my philosophy and part homage to my grandmother. "Circa" refers to the seeds that are planted and come to fruition later, good and bad. My grandmother was born 1924 and its because of her that I have an appreciation for the art of sewing.

How many lines of clothing do you currently have under the label?
CIRCA24 EVO is the first but I also had a bag line I collaborated with a fellow Jamaican on called ROCUS

You recently launched a swimsuit line. What was the inspiration behind the line?
Well the entire collection both swim and apparel was inspired by Pam Grier of the Blaxploitation movies of the 70's. Her characters were always strong, no nonsense and bad ass! What better inspiration for my line?

When did you first fall in love with fashion?
When I made my first garment in high school. I wasn't sure till them if fashion was for me but the look of joy on my classmates face when she tried it on and baught it from me... "my heart skipped a beat and I was smitten for real" Fashion has the power to make people see themselves differently..I saw that then.

In your bio information you mention” Jamaica” fashion. What is ““Jamaican” fashion and how is it different from others?
Jamaican fashion is vibrant but more importantly Jamaican men and women are vibrant and classy. I love to see the ladies get ready for church or a simple gathering. They take time with their appearance in an age of jeans and a t-shirt.

How would you describe your own personal style?
Simple, classic, vibrant and comfortable. I find that it always shows when women are uncomfortable in their clothes. I'm a bit fanatical about not spending money on things aren't comfortable..though all should have and expiration hour on them.

Describe your fashion mission?
To make being chic a trend. I want women to feel comfortable and sexy in well fitting clothes..not overtly tight or loose clothing that broadcast the wrong message about their level of class of style. And to become fashion name that brings honor to Jamaica.

Which designers do you love right now?
Wow, that's hard for me, I just finishing watching shows and I have to say I love L.A.M.B. and Diane Von Furstenburg for women and Oswald Botenage for men (he is amazing!!!!)

What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that more of us wore?
Well fitting pants. Go find a tailor get a couple pairs made if you can't find a brand that works for you. It makes a huge difference.

Any plans to start a male line?
YES!! As soon as I get the women's line running smoothly I want to do a men's line that include sport coats and well tailored pants for men that have more than the average white male...lol I style men and one of the hardest areas to find good fit are in pants.

Anything we should look out for from you in the coming weeks/months/year?
Working a Fall collection but I'm already excited about Spring 2012! Circa24 Swimwear is going to be HOT next season too.

A phrase you use far too often?
"There are no problems, just solutions."

What food brings your comfort when you are disappointed?
lol...that list is long but a staple is a cup of tea, Excelsior Crackers and Guava jam. It use to be Jamaican Chicken Soup (reminded me of my grandmother) but I gave up chicken earlier this year.

Fashion tip for the season?
Lace!! it's all about lace, cutout lace to be precise which we see a lot of in the islands, think of those linen table clothes with the cut out embroidery, get one or two classic pieces for your wardrobe.

In a nutshell, your philosophy is?
My friend Cai shared this with me once and it stuck. "Always dress like you have somewhere better to be."

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts?
In this day and age of budgeting. Spend your money on quality pieces. Spend money on a tailor to have old pieces adjusted. And if you don't LOVE IT, leave it in the store.

A Conversation with Jamaican golfer Carl Whyte, from the reality show “Big Break Indian Wells”

X Murphy — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:45:01 UT

This week we have a conversation with Jamaican golfer Carl Whyte, who is currently a contestant on the Golf Channel’s reality show “Big Break Indian Wells”. Carl hails from Manchester Jamaica and was a track athlete representing Jamaica during high school. He moved to the United States in 1997 on a track scholarship. Carl no longer a track star but took up the golf 6 years ago and went pro 2010. On the golf course Carl typically wears a belt with the Jamaica flag on the buckle. On the reality show “Big Break Indian Wells” he is known as the “The Jamerican”. Here is our conversation with Carl Whyte.

Q: Where in Jamaica are you from?
Green Mount, Manchester, Jamaica

Q: You went to the United States on a track scholarship. What event(s) did you specialize in on the track?
I had a full track scholarship to University of Maryland Eastern Shore. I ran cross-county (5 miles), 1500 m, and my pet event was 800m

Q: What degree did you graduate with?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) Computer Science –UMES (2002) and I also have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) –Salisbury University (2010)

Q: What happened to your track career?
Track was a “means to an end”, pursuit of a degree, had no intention of running competitively beyond college. The college track experience killed that passion.

Q: When did you take up golf?
Started playing golf in the summer of 2004. I was introduce to me by my mentor, Dr Gary Hurlock, who was instrumental in me obtaining the track scholarship.

Q: How different was it from track and field?
Track parallels golf because both in essence are individual sports, and they both have an independent variable against which a competitor can go up against, and can ignore what his competition is doing, for track ‘it’s time” for golf “it’s your score”. For example, a world record can be set, at different venues, irrespective of who’s in the race, time is the determining factor. Similarly, a clubhouse lead can be set on a golf course irrespective of your playing partner and the other players, your score is the determining factor, the buck stops their though, golf requires a level of mental focus that is unparalleled by any other sport.

Q: They say your swing is a little different from the typical golfer? Can you explain?
A fundamental swing requires that the club stay on plane (maintain its original angle) throughout the swing, because I started playing golf late and didn’t invest in the lessons necessary to learn a fundament swing, I developed and ad-hoc approach, so it is true that my swing is not traditional. It must be noted however, that I have develop a unique approach to the game to compensate for this handicap (no pun intended). I see the word GOLF as an acronym and have coined the term Game Of Limited Fundamentals as its meaning; This concept (to be revealed after the show completes), has allowed me to fact track my game to a level that is uncommon for someone who has been playing for such a short time.

Q: How did you get on the reality show "Big Break Indian Wells"? Did you audition for the role?
To potentially become a contestant on the “Big Break” reality show, you have to initially complete and submit a detail application to The Golf Channel, if the producers like what they see on paper, they will invite you to an on camera interview in Orlando, FL, if you maintain that initial impression and your fit what they are looking for they will offer you a position on a season of the show, I was blessed enough to be chosen for the “Big Break Indian Wells” season. For the on camera interview, they will gauge how you are on camera (personality). They also require you to hit specific shots on camera. Their is also a handicap restriction, I believe you have to be scratch or better.

Q: Is the show taped live or do you already know the results?
The show is taped over a two week period and I do know the results.

Q: What is the prize for the winner?
Over $55,000 in cash, most importantly, an exemption in the 2012 Zurich Classic of New Orleans: you get to play in an actual PGA tour event, and other prizes.

Q: When is the season finale of the show?
All things being equal approximately July 18th 2011.

Q: They say you started playing golf late in life. Do you think it is too late for you?
I did start playing golf late, but because of the method described above and my unrelenting passion, dedication and unadulterated determination to succeed, I know with absolute certainty that it’s not too late. I just need to secure sponsorship so I can commit fully to playing more consistently. Regardless, I will make it to the PGA tour that is as sure as Taxes.

Q: Who is your favorite golfer?
Unapologetically Tiger Woods, I would never have picked up the clubs had it not been for how he has changed the face of the game, his sheer genius on the course and dominance and of course Gary introducing me to the game. I also like Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey, a former Big Break contestant.

Q: Have you met any famous golfers.
If by met you mean actually talk to, then the answer is no. I have been up close and personal though at several major championships, which is enough for me.

Q: You mentor high school children once a month. How did you get into doing this?
Having been given so much I have a self-imposed obligation to give back, so I sought to find an organization that reflects my core values. An opportunity to pilot a mentorship program came available through the Character Counts Mid-Shore organization and I immediately volunteered. As a result I mentored a class from 9th grade for four years all the way through their graduation (2011).

Q: Tell us about the 7 P's you preach to high school kids?
The Seven (7) P’s; Proper Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance, quite self-explanatory and a concept I have encourage all my mentees to use for all that they undertake.

Q: What do you do as a profession when you are not playing golf?
Currently I am an Information Technology Professional: Assistant Vice President / IT Manager at Easton Bank and Trust, Easton, Maryland

Q: Tell us about your golf practices during lunch breaks?
At this point, I am certifiably a “Golferholic” and I love golf so much that I play nine holes on my lunch hour during the week. This basically means that I must finish each hole in five minutes by running with my pull cart to every shot. You think being a competitive track athlete comes in handy around then? Yup. It certainly keeps my boss happy and I get my midday practice in.

Q: Seven day, six nights, all expense paid, my vacation destination is…
Australia: always wanted to see what’s “Down Under”

Q: Growing up my hero was…
Never had one…was however, tremendously inspired by our (Jamaica’s) original Bobsled Team (Devon Harris, The Stoke brother, etc)

Q: Thank for the time. Do you have any final words?
Wanted to reach out to all Jamaican, Jamericans, Yawdies, to let us start a Golf Academy on the island which would be free to all the kids, my ultimate objective would be to see Jamaica have Golfer Olympians in 2016, where golf returns to the Olympics after almost a century hiatus. I am ready to champion that cause and stand ready to be one of the Olympians as well. Thank you Jamaicans.com

The Big Break Indian Wells airs on the Golf Channel on Mondays at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For more information on Jamaican golfer Carl Whyte see his facebook fan page.

"All That Glitters" - Interview with International Jewelry Designer Pascale Rowe

Karen Mitchell — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:30:01 UT

Her work reminisces the days for which true mavens of style long: The days of Garbo, Dietrich and Monroe . A time when a woman's private quarters was only referenced as the "boudoir"; a party was not a party without champagne and Sinatra and a lady never acquired an item unless among the myriad of adjectives that involved in its description was the word custom, rare, or one-of-kind.

Jewelry designer Pascale Rowe has been described as quiet and unassuming by her peers but it is more than apparent that the over-the-top, embellished flair that some automatically associate to the personalities of designers (justly or unjustly) is instead channelled into her handcrafted, unique, jeweled Judith Lieber-esque creations. As a result, her designs have become as saught after as museum worthy collectables by everyone from celebrities, to industry insiders to everyday fashionistas alike.

We managed to locate the in demand designer at her South Florida studio where she took some time to chat with us.

(Q) I understand that your earliest recollections of your working with stones was at the age of two when you began to glue gems onto your mother's broaches. When did you realize you were "Born to Bling"?

(A) I actually began deconstructing my mothers jewelry at age 6. It wasn't until my classmates in the sixth grade nominated me for "best dressed". I thought wow, all I did was turn drab into fab by adding crystals....It was then I realized I've got something special here!

(Q)What were some of your earliest influences?

(A) I grew up in New York City and the bright lights in Times Square were one of my first influences.

(Q) One of the things your customers rave about is the variety in the quality of the gems you use. How do you source for material?

(A)I only use the best...Swarovski Crystals of course. They have hundred of facets and this technology is the reason why it's clarity and brilliance is unsurpassed.

(Q) What would you say is your design aesthetic?

(A) Gorgeous bright colors, fluid lines and cohesiveness. With those essentials I could design anything!

(Q) It's obvious that you do have a passion for working with stones and gems, but are their any other materials you would love to work with?

(A) Crystals are my passion. If anything else can "Bling" as beautifully I'll consider it. However, I choose this material to be my focus.

(Q) Now, I recognize that you have fashionistas across the globe purchasing your created designs but who is your ideal customer?

(A) Any woman! A sophisticated fashionista to a demure woman who doesn't want to much fuss, anyone can wear PHOB! From 8-80 and beyond.

(Q) My assistant, Maya, recently acquired one of your signature products to which she glowingly refers to as "The Cinderella Shoes", for an event. She is now (lovingly) referred to as the Pied Piper of Shoes because of how many women and men were inquiring about them. What fostered your decision to try your hand at shoes and will there be a possible expansion of the shoe line given the positive response?

(A) If I desire something and feel lack of it on the market I'll make it. My shoes, like most women are an essential part of my wardrobe. With fabulous shoes you can wear a paper bag and look phenomenal! My next step is designing my shoe collection. This way my clients no longer have to mail their shoes...I'll design and crystallize them.

(Q) You've developed quite a following with a long list of A-list clientele such as Lil Kim, the Kardashian sisters, Gabrielle Union and the Queen of Comedy, Sommore, but who else would you love to see wearing your creations?

(A) I now have Lil' Wayne and Baby of YMCMB wearing my designs. I wanted them to do so and now it's happened.

I'd like to reach EVERYONE! Men, women and children have worn my custom designs. I don't have to only have celebrities wear my designs. I want my clients to feel "Celeb Status" when rocking my "Bling"!

(Q) I've heard words such as "unique, stunning and intricate" used to describe your hand created pieces. When something is loved so much, the next step is usually finding others copying those creations. How do you feel about knock offs and specifically the "Design Copyright initiative"?

(A) Imitation is the best form of flattery however, copying is not something I take lightly. My entire collection is patent pending therefore, I'm protected.

(Q) What is the one piece in your collection you feel very woman should have and what is your personal favorite?

(A) I love them all...I couldn't choose however, my bangles are a must have!

(Q) You've blinged from earrings to flat irons. What is the most unusual thing you've blinged?

(A) A car! I've crystallized the interior of a vehicle. It was an amazing experience.

(Q) Tell us a little about your connection to Islands.

(A) I was born in Haiti, left there at age 5 and was raised in NYC. Growing up in NY was like living in a million cities since it was so diverse. I lived in a section of the Bronx which I considered little Jamaica (NE Bronx, White Plains Road). Growing up there influenced the food I ate, and the music I listened to. It gave me more of a connection to the island of Jamaica then anywhere else...so much my husband of nearly 10 years is a Yardie!

Interview with Unicyclist Christo Coetzer

X Murphy — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:45:02 UT

This week we interview Christo Coetzer a 24 year old South African Unicyclist who toured the island on his unicycle. He started his ride on March 28, 2011 at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston going from east to west through St Thomas, Portland, St Mary, St Ann, Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland. He ended his ride in Kingston via the south coast. Here is our conversation with Christo.

1. What inspired you to ride around Jamaica on a unicycle?
After I successfully became the first person to circumnavigate the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on a Unicycle there was an obvious question that arose which went something like: "Now you've done this, is it now back to real life or what’s next?" So when people asked me what’s next I naturally responded Jamaica because of my long standing love affair with reggae music and in particular the legendary works of reggae legends Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. So I would definitely think that Bob Marley was one of the main reasons and sources of inspiration to have chosen Jamaica as my next 'World-First' adventure destination. In my preparation I also discovered that Peter Tosh use to be a legendary unicyclist and that was an even further source of inspiration to embark on the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure.

2. Were you able to meet any of Bob Marley's family?
Yeah mon! (I had a brilliant opportunity to learn quite a bit of Jamaican Patois along the way, it was part of my crash course on Jamaican culture).

I had the incredible opportunity of starting my journey from 56 Hope Road in Kingston which is now the Bob Marley Museum and I had the chance to meet 3 members of Bob's direct family namely Rohan Marley who is owner of Marley Coffee, Julian Marley both sons of Bob and one of Bob and Rita Marley's granddaughters Donisha Prendergast. It was an awesome experience to have met all three these members of Bob's direct family as he was the main source of inspiration behind me choosing Jamaica. I had lunch with Rohan at the Goldeneye resort near Oracabessa (This is the resort owned by Chris Blacwell and where Ian Fleming wrote most of the James Bond novels) on the first Saturday of my journey and we had chance to discuss his relationship with his father, my relationship with my father and the impact that Bob still has on the whole world today. It was incredible to have the chance to discuss it with him personally and to spend time with the son of such a legend and to now be able to call Rohan, Julian and Donisha my friends. At the end of my journey on 16 April Rohan was waiting for me in front of the statue with a bottle of champagne and with great jubilation and celebration Bob was singing in the background mystically the track which summed up my entire adventure almost perfectly and he started singing 'Dready got a job to do and he's got to fulfill that mission, To see his hurt will be their greatest ambition, but we will survive in this world of competition, 'Cause no matter what they do Natty keep on coming through and no matter what they say Natty de deh everyday. Natty Dread Rides again!!" But like Rohan said, Bob is just as much his father as he is mine and every other person he inspires around the world every single day.

3. What did your friends and family in South Africa think when you told them you were going to unicycle around Jamaica?
My friends and family were absolutely tremendous and very supporting when I told them about my proposed One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure.

My mother was very much behind the project and she prophesied that my father and manager, Theo Coetzer, and I would be like Joshua and Caleb going into the promised land and that if we kept positive that we would conquer the promised land and as one of my friends which I met in Bluefields Bay said "It's like when Jah created Zion that a piece of it dropped off and landed right in the heart of the Caribbean and is now called Jamaica!'

Initially my friends supported it only verbally and after alot of struggle they started supporting the adventure pro-actively. After months of planning and essentially getting nowhere one of my friends, Muller Terblanche, came to me and said that he very strongly believes in my adventure and what I plan doing and that he is willing to sponsor me to go. So he sponsored my air ticket and that was it no more turning back. They helped me record videos and the like to make the dream a reality

My girlfriend, Miehe Eybers then went and asked all my friends to write letters of inspiration and encouragement for the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure which she brought together in great book which then served as a major source of inspiration before I left South Africa and also the entire time while I was in Jamaica.

One of my friends Piere Reynecke wrote me a poem which goes as follows:

'Some people leave

Some people stay

Some move, others keep quite still

Some are always gathering up, others are always giving away

Some are waiting to die, others awake to a new life every morning

Some drive others walk

Some dream others criticise

Some believe others doubt

Some go to sleep others watch the sunrise

Some break into the new, others are happy with the way things are

Some sleep under a roof others under the stars

Some people collect things others go on walks

You get water that is flowing and water that is contained

Some cyclists use two wheels others use one

Keep that wheel rolling my brada!'

-Die Peerbaard

I hope this gives you an idea of how well my friends and family supported my adventure which in the end became much more our adventure than just mine.

Psalm 133

. A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.

¹ How wonderful and pleasant it is
      when brothers live together in harmony!
² For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
      that was poured over Aaron’s head,
      that ran down his beard
      and onto the border of his robe.
³ Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
      that falls on the mountains of Zion.
   And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
      even life everlasting.

4. What were your main concerns when you planned your route around Jamaica?
Well after our initial discussions with the Jamaican High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa we set out to contact all the parties which may be interested in the project. We then in together with the Jamaican High Commission set up a proposed or initial route around the island.

Some of the major concerns were the actual distance that I would be travelling around the island as this had a major impact on both the riding and training schedules, the topographical dimensions of the island, the level to which it is possible to travel on the Jamaican roads on a unicycle, where we would be able to find accommodation around the island and also which towns were worth spending the night in and which we had to give a skip. Also we were told about the crime problem in Jamaica so this was another one of the factors we had to take into consideration when we planned our route around the island.

5. Tell us the strangest thing that happened on your journey around Jamaica?
Well that is quite an interesting question. I think riding around Jamaica on a unicycle is in itself a pretty strange thing to do but in terms of strange things that happened I would definitely say that a few incidents stood out.

The one day me, my dad, Theo and our photographer Ricardo Bailey from El Puru Photography were sitting in a mineral bath relaxing after a long day's ride when Ricardo suddenly jumped out of the water and exclaimed that something had just bitten him. It turned out that with us in the mineral bath that day was an enormous crab which had made its way from the sea into the mineral bath with us and he was having a ball playing the fool with us!

We met a few vegetarians who eat fish..Not making alot of sense.

We stayed at a resort which had a nude beach and being unaware of this I made my way down to the beach one day after a long and grueling ride in my shorts. A minute later two ladies put their towels down next to mine, strip off completely naked and remarked: " Boy you are so overdressed!' and with that they disappeared into the ocean leaving me in a very peculiar position!

Also, on the day which I rode through Black River a man stopped me next to the road very interested he asked whether the Unicycle was a “meterfor the road” and if I was measuring the actual distance of the road around the island.

Another thing which I really found interesting and strange was the road between Alligator Pond and Milk River. It was like riding through the middle of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, completely surrounded by bush with real off-road conditions and told by everyone that it these roads are not at all accessible we made a way were there apparently was no way. Real pioneering adventure!

6. Can you tell us about your route?
Yes, certainly I had planned a route around Jamaica using Google Earth and Google Maps which then culminated in the Riding Schedule.

We arrived in Kingston on Wednesday 23 March 20111 and we had around 4 days to acclimatize and on 28 March 2011 I started the ride around the island from 56 Hope Road in Kingston.. Out of Kingston we traveled east past Buff Bay where I later met all the Jamaican surfing legends and in particular the Wilmot family. The first day took us out of Kingston into St. Andrew and then I finished the day's ride on Morant Bay. I took me three weeks to circumnavigate the entire country. I rode through all 14 parishes with Portland and Westmoreland definitely being my favorite parishes and my favorite spot in Jamaica is Long Bay in Portland it has the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen.

The roads were good on the North and West Coast and really rough and broken down on the East and South Coasts.

7. Where did you sleep at nights? What did you do for food?
Its actually quite interesting, we bought a 2 man tent along from South Africa which we were going to use to sleep in but we did not know about the Jamaicans legendary hospitality. We never used the tent and we were provided with accommodation everywhere we went. The second night we spent at Blue Heaven Guest House which was one of my favorite spots, in Port Antonio we stayed at the Fern Hill Hotel, in Robin's Bay we slept at the Robin's Bay Hotel and in Rio Bueno we were sponsored to stay in the World-Class Breezes Resorts and in Montego Bay we got a sponsored stay at the Palm View Guesthouse. It was incredible how the Jamaicans welcomed us and embraced the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure. So we got to stay in just about all the forms of accommodation which Jamaica has to offer and this was also an incredible experience.

For food we did the real Jamaican thing. I had loads of Jerk Chicken, jerk pork and lots of dishes with rice and peas as a side dish. I really love the Ackee and Saltfish which is usually on the menu for breakfast. The one thing which really stood out was the Original Jamaican Malta drink and I strongly believe that this is the best drink in the world. It also worked fantastically well as an energy drink all around the island!

8. Did you record or blog the experience?
Yes, I did record, blog, photograph, film and memorise my entire journey. I am going to use all that in media interviews, magazine articles etc and also to write a book entitled One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica in in which I will give readers the opportunity to relive the entire adventure with me through all the hills and valleys and a DVD which I will also entitled One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica. Early B's song: ‘One Wheel Wheelie make me wheelie one wheel, tis is not bawgain tis is not a deal…’ will definitely make for a brilliant soundtrack.

9. What were some of the lessons you learned from the people of Jamaica?
Definitely the one thing which I learned from Jamaicans which stood out most for me was the way that Jamaican people embrace their culture and the way that they are so proud of who they are and where they come from it is definitely something which other people and nations can learn from Jamaicans.

I got quite a few other lessons from Jamaicans along the way like at the Peter Tosh Museum I received a very long lecture on the different ways of planting, growing, cultivating, harvesting, farming all the different types of Marijuana and also the best way to smoke it and keep it fresh for a long time after it has been harvested. Something that I am sure will come in very handy one day!

10. In a few of the news reports you have said this has been the most difficult thing you have done. Why is this?
Physically it was the most difficult thing to train for quite a few reasons. Firstly I could not find anyone that has ridden the route which I proposed to ride so nobody could tell me how to train for the adventure around the island. So taking some estimates into consideration with the help of my dad and Manager Theo Coetzer and Kris Holm who is also one of the leading unicyclists in the world we drew up a training schedule, the Riding Schedule around the island was also based on this Riding Schedule.

It was one of the most difficult things which I ever had to prepare for taking the huge amount of unknown factors which I had to deal with into account and also because of the enormous physical challenge which it was to ride around the entire island with Jamaica being very mountainous it made for a very hard physically challenging ride.

It was the most difficult thing that I've ever done but certainly the best and most rewarding thing that I've ever done as well. I guess that falls in with the saying that goes: "No Pain, No Gain!"

11. Now that you have completed the trip what is the one thing you will remember about Jamaica?
You know so many people has asked me that question and to be quite honest I think it is impossible to narrow it down to one thing in particular but I think the one thing that will always remind me of my first time in Jamaica and the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure it will be when I hear Bob Marley singing Ride Natty Ride. The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Olivia Grange asked me the same question during my courtesy call I told her that as far as I know the sense in our bodies with the strongest memory is that of smell. So according to that I will always remember Jamaica whenever I sense the sweet smell of Herb burning anywhere in the world.

12. You did a similar journey in India. How did this compare to this?
I did a similiar journey in Mauritius, an Indian Ocean island. That was an incredible journey on its own but completely different to my journey in Jamaica.

It was a much shorter journey being only 233 KM long and being my first major adventure I learnt alot and experienced alot of different things for the first time. I was much better prepared for my journey around Jamaica than I was for the adventure around Mauritius in terms of the physical and mental challenges which a journey like this poses to someone.

Some of the things that are very similar between the two countries are, the the beautiful scenery with both countries being very mountainous with extremely beautiful sea life and inland scenery. Also both in Mauritius and in Jamaica there was a Rasta waiting for me at the finish line starting the celebrations. In Mauritius it was P.E.M RASTA the world famous Mauritian craftsman who presented me with one of his carvings and in Jamaica it was the Son of the Legendary King of Reggae and I suppose the most famous Rasta worldwide Bob Marley, Rohan Marley who was waiting for me at the finish line with a bottle of champagne.

Both times it was an absolutely incredible experience and two of the most beautiful countries in the world.

I wrote a book entitled Around Mauritius on One Wheel which I am busy publishing at the moment and now I have also started writing the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica book in which I want to give readers the opportunity to relive both adventures through my eyes through all the hills and valleys and make them aware of the power that lies in their dreams.

13. Would you ride around Jamaica again on a Unicycle?
Yes, I would definitely do it again. I won't do it alone again and before I do it again I first have quite a few other adventures on which I will embark. The world is so big with so many possibilities and different places to go and explore that I will definitely return to Jamaica and I would love to ride in Jamaica again. Everything Irie in Jamaica Mon! I like to tink dat I'm not a topanaris anymore but that I am rada dat mi now real Jamaican mon!

14. Have you chosen a new country for your next unicycle adventure?
Yes, well there is a country which has captivated my attention but I will keep that a secret for now. But being an adventurer you can bet that I have already started planning my next adventure. After all that is what adventurers do. But I will let you know as soon as I have my logistics in place.

15. Thanks for your time any closing thoughts?
It is a huge pleasure. Follow your dreams, make life happen there are a million different reasons why you should not do something but I want to encourage that whoever reads this should go out and live. Make life happen, follow your dreams, defy the odds ( Jamaicans are incredible at doing that just look at the athletes and musicians you've already produced just to mention a few) and "Let's get together and feel allright!". In closing I want to thank Jamaica and its people for who you are and what you have meant in my life and for supporting and embracing the One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica adventure so brilliantly. All Jamaican now mi bredren!!

One Wheel, One People, One Jamaica..One Love, One Heart, One Destiny! Jah live children!

An Eye for Beauty: Interview With Kerrian Smart

Karen Mitchell — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:30:02 UT

I once read that Christopher Columbus upon sailing into the pristine waters of the Caribbean Sea and coming across the Island of Jamaica, was not only quite taken by the majesty of the Island itself, but was even more staggered by the beauty of the women he encountered there. For hundreds of years Jamaican women have been revered for their diverse beauty which has among its numbers several international pageant winners and finalist, as well as world famous models and actresses.

Five hundred years after Columbus' "discovery", we have a young dynamic Jamaican entrepreneur looking to make a few discoveries of her own. Kerrian Smart, CEO of the much talked about Yemaya Agency has recently assumed the helm of the newest agency to open its doors in the Caribbean. Her intent is to make an explosive impact on the world of international modeling by indentifying and refining Island talent, then exposing them to the global spotlight.

We recently caught up with the former model turned beauty executive at her offices in the Cayman Islands where she provided some insight into her vision for the company.

1. Would you give our audience some background on the inception of the Yemaya Agency?
Kerrian Smart: We started Yemaya on the idea of (showcasing) unique talents that is not only portraying fashion but the uniqueness of the black Caribbean men and women. We surpass on the everyday ‘model look’ but grasp on the everyday young faces that we see on the streets of our communities.

2. One of the things that caught my attention about your agency is that not only do you address modeling, but also other aspects of entertainment with divisions like Yemaya Entertainment and Crete Couture. Tell us a little more about those ventures.
Kerrian Smart: Yemaya has yet to spread her wings even more, the team will be focusing on having their own designing section. We are currently doing a project on our then Crete Couture in which we changed the name to fit the concept of the designs to Retro Couture. Retro Couture will be a very old vintage fashion line with a modern twist in them; we’re talking about bringing back the old graffiti and old school cartoon characters, vintage car, old school celebrities etc… ‘hand painted’ on blank clothing, jeans in particular. Yemaya will be a compact company in entertainment, creativity and fashion.

3. How is your approach to Yemaya Man different or similar to that of Yemaya Models?
Kerrian Smart: Yemaya Man Magazine would focus on the everyday man of the Caribbean, instead of celebrities or dignitaries. Each month, Yemaya Man will publish photos of ten Caribbean men along with a brief description of each. These men will be from every walk of life, businessmen, tradesmen, athletes, students, models, etc. The unique qualities that make them special will be briefly described, whether they are physical, mental or emotional. Each month, the readers will have the opportunity to vote their choice for the next month’s cover man for Yemaya Man. The cover man will be showcased the following month with photo tribute along with a special article detailing his life and interests. Although the photography is hot and seductive, photographs of males are always acceptable to modern day standards of morality. The articles written by talented writers deal with the everyday highs and lows experienced by all women at work and play. Love, sex, passion, lust, heartache, fear, sorrow, health … no topic is a taboo. If women live it and feel it, Yemaya Man writes about it.

4. I see that you are in the midst of an expansion with the opening of a satellite site in the Cayman Islands. Why the Caymans?
Kerrian Smart: It was just upon a regular visit to the Cayman Islands, surprisingly we have seen a lot of independent models that has been marketing themselves without an agency representation. Also wide range of artistic photographers and small promotional agencies that have independently held fashion shows for fashion designers and local clothing stores. Majority of Cayman fashion Models are Jamaican born or Jamaican parent, and in this case, contributes to our decision in having our first expansion there. And I must add that we have been getting a lot of positive feedback with some models to have an agency represent them for some security benefits.

5. Tell us about yourself as far as your role as CEO from an entrepreneurial point of view, as well as a bit about your background in the industry.
Kerrian Smart: As a teenager in the past that had an interest in modeling, I couldn’t afford to sign with any of the big name model agencies in Jamaica. I went undiscovered, as the CEO of Yemaya I want to change all that, we’re marketing our models the affordable way for them, what they invest in terms of monetary service and interest in Yemaya is what they receive and more. Once the agency has created a known name throughout the industry, then the models won’t need to invest in us, we will invest in them.

6. Bethann Hardison, (one of the original supermodels and owner of one of the top modeling agencies in New York), once stated that one of her concerns with modern modeling is the increasing difficulty in finding "amazing girls". Expressing that she "...would rather have no girls than two mediocre girls...". Tell us how do you feel about that and also how do you scout for talent?
Kerrian Smart: I somewhat agree and disagree with her statement, we have turn ‘mediocre’ girls in outstanding fashion and print models. It has to do with who is representing the talent, the team that is behind the models. Most of our models we found them on the streets of various parishes, and in most case these talents lack interest in travelling to Kingston to go on an audition of some of the top model agencies here in Jamaica. Most of the top models in the world were discovered by scouts or agents that made them into the stars they are today. For instance Naomi Campbell was spotted by Beth Boldt, a former Ford model while window shopping.

7. Now I understand that you have an open contract policy which is one of the things that has garnered the loyalty of some of the models you represent. What it’s the Yemaya definition of an open contract?
Kerrian Smart: Our open contract policies are very simple and uncomplicated, the model as in the contract holder can have gainful employment with other model agencies but cannot sign with any due to conflict reasons. In most case, a model will be signed to an agency and would wait for an opportunity to arrive for profitable assignments, which in Jamaica due to our economical downfall; we give all our contract holders permission to find gainful employment otherwise. We understand why in many cases models sneak off to work for other model and promotional agencies, and many bear penalties for breach of contract. Most models might see an opportunity to achieve something but because they’re bind to an agency they can’t go for it. We tell all our models, you see an opportunity where you can be a successful model, let us know we will make the necessary arrangements with the contract.

8. I recently ran into Andre Leon Talley, Editor -At-Large for Vogue, at New York Fashion Week. I happened to catch him in mid-nostalgic lament for the days when the model, as a muse, was the focus and not the collection. He prefers the days when models were discovered and nurtured and the collection evolved around them. What would you say to that? What is your opinion on the subject?
Kerrian Smart: I think the modeling industry worldwide is making sure the models stays less attractive so that the fashion stands out more. While in everyday life, people tend to turn their head at an attractive woman wearing the same design “strutting” the streets. That’s what Yemaya aims to bring back, we’re bringing ‘sexy’ tall, statuesque exotic black and mix young faces on the runway. No more or rather ‘less’ of the pale dull look on the runway.

9. Now I would be remiss is I did not address a subject that has been vigorously debated in the industry of late, and that is the subject of race. Specifically, the noticeable absence of people of color on the runways, in the editorial spreads and especially at the couture levels of fashion. In your opinion, what will it take for more than just one or two models of color at a time, to make a major breakthrough in the fashion industry?
Before I started Yemaya, I have seen so many…well ‘Naomi Campbell and Grace Jones’ in Jamaica. But how can these girls be discovered? These girls are not putting out nor have no interest in modeling most of the time. The modeling industry in general, big name agencies worldwide, I think would want girls like these but are too busy marketing their own top models. I think they should once in a while send scouts in different parts of the Caribbean to scout for models or getting representatives to work for them in their own countries. These agencies don’t have the time to go anywhere seeking for models. In this case they just use the models that they have in their own countries, and also because of the immigration policies against some Caribbean countries, most of these models will never be discovered.

10. There has been a recent trend which casting agents selecting the models for a show and not the designer? How do you feel about that?
Kerrian Smart: It can be a situation where the agency has its own designers and does not tend need to book anymore for the fashion show. And it all depends on what was the theme of the fashion show. I can also relate to this myself, because most of the time our agency uses our own creation for own fashion shows. Most top and upcoming designers in Jamaica, goes with the top name model agencies that have a more wide reach on the public to market their products, if you don’t have a name you can’t get them to do a show, even if they get the service of the agency for free.

11. What impact do you see the Yemaya Agency having on the industry, I mean what is the goal of the company in term of fashion?
Kerrian Smart: We want to pour some colour into the industry, we are not going to wait for the talents to come to us, and we’re going to seek for the talents. We want to capitalize our Caribbean men and women so the rest of the world can see our exotic beauties.

12. What advice would you offer those aspiring models out there hoping to sign with your agency?
Kerrian Smart: An agency can only do so much to market a model, interest goes a far way.
Being a model takes a time and effort, if you’re not willing to put in the necessary effort to be model, then you’re wasting your time signing with ‘any’ model agency.

For information on the Yemaya Modeling Agency go to www.Yemaya-Models.com or locate them at their fan page via Facebook.

Conversation with Kellie Magnus co-coordinator of the Anancy Festival Kingston

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:45:01 UT

This week we interview Kellie Magnus, co-coordinator Anancy Festival Kingston. Kellie is a Caribbean author and journalist. She is the author of the “Little Lion” series of children’s books. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and an MBA in Entertainment and Media Management from Columbia University. In addition to writing and publishing children's books she writes feature articles on Caribbean entertainment and media. She also serves on the board of the Early Childhood Commission in Jamaica and owns the small publishing company Jackmandora.

Q. Tell us about Anancy festival Kingston and how it got started?
The organizers of the Anancy Festival in Florida asked me if I'd come up and read, or read from Jamaica and have it simulcast to Florida. I thought it would be fun to create a parallel event in Jamaica and have both audiences share in the experience.

Q. When you think of Anancy what comes to your mind?
Anancy and Miss Lou are inextricably linked in my mind. Miss Lou is one of my personal hereos. I've always been in awe of her gifts as a writer and storyteller. And I always admired her passion for protecting and promoting Jamaican culture. I have great memories of listening to her tell Anancy stories.

Q. What was the biggest obstacle or headache in organizing the event? How did you overcome it?
So far there haven't been any. Everyone has been eager to come on board. We hope that the technical aspects will work well, but we're confident that it will be a great day in both places.

Q.Tell us about the line up for the festival?
We have a few local storytellers who are known for their Anancy repertoires lined up and there'll be readings from published and unpublished books on Anancy. We also have three short films about Anancy by local filmmakers that I think will go over very well. Plus, there'll be arts and crafts and activities for kids.

Q. What local Jamaica author/performer/artist did you most want to get involved with the Anancy festival?
When I think about Anancy these days, the first person who comes to mind is Amina Blackwood Meeks. She's such a gifted storyteller. I've watched her hold throngs of kids enthralled with no games, no prop, just the power of a great story.

Q: Is there anyone you wanted to participate who wasn’t able to?
I wanted to get Andre Davis, an author whose just put out a new kids' book and DVD on Anancy, but the Florida organizers had already snapped him up!

Q: Will there be any online or interactive component to the festival?
We're going to show a part of the Florida event via Skype to the audience in Jamaica, and a part of the JA event to the FL audience.

Q: How did you find to organize this event between writing and pushing literacy in Jamaica?
I think events like this are a critical part of promoting literacy, so BIAJ has to make time for them. If I want to make a living as a writer, I have to make sure there's an audience that can read and wants to read. So I see it as part of my job.

Q: Can you tell us about the literacy project you are working on?
I'm really excited about two new baby books my company, Jackmandora, is putting out this year. They're for children 0 - 18 months. They were selected for the BookStart Jamaica Pilot Programme, a new initiative from the Ministry of Education, in which new mothers will receive baby books and tips on reading to children when they leave the hospital. It's a fantastic programme that has worked really well in other countries and we're excited to see the impact it has on early literacy here.

Q: Are you working on any new books?
Well, there'll be a new Little Lion, of course! And then we also have a great new book coming out called Adventures with Books, which is a reading journal for children. It's a guide that directs children -- both avid readers and slow readers -- to read different kinds of books and has tons of activities they can do based on the books they're reading. We finished the edition for age 9 - 12 and now we're working on the 4 - 8 edition. They'll both be out later this year. And then the book I'm reading at the Festival -- Nancy Anancy -- a story about Anancy's great granddaughter, should be out by Christmas. It's a modern twist on an Anancy story, from a girl's perspective.

Q: Thanks for your time? Any closing thoughts?
Just to thank Xavier Murphy and Andrea Shaw and the rest of the Anancy Festival team in Florida for organizing a great event and including us in their plans. We'd love to see more events like this that link audiences in Jamaica and the Diaspora.

Visit the Anancy Festival website for more information.

Conversation with Wendy Lee, owner and CEO of La Pluma Negra

Mon, 30 May 2011 12:30:02 UT

This week we interview Wendy Lee, owner and CEO of La Pluma Negra. The company was conceived in 2003 with the idea to create simple, classy graphic designs for everyone, on a comfortably soft, quality garment. They create tough, sexy, humourous designs that reflect the “Out of Many” experience that makes the World. Here is our conversation with Wendy....

Where in Jamaica are you from?
I am from Amity in Westmoreland. I went to Mannings School, then came to Kingston for college.

Tell us how La Pluma Negra got started?
A friend, who is a graphic designer teamed with me to start the business. He was the creative side, I was the business side. We initially had no place of business, so we operated out of his residence, till we found a spot in Liguanea. From there, we grew from strength to strength.

What La Pluma Negra?
It is a Spanish name, meaning the Black Feather.

What inspires your designs?
We mainly use Jamaican phrases and slangs, but also create designs with an international appeal. Many times, it’s through conversations with friends that we end up with a message, like “Browning”. We have designs such as Mek Yuh So Faas with highlights our Jamaican language, and purely graphic designs that are more international in their flavour. We try to keep the graphics simple and clean so that it has longevity.

How are your current designs doing?
With the closure of the store, we’ve have had a challenge in getting sales. It could do much better. For this year, I am working on new marketing and sales strategies.

What is your favorite design?
SOULJAH. The colours are bright, the design is classy, and will always hold appeal, even 10 years from now.

You use alot of patois in your designs. In your opinion is patois a slang or a language?
Patois IS the (unofficial) national language of Jamaica. English is the International Language used. I wished we had more PRIDE in the uniqueness of our language, but at the same time, I wished we had a better handle on speaking the English language. I’ve always prided myself that I can speak both fluently!

Do you have any major retailers abroad carrying your designs?
No we don’t. We however have an online presence but the e-commerce side is currently down, being re-vamped. Those items will be filled from a Ft. Lauderdale location.

Do you participate in Caribbean Fashion week?
No.

How many new lines will you be releasing in 2011?
Our plans are to promote the brand name and release at least 10 new designs.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Drinking vodka and tonic! I never wake up with a headache after a night of drinking!

If you could get rid of one thing in today's world what would it be?
Corruption. Corrupt people affect everyone around them. They cost the economy, they cost the country and even the world. People who lack integrity are the most likely ones to be corrupted. We need to engender integrity and honor in everyone, especially young and impressionable children.

Any words of advise for budding entrepreneurs?
Be very clear what you want to do. Visualize the processes and document the steps involved. Think of all the areas of the business and make sure you have systems, staff, etc to cover them efficiently. Ask for help! There’s always something to learn, and advice is cheap. And listen to everyone. Even the lowest of persons has something of value to say.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts.
La Pluma Negra is still holding on, 8 years later. We are persevering through today’s challenges. Our plan for 2011 is to promote our overseas online store and bring the brand to a wider cross-section of people in Jamaica.

I encourage everyone to maintain hope that these financial times will pass. Think of ways to get around the challenges. And remember, we’ll be stronger and better when this all ends.

Learn More about La Pluma Negra by visiting their website @ http://www.plumanegra.com

A conversation with Scheed Cole

X Murphy — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:45:03 UT

This week we interview the multi-talented Scheed Cole, Owner Prop and More Limited/Scheed International. A son of the inner city, Scheed Cole, inventor, painter, sculptor, ceramist, graphic artist, interior decorator, set designer, video editor, animator and fabricator, has been an Art Educator since 1997. He has been mastering fine arts for the past 17 years and has been creating props for the past 10 years. Scheed was first recognized as a fine arts sculptor having had few exhibitions and having been commissioned to create sculptures for both public and residential areas.

How did you get started doing props in Jamaica?
The first time doing props as for my own productions, this came out of a play that was written and directed by myself. A snake was used as one of the props, also a gun with a triggering mechanism, retractable wings for angels, battle armors and weapons and a throne that breathed fire. Of course the set for the play was also designed and done by myself and the crew.

How did you get interested in doing this?
I have a great love for Sculpting, because it pulls on my knowledge of form and finishing with realism.

Did you get any formal education to do this?
I have not gotten formal training but I was trained to dispense the methodology rather than the skills, these I had gathered on my own.

What was your first prop job?
Digicel needed a big Pharaohs’ Head at the Mass Camp for Bacchanal in four days, It was done and they continued to call for my services through main Events and other companies also started asking for larger than life props and I realized I could make a business out of it.

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to material to make props in Jamaica?
Of course most of the more specialized materials cannot be sourced here in Jamaica and I have only two options in this situation, to increase the cost of the job to facilitate importation or source other materials at home. The good thing about this is that I have an extensive understanding of a wide range of materials that can be found at home in Jamaica. And over the years I have experience using foam, fiberglass, paper, metal, clay, and plaster. But with more specialized materials manufacturing would be more efficient and less complicated.

Where do you get most of your materials? Abroad or in Jamaica?
The majority of my materials are bought here in Jamaica.

Where do you draw your inspiration for new projects?
A lot of research on what other countries are doing, brainstorming sessions with my team, and a reservoir of information on how materials are used in dynamic ways, to add to the attraction value of the props. I have a knack for problem solving, integrating different elements and coming up with concept solutions.

What has been the most fun project?
Every project is like a new drama series, with its ups and downs, working night and day to reach impossible deadlines. The team driving themselves beyond human limits, it could be a reality show to watch us work. But the really large props going 13 or 34 feet high or so got me really excited.

To date what project are you proudest of and why?
My aim is to travel in the footsteps of the great who built great monuments in the past and captured the identity of the people. Therefore the larger the scale the more accomplished I feel. The mountain I did for Matterhorn though Creative Media and Events is undoubtably the largest, a single unique prop of its kind locally and I believe regionally as well. It raises 34ft high and 40feet wide.

What has been the most challenging project to date?
The Helshire/Naggo’s Head restoration and renovation project. It involved the development of a large area which comprised different structures, and required specific design and project management skills for each element, also the managing of huge workforce, handing logistics, use of various materials while working under extreme timelines.

What exciting projects are you working on?
I can’t disclose, most of the work we do are like that, top secret until revealed. One of our most recent work is the set for Kenea Linton –Gordon’s Mission Catwalk, now showing on Television Jamaica on Tuesdays at 8:30pm. I can say however that we are also developing concepts for our second set for the fourth season of The Ity and Fancy Cat Show.

Are creating any props for Jamaica's Carnival?
We worked on two booths for the Carnival and we have been creating booths and Props for the Carnival since 2005.

What is your most famous work so far?
The Tiki Mask Entrance to the Digicel booth at the Jazz and Blues Festival 2007.

Any advice for those who want to go into prop design?
If you believe you command a good knowledge of the anatomy and the study of the nature of things, if your are keen to detail, and enjoy creating super realistic images, and one of your specialized area is sculpting, then it is possible to embark on such a journey. Meeting deadlines can be very stressful but the pleasure of handing over the finished product makes it all worthwhile.

You are an inspiration to many as you came out of the inner city in Kingston. Please tell us how that has helped you in your career?
All experiences are a life lesson, being forced at an early age to do work at a high level of perfection, even though it was at the time physical abuse, it has served me well in having a perfectionist attitude towards my work. I have learnt the heart of patience, making do with what I have, to help me to be resourceful, and coming up with solutions, for artistic problems. Being left alone in the inner-city to fend for myself has taught me independence, and survival skills that have been beneficial in my entrepreneurial pursuits. Many more areas of my life can be attributed to the struggles I have been though to reach where I am today.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing words?
Self actualization can make you of great use to society, as well as yourself, your family and all extended relations. If everyone strives to be the best they can be with the gifts they have been given from God before they were born, they will live much more accomplished and happier lives. The most rewarding thing about being alive, is not merely existing, but to add value through sharing what you have been given, either through training which is the dissemination of information, technical skills or knowledge acquired by yourself over a period of time. Mentoring, this is to surrendering yourself to the service of mankind by offering guidance, and motivation toward the upliftment of an individual. And to be an example for the next generation to follow, through your personal accomplishments values and standards that will positively perpetuate humanity. I see myself as part of the solution, a small piece in the puzzle, to save as many as possible, through my God given gifting, and to call others to do the same.

A Conversaton with Jamaican Fashion Blogger, James Black

Mon, 09 May 2011 12:45:01 UT

This week we speak to Jamaican Fashion Blogger James Black. JB, as she is fondly known , blogs what’s hot in fashion in Jamaica and abroad at the JB Style Zone. She is also the Co-Director of a Jamaican female clothing line called 'Yahdie Conscious' and also has a a line of headpieces called 'GlamHEAD'.

Is James your real first name?
-My first name is actually Jami...So James comes from that, my friends started calling me that in high school..Black is also not my real last name;)

What inspired you to create JBSTYLEZONE?
I saw blogging as a way to promote my line further and reach a new audience.. My sister was actually the one that told me I should do it cause she thought my sense of style was something people might appreciate.

When did you first fall in love with fashion?
I fell in love with fashion kind of late in comparison to other designers. I was a tomboy growing up and definitely not into dressing up or make-up..In high school my friends and I used to love transforming old pieces and making them new by cutting them with scissors and dressing different from the norm when we went out, so that was my first sign that I was into fashion but my love for it grows everyday, especially since I started blogging and I have to get a bit deeper into the fashion world.

How would you describe your own personal style?
My personal style is definitely relaxed and edgy. I'm not high maintenance when it comes to my style, I like relaxed, unique pieces but that also might have that element of sexy.

Describe your fashion mission?
My fashion mission is definitely to be seen as one of the great fashion bloggers not just in Jamaica but abroad as well...I've also done a few styling jobs so I'd love to get more into that and of course I want my clothing line, 'YC', to be as successful as is possible, no boundaries.

Your blog is incredibly successful and was recently nominated for a Jamaica Blog Award. Has its popularity taken you by surprise?
YES! Definitely. I'm always surprised when someone messages me on twitter or facebook just to say they love my blog...At the blog awards couple of my readers came out to support me, I lost but I was just happy that I made it to the top 5 in my category...And at parties I have gotten people coming up to me saying they read it and its always a great feeling. The blog is less than a year old and it has a strong following so I'm happy.

What's your take on Jamaican style?
I think Jamaican style has improved over the years as we've gotten new stores selling more trendy and unique pieces that you would see in stores abroad. So people are more aware of what's fashionable now. But I still see a lot of women thinking that because its tight and short its sexy and in most cases it isn't right for their body type and it just looks cheap. I see a lot of women here squeezing into dresses, shorts, tops etc. that are too small.

Which designers do you love right now?
I am loving Marchesa, Alexander Wang,and brands like Boxing Kitten and Topshop.

What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that more of us wore?
I don't think there's any item I wish people wore more of cause that's boring if everybody was more or less wearing a lot of the same thing. But I wish in Jamaica people would take more fashion risks, both male and female. I have a male friend that went out and bought a male brooch after I blogged about it and he rocks it so well and I've never seen another man with it. He always stands out because he isn't afraid to try different things. I love to see people like that.

Tell us about 'Yahdie Conscious'?
YC is a brand I started with my best friend,Jaye-Ann O'Connor in 2004 when we just entered University. We aimed for it just to be a T-shirt line with phrases that we thought were cool and inspirational but after about 4 years we started to get into dresses, cardigans and more recently accessories. We consider the brand to be funky and edgy which represents our personal style. Its a relaxed brand with casual pieces but they always have that unique flair.

Any plans to start a male line?
Actually when we started out with T-shirts we did both male and female shirts. We discontinued the male line around the same time we began to expand the female line. We have a lot of males still complaining about that but I think personally we didn't think we could go any further with the male line creatively. We got so excited about expanding the female line we almost got bored with the male stuff.

How you headpiece line GlamHEAD going?
GlamHEAD has been doing surprisingly well because it started off more as me just wanting to make my own personal headbands last summer and when I showed my mother one she said you should sell it so I put up a picture of it on blackberry messenger and twitter and I got it sold the same day. I started doing more but I didn't expect people to love it as much as I know some do. And I've only just begun, I have lots more in store for GlamHEAD including a new collection for April and the promo shoot for that will be happening at the end of March. I also recently got an extremely large order so I'm very happy about that.

Anything we should look out for from you in the coming weeks/months/year?
Well look out for the new GlamHEAD collection. The YC online store went up in December 2010 so people can shop if they're in the US (www.yahdieconscious.com) so look out for more new unique pieces from Yahdie Conscious.

You seen to be a natural in front of the camera. Are you venturing more into modeling?
No lol, every time I do a shoot or a music video its someone who kinda wants a favor or I'll be contacted on a work basis by others so its not something I would say I seek out doing. I do love dressing up and putting on make-up and seeing the final product but I definitely would not try to take it more seriously.

A phrase you use far too often?
"I am loving that...". and my favorite word is "definitely" lol.

What food brings your comfort when you are disappointed?
Hahaha all food!! I'm a foodie! But I love kfc, everybody knows that even if you don't know me very well. I tweet about KFC all the time. When I'm disappointed, kfc helps

What other fashion blogs would you recommend?
I really like fashionbombdaily.com its an American urban fashion blog. They featured me as fashion bombshell of the day in January and that gave my blog and the YC website a lot of hits that day.

In a nutshell, your philosophy is?
My philosophy is definitely to have faith in yourself and faith in God. I think no matter what you're passion is in life you can't go about it without having lots of faith, cause doing your own thing can come with a lot of disappoint and self doubt because you're putting yourself out to the world and just hoping that they like it. With faith comes a lot of positive energy which is needed when pursuing your dreams.

The only closing thoughts?
BUY YC, buy Jamaican! And check out my blog;)

Interview Jamaican, Simone Harris, founder of "Choreography is Copyrightable"

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:45:02 UT

This week we interview Jamaican, Simone Harris, founder of "Choreography is Copyrightable". The "Choreography is Copyrightable" is an initiative designed to inform and educate choreographers about their rights under copyright law. According to Harris, “choreographers in the Caribbean region have for far too long been treated as the forgotten creators of original content….they have just as much legal protection from infringements as musicians and should be aware of their rights under law.”

Can you give us the background on "Choreography is Copyrightable"?
Choreography is Copyrightable™ is a dance copyright initiative designed to inform and educate choreographers across the Caribbean region about their rights under Copyright law and the benefits of enforcing these rights.

As with creators of musical works, for choreographers to receive protection under Copyright law, works must be “fixed in a tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.”

Choreography is Copyrightable™ recognizes that a great majority of regional choreographers:

May not understand their rights as creators of original works.
May not have knowledge of dance notation systems or may not be able to afford to facilitate notation,
May not have ready access to necessary technology or,
May not be able to afford to pay for access to recording equipment

The project is therefore specifically designed to provide the knowledge and assistance needed for choreographers to have their works “fixed,” thereby giving them protection under copyright, while educating them about copyright law and dance.

Though only a year old, the CIC team of Simone Harris, Neila Ebanks, Marlon Simms, Kayanne Anderson Esq and Renee Lynch have hosted 2 successful workshops in Jamaica and Barbados. The project has received support from the PumaCreative initiative, the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, as well as the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and Invest Barbados.

What are your main goals?
Through our workshops and social media outlets, we hope:

• To educate choreographers about the value of having their works “fixed” thereby protecting their creative works under copyright law while exposing them to dance notation systems;

• To provide choreographers with the information and tools necessary to lobby their respective governmental bodies to enhance protection as it relates to intellectual property laws and choreographic works; (if needed)

• To develop a library of notated works created by choreographers in the region;

· To create a relationship between music performance royalty entities in the region to ensure that choreographers have clear and definitive channels through which they obtain permission to use musical works;

What are the benefits of copyrighting Choreography?
There is no formal registration necessary to obtain copyright. All that is required is that the work be “fixed.” With that said, once your work is copyright protected it makes it illegal for anyone to reproduce, distribute, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display your work without your permission.

Are there any provisions in the International Copyright laws provided to make Choreography Copyrightable?
Authors automatically receive copyright protection in all countries that are parties to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, or parties to the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC). Most countries belong to at least one of these conventions. In general terms, choreography will be protected by copyright law as a ‘choreographic show’ (a sub-category of ‘dramatic works’), provided it is original and is recorded in material form or ‘fixed.’

What has been the response by Choreographers when they learn about your initiative?
The response has been quite good. This has been a section of the industry that has been severely underserviced over the years. Many choreographers were unaware that dance could be protected under copyright law. In fact several of our workshop attendees, which included persons from Trinidad, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Jamaica, have had concerns about the use of their works by others (even by commercial entities) without their permission.

If someone wanted to copyright their Choreography, what should they do?
Choreography can be copyright protected through ‘fixing’ of the work. By ‘fixing’ we mean either using a form of dance notation (similar to a musical score) to ‘write’ the work down or by filming the work. Read more here about the differences between the two: http://dancecopyright.info/2010/10/09/thoughts-on-notation-film-for-dance-documentation/

Is there a place to register Choreography?
Registration is not compulsory for copyright protection and so there is no specific entity in Jamaica that offers that as a service. There is however, an exception in the Bahamas where there is a copyright registration process, which is handled by their Registrar General’s Office.

The team is mainly Jamaican. Was there a need you saw for Jamaican and Caribbean dancers to copyright their work?
The team is mainly Jamaican but we work closely with persons based in the US and across the Caribbean. The region is awash with talent but as artistes ourselves with knowledge of the dance industry internationally, we were aware of certain shortcomings in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean when it came to dance and copyright and felt the need to create an initiative that would educate and empower choreographers in the same way that choreographers in other parts of the world are empowered.

What other projects are you working on?
We are very excited about this year. In addition to conducting our workshops, we are currently working with the Dance Notation Bureau (NY) and the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts to lay the foundation for the first dance notation library in the region, which of course will represent a major milestone for the team and the dance community in general.

Thank you for the interview?
You are welcome.

For more information visit the Choreography is Copyrightable website.

Conversation with Jamaican Based Fashion Designer, Lubica

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:45:02 UT

This week we interview Jamaican fashion designer, Lubica. Originally from Slovak Republic, Lubica now resides in Kingston, where she has a small boutique store, Base Kingston & Belle. Most recently she has formed a partnership with Tami Chynn to design a new clothing line. Here is our conversation with Lubica.

Q: Thanks for taking some time to speak to us. How did you learn about Jamaica and why did you move here?
I first visited Jamaica in 2000 and fell in love with it. Since then i been returning to Jamaica and recently officially made it my home.

Q: How did you get into fashion?
I have always been into fashion, since i was a little girl. My grandmother was a part-time seamstress (it was more like her hobby) and she always had lots of fabrics at her house so i used to put on fashion shows for my family (i would tie the fabric around me). I also used to draw catalogues, i would draw skirts and tops and pants and priced them and made my mom order.

Even in high school friends always used to tell me i should be in fashion because of my style. I didnt listen to them and went to university for something else... hated it and two years later took few month off and fashion found me again and i gave in. I changed schools and went to Ryerson University for fashion design and the rest is history. :-)

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a fashion designer ?
I realized i was going to be a fashion designer when i was in europe (during my break from university...) and found a crochet hook and yarn and accidently made a triangle and decided it was going to be a bikini. Back in Toronto a friend saw it and wanted one, and then her friend.. and that was it.

Q: Tell us about your designs?
I design sexy/chic resort wear. I like the easy elegance of my designs. I make sure that all the designs are very comfortable and very easy to wear. You don’t have to have ‘the perfect body’ to look and feel perfect in my clothes. You can dress them up for special occasions and dress them down for daywear. I really like simplicity and fresh/clean designs and i try to keep my collections this way.

Q: Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
I get inspiration from everything and everyone around me.

Q: Who are your top 3 fashion designers?
Its very hard to pick 3 ... but right now i would day... Diane Von Furstenberg, Rodarte, and Calvin Klein

Q: If you could have 1 celebrity call you to design a dress who would it be?
Charlize Theron

Q: What is the best advice you can give a woman about what to wear?
I would advise women to get little ‘adventurous’ with their style and try new things. try to put your own touch to the latest fashion... with accessories, shoes etc. Fashion is such a fun thing so have fun with it. experiment with colors.. and silhouettes. Everything doesn't have to be black , and all the dresses don’t have to be super fitted to be sexy. I think its important for women to be very honest with themselves about their bodies.. and body types and then find the perfect style for their body type and not necessarily wear something just because its “in”. And dont over accessorize! if you wear a big necklace wear very small earrings or no earrings at all...

Q: How to do find time designing when you also run a small boutique?
I do so many things.. i have so many passions.. i try not to waste any time. I get a lot done in my day. I often run on a well organized schedule. the only thing i havent had time to do is paint... i love painting and i have few ideas i want to paint when i finally find some time.

Q: The movie I could watch over and over again is...
oh there are few... Frida, What dreams may come, Romeo+Juliet, Dirty Dancing, Interview with a Vampire... and so many more...

Q: My guilty pleasure is....
Chocolate!!!! and everything sweet!! i have a real sweet tooth !!! :-) and i love slovakian bread and all the cheeses in the world!

Q: Thanks for the interview. Any final thoughts?
THANK YOU !!!!!!my latest collection was called TOUCAN.. you can see it on my web site lubica.com and you can check out my blog for more info...

11 Questions for 2011 With Peter Lloyd

M. Peggy Quattro — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:30:01 UT

Peter Lloyd is a face and voice that Jamaicans have grown up with for nearly 20 years. From numerous films and TV, where he is remains the popular Matthew Robinson on Jamaica’s #1 drama Royal Palm Estate, to radio and theatre, Peter Lloyd is currently enjoying success as a recording and performing artiste. A Rasta and family man, Peter Lloyd’s easy sexy appeal, ranging from teens to seniors, is undeniable. His latest CD, Stories From I Father’s Country, was released on March 11, 2011 on his own Blacklight Records label.

1. When and where did you get started in the actual music business? 1st show/recording?
Started singing in church from age three. I n I grandma put I on the pulpit and from then it became a kind of tradition/ritual…Church of the Open Bible, Washington Blvd. Kingston. Between primary Dunrobin High School and Kingston College, I sang in many festivals, school choirs. I was lead singer in a reggae band called Natural Mystics. I guess music was in I n I blood...It choose I.

2) Who were your early influences?
I listen to everyone from Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye…most of Motown’s’ roster…Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke to early Wailers-Bob, Bunny and Peter, Dennis Brown, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Gregory Issacs, Sugar Minott, Maxi Priest, and Frank Sinatra, early Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie. Also, the early Rolling Stones, Eagles, Beatles, all the way through to Guns n Roses. I just love, great melodies, lyrics, and passionate delivery. Beres Hammond became I n I favourite, and still is.

3) What is your current project? Or what do you have planned?
Dropped I n I sophomore album project, Stories From I Father’s Country on March 11, 2011, simultaneously online and in stores on the Blacklight Records. This album is dedicated to the memory of mi father and features I n I twist on every genre of reggae music. It includes hits such as “Gold Digga,” “Wake Dem Up,” “Oh My Darling,” and “Searching.” Great new tracks such as the Paul Lewis produced “Shanty Town” and “Wickedness in High Places,” the new age dancehall track “Style and Figure,” and many more: The Stories From I Father’s Country also features the production skills of the masters, Sly & Robbie, Dean Fraser, and Snowcone. We are currently booking I man first major tour, and staging Peter Lloyd Live again in Kingston. Reprising I roll as Mathew Robinson on the new season of the Blackburns, the hit TV drama on CVM TV, numerous gigs worldwide, and constantly recording. I recently produced mi first stage play, which I also starred in, called "Against His Will", and sometime later this year, will try mi hand at writing mi first play.

4) Where is your largest fan base located, and why?
Jamaica, the demographic being early teens to late 40s. The princesses appear to give I nuff strength, too. I think Jamaica because I've only recently started to do gigs beyond Jamaica, and receive strong airplay (mi single “Searching” achieved the number one chart position on the New York Reggae chart, the South Florida reggae chart, and the Manchester England reggae charts in late 2010.). Teens like mi material and know I from television, and the older folks also know mi from TV. Also I'm clean, no negative lyrics, mi have 2 daughters, and mi is a Rastaman, so mi words must edify the soul n mind. I like experimenting with the genre and most person say I deliver a great live set (I, however, think there's always room to improve) but I take the compliment for what it is.)

5) What has been your most memorable career moment and why?
That's a hard one…several and for several reasons. Most recently performing for mi mother at the “Big Show” in Coral Springs, Florida Labour Day weekend 2011, singing for the little princes and princesses in the cancer ward at UWI years ago, and the first time I performed with mi 4-year-old daughter watching at last year’s Boston Jerk Festival in Portland, Jamaica. She loved it and was singing and beaming for the entire week. I mean, the fans screaming and singing is always great, but I n I heart beat having a great time meant the world to I n I.

6) What has been your biggest challenge professionally?
The BS in the biz. Let's all just make great music and stop the nonsense. Recognize the power of reggae; it's purity, simplicity, and world-changing potential. I'm confused by the egos and ‘shegos’. It's music that JAH inspired, and truth be told, on any corner in Jamaica, and now the world, there's greater talent than all of us in the biz now. We should all—artist, musician, media, engineers, soundmen, disc jocks etc.—be really grateful we found a living that we love and affords us the adulation of our peers. I do not BS, I think it's ultimately self-destructive and has held back the natural progress of reggae.

7) If you could collaborate with any artist, of any genre, who would it be and why?
Early Wailers, because of the simplicity and spirituality of their lyrics. They spoke about the fears and hopes of generations to come and gave words to the true inner city experience. John Lennon, he took the genius of the Beatles and made it a unifying force for people of the world, simple, poetic and genuine lyrics and melodies. Beres Hammond, a true story teller, brilliant writer, passionate vocalist. Early Sizzla, edifying and uplifting lyrics that called for the unification of all African people, Nadirah X, a Jamaican female rapper and great lyricist. Finally, Jay Z for the fluidity and poetry of his lyrics.

8) If you only had time left to perform one last song, what would it be and why?
“Blood on Your Hands”…I n I original about taking responsibility for our actions. How do people sleep after committing the most horrifying atrocities?

9) If you could change one thing in the reggae music business, what would it be and why?
I'd change the BS so the music will grow, and accomplish what the forefathers had hoped...changing the world positively.

10) Here’s your chance to thank someone who has been instrumental in your career, who would that be and why?
Not one but three persons - I n I mom and dad, because, although they had no overstanding of this career path and they supported I as much as they could. Finally Alice, who was mi right hand and left-brain for seven years.

11) Tell us one thing about yourself that your fans do not know.
Mi love to cook, but really cannot bake to save I n I life! Mi cook meaningful vegan food. No meat roun’ here.

More info on Peter Lloyd at: http://www.reverbnation.com/peterlloyd

About the Author:
M. Peggy Quattro, Reggae Report founder and publisher, celebrates 30 years in the Reggae business in 2011. As head of RRI Media Corp., she manages ReggaeReport.com Reggae Report on Facebook, performs freelance writing, editing and PR, public speaker from a personal reggae perspective on Reggae history, and is a Certified Social Media Strategist and consultant. - Reggae Report/Facebook | ReggaeReport.com | Blog- www.mpeggyq.com | ReggaeReport Twitter | mpeggyq@gmail.com

A conversation with Chef and Steward, Jamaicans living in Dubai

X Murphy — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:45:02 UT

This week we speak to the husband and wife team Lij and Kari Heron, Jamaicans living in Dubai . Lij is a sous chef in a fine-dining restaurant. Kari is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, and of course, the head cook & bottle washer in their low-carb home kitchen which they have recently taken online with a new blog called "Chef and Steward". Her photography work was recently displayed ever festival of Jamaican Art & Culture in the Middle East. Here is our conversation with them.

What part of Jamaica are you from?
We are from Kingston, but in our hearts, we are country rats!

How did you guys get to Dubai?
Lij came for a job years ago and Kari joined in 2009 when they got married.

Let’s start with you Chef Lij .What made you decide to become a chef? Did you cook growing up?
It all started with fried plantain and the unmistakable influence of my mother. I hear that I was about 5 or 6 when I was standing on a stool cooking fried plantains under her supervision. When we got older, she gave us a day each to cook and eventually, I got a job at the Hilton Kingston, where I worked my first day peeling about 1000 bananas. After 1 year there, I applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. The rest is history.

Jamaican food sometimes is a challenge to outsiders to cook. What would you say to someone who's totally intimidated cooking Jamaican food?
I don't think it is a challenge really except for the fact that it may be new. Once you have the right ingredients, a good recipe as a guide and sense of adventure, you are well on your way. I always stress the importance of tasting as you go along. Jamaicans often cook by taste, and not by recipe. Many of the best Jamaican cooks will be able to show you how they cooked something or tell you a little bit of this, a lot of that, but we just adjust to our taste, not by precise measurements.

What would Kari say is your best Jamaican dish..lol?
If you asked Lij, he will tell you Oxtail Stew. I think I would agree. He offten jokes that it is the reason he married me. Though with the frequency that he requests it, I am not certain if it is really a joke. I have been told that my fried dumplings are pretty good too. I have Kathi Marie Cooke to thank for that! My rice and peas is a combination of my mother and grandmothers as well as my friend, Claudia Pryce. Somehow, in cooking, I pay homage to the great cooks who have influenced me!

I find that Chefs who have studied the culinary arts tend to experiment with fusions. Tell us about some of your Jamaican fusion recipes?
I think Jamaican food is not easy to fuse properly with other cuisines. I find it stands out best on its own. However, I have used Jamaican ingredients in other cuisines, and incorporated a few Jamaican dishes where appropriate. I have used pimento a lot. For example I have done a pimento roasted chicken and a pimento foam. I have also made a red peas falafel with thyme instead of the standard Middle Eastern chick peas, parsley and garlic.

Tell us some of the qualities that you feel a successful chef should have?
Good taste buds. A sense of adventure. Drive. Commitment to stay long and work through the trenches. People skills. Leadership skills. Unending quest for knowledge. Willingness to taste everything at least once... regardless of the ingredients (yes, it may not all be pretty).

Being a Jamaican chef do you have any amusing stories to share with us when people discover you are Jamaican?
During the Olympics, I went outside to speak to an Italian guest at the restaurant (in Dubai) and she actually recognized my accent and told me "Congrats with all the success of Usain Bolt." Thank heavens she loved the food because Usain is a hard act to follow!

Are you doing a lot of catering for the growing Jamaican community in Dubai?
We are not currently catering. Lij has a very demanding job and the blog is doing very well. You never knew know what the future holds though. We are always open to a world of possibilities.

What is the weird food request you have every gotten?
(Laughs). Medium Steak, no blood. That's the first thing that comes to mind, but the list is long!

Is there any similarities to the food in the Middle East and the Caribbean food?
Plenty! The grilling, heavy use of spices, lots of emphasis on cooking at home.

How do you organize your recipes? Are you using a smart phone, iPad, computer, recipe cards, scraps of paper, a note book etc?
Is that a trick question? Seriously, I walk around collecting papers of recipes and menus daily behind Lij. He is a walking paper machine. He also has lots of small notepads. I jot down on the fridge, in notebooks, but mostly in my head as I am mostly an intuitive cook. Baking is different, for that I will follow recipes which are filed on the computer.

You both started the blog Chef and Steward. What was your main goal?
Our aim is to "Bring the love and life back into the kitchen!" As much as we love that people are eating out more... more money for those of us who work in restaurants, we also wanted to encourage our audience to find joy in making meals at home. We are also concerned with the rate of diabetes and childhood obesity and the amount of junk food that passes as nutrition. Food is best when produce is sourced well and fresh and cooked fresh and in season. It's also healthier that way. And believe it or not, much cheaper. So many times people are told to change their lifestyles and eat healthier. We are showing you how. As we say at chefandsteward.com, "Food is medicine, but that doesn't mean it ought to taste like it."

Let me guess (lol) Kari takes care of the site?
Of course! My role as the chef is critical to the site in terms of consultancy and personal involvement in many of the recipes and preparation but as the steward, Kari's background is in marketing communication and includes writing, photography and fimmaking so where the site is concerned "She run things" as we say in Jamaica. Plus she can cook!

How did you get into Photography?
I grew up in front of my Daddy's Canon SLR. He was a pretty good photographer, among other things (maybe that is where I get my many talents from). I got my first 24mm camera at age 9. I took a course at the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) at 17. I inherited his camera at 19, which for me was a rite of passage. I moved to TV as presenter and producer and then went into corporate communication and public relations for a decade, putting my photography on hold. I really resumed shooting in 2008 and went professional in 2010.

What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
With such a strong journalistic background, I find that my style is decidedly photojournalistic and documentary. I have a strong interest in fine art and now food photography.

Is it difficult finding subjects to photograph in Dubai?
It depends on what you are looking for and what one considers worthy of shooting. There is beauty in normal, everyday happenings. Art only has to be inspired by life. In many ways, I am still a foreigner and an astute outsider is also a keen observer of what others may overlook or consider mundane. If we stop to observe and maybe even to ask a question or share a thought or a smile, we will see ourselves reflected in the eyes of strangers and lands near and far. Hopefully, my work allows you to do that.

Kari, please tell us about your upcoming photo exhibit a first for Jamaica in the Middle East?
Sigh. It's been a long time coming. But yes, my work will be exhibited as part of the first ever Middle Eastern exhibition of Jamaican Art in collaboration with Art Connection, an iconic and well-placed gallery and art consultancy in Dubai. We are very excited about it. By "We" I mean two Jamaicans and a Syrian-Christine O'Callaghan, Sueraya Shaheen and myself. It is part of a initiative to showcase how the art forms of Jamaica depict similarities between two cultures no one would place together.   We will be featuring the work of noted Jamaican artists and the response so far has been very encouraging. It is scheduled for the first week of May 2011.

Did your photography lead to your interest in film making or is it the reverse?
In TV, you learn that everything comes from the still. A moving picture is nothing more than a continuous series of still shots. It all starts with the frame. Thanks to my father and my studies at CPTC prior to studying Television Production at CARIMAC, University of the West Indies where I studied up to the graduate level, I have a huge respect for cinematography and lighting in the production process.

What new projects are you working on?
We are committed to making ChefandSteward.com a community that we all can be proud of. We are in discussions with partners of products we endorse and are open to appearances, food and travel writing, reviews, collaborations and consultancies.

What advice would you both give to anyone who is thinking of moving to Dubai?
Have a plan. Be open to possibilities. Be prepared to have serious culture shock. Things are just different here. Period. There is a language barrier because so many people from all over the world live here and many speak varying degrees of English. It is a very transient place and people come and go all the time so neither you or your children are likely to make many lifetime friends. Be prepared to be far from family and friends. It's not easy being an expatriate and we have both been expatriates for a while in different countries. It is better to actually do so as a married couple or a family especially since it is a Muslim country. Even so, it is a huge test on a relationship and some don't make the transition together and end up in divorce. Expatriate life is not easy, especially when home is so far away.

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts?
Check out our blog atwww.chefandsteward.com

and send us some love via comments. Be sure to follow us on facebook atwww.facebook.com/ChefandSteward

A conversation with the CEO/designer of the Ma-tings clothing line

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:45:02 UT

Introduction - This week we interview Alex Evequoz the CEO/designer of the hot Jamaican Dancehall clothing line Ma-ting. Alex Evequoz is from Switzerland and has a passion for Jamaica and reggae music. His clothing-line which features many of today’s popular Jamaican artists has gained many fans in a very short time. Alex also designed graphics the popular SongWrita facebook game by Jamaicansmusic.com. Here us our conversation with Alex.

Where are you from?
I am from Switzerland

What is your connection to Jamaica?
I don t have any except I love JA and live JA every day

How did you get interested in Jamaica and dancehall culture?
I guess i get interested in Ja 10 years ago when dancehall started and I felt in love with everything connected to JA since dat day, I really can t tell why but I breath JA...

Tell us how Ma-ting got started?
I started by myself. I love JA and doing graphic design so I decided on trying to mix both passions for fun. I started out by drawing one reggae artist in cartoon and then decided I will “mek dem all”... Then Don Corleon, which I drew, saw his cartoon and asked me if he could use it as logo. I purposed to him to mek a signature t shirt made by us, and he said yes... So then we decide, with my friend, to mek a whole t shirt line...

Where do you come up with the t-shirt concepts for the line?
We have two concepts in our line, one the signature series: a personalized t-shirt for the artist with his signature on it and the other one is a songs concept we illustrate the songs we love

Are there any news design in the clothing line that is coming soon?
Yes sure we are actually working on a second line with lots more artists, designs, shapes and hopefully a girl line....

Who should wear a Ma-ting shirt? Is it just for dancehall fans?
Of course not, I guess the subjects are really dancehall/reggae but the graphics can be liked by everybody. We wanted to “mek” something original different from the red gold and green shirts but still with JA spirit... We would like to give Jamaicans a real identity brand them could be proud of, that’s why we partner with Jamaican artists, dancers, producers... to be as authentic as possible.

How has it been received by the fans of Jamaica dancehall?
I can’t really tell, but hope them like it cuz i m doing it for dem and to promote reggae/dancehall always more far... To di world mi seh!!!

I love the Clarks design. Which one of your designs is your favorite?
I like dem all... But I’m wearing the hotskull design more lol

Your caricature has also been using in a facebook game Songa Writa. What were some of the challenges of animating these characters?
Yes it was a partnership between jamaicansmusic.com and Ma'ting, the game concept was to promote artists and their songs, I was really happy to give a hand promoting JA music industry. I was just designing the characters Jamaicansmusic.com did the rest but still it was always difficult to mek dem recognizable in cartoon style...

Are you working on any other Jamaican project you can tell us about?
You know we are up to everything can help promoting JA, we purpose graphics and promotional material to everybody needs, so yes we have some more projects on course as covers cd, logos... But now I’m focus on our next collection cuz it teks lot's of involvement and time.

How did you get started in design?
I grow up in an artistic family my dad is a art painter and my mom an art historian teacher. I was drawing since I was child. As a teenager I use to graffiti a lot so I decide I would mek something in arts... So I went in graphic school design...

What inspires your work?
Definitely JA and his music but also a lot s of artists, graffiti painters...

What artist is playing now on your ipod?
It depends on the mood but these days mi deh pon GAZA

Who is your favorite Jamaican dancehall artist?
I love dem all but Vybz Kartel has really something more than the others for me.

Thanks for your time.
Respect!!

For more information visit the Ma-ting website

10 Questions with attorney, & writer Philippa Davies

Andrea E. Shaw — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:30:02 UT

This week we interview attorney, writer, and St. Andrew High School for Girls graduate Philippa Davies, author of Travel Light: Memories of a Covenant Journey which was published on February 11th, 2011.

1. At what stage in your life did you know that you loved writing fiction and how did you know this?

English language exams in high school! I always looked forward to the ‘Write a story about …’ section of the exam. I would write out the story twice – one to hand-in to the teacher and one to keep for myself to read to my parents later on. I would hound the teachers days after the exam to find out if they had started to mark the papers and what they thought of my story. The teachers did say that they looked forward to and enjoyed reading my stories. One teacher even facilitated me contributing a few stories to the Gleaner’s Children’s Own newspaper.

2. Your brother, Andrew Davies, is also very creative. He is a graphic designer and producer of a collection of animated Anancy stories. Was there anything about your household that especially encouraged creativity?

Early exposure to the creative arts while growing up- music, dance, art, school speech competitions - and encouragement from our mother to freely express our talents. I would choreograph dances or perform impromptu plays while Grandma watered the yard, Andrew made his own ‘Transformers’ out of paper or match boxes, and from to time, we’d put on our own concerts for family and neighbors. Our mother is also a pianist and organist.

3. Tell us about the time you spent travelling in Europe and performing. What inspired you to make this decision and how did friends and family react to this choice?

At that time, I felt frustrated and saturated with my job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and wanted a change. Covenant Players (CP) seemed to be the right change of environment and activity. Friends were very excited for what lay ahead, my parents were supportive but some older family members were concerned that I was taking a huge professional and personal risk. Interestingly, now that the book is out, those who thought I was making a mistake, appreciate the valuable experiences shared and even are encouraging others to read the book. Maybe they’re just relieved that it all turned out well.

I have no regret whatsoever of having served with CP. It was an enriching and life-transforming journey.

*Covenant Players is an international repertory theatre company originating in California, USA and in existence since 1963. Using drama to communicate positive and uplifting messages, Covenant Player teams are continuously touring in countries representing almost all the major geographic regions of the world – North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The teams perform in English as well as in the languages of the country in which they travel and in any venue wherever people are, such as schools, business places, churches, prisons or nursing homes.

4. How did your book, Travel Light, evolve from this experience?

I have regularly kept a journal for over 23 years including the 2 ½ years touring with CP. I also sent frequent email updates to friends and family on the different locations visited and my perspectives on the various encounters. A friend of my mother who read the emails suggested to her that I write a book and so the book is drawn from those emails, the journal entries and residual memories.

5. How has your career as an attorney complemented (or detracted from) your creative pursuits?

Before CP, I felt the law studies and then being an attorney, stifled my writing juices. For a long while, my creative writing energies went into reports of meetings and policy briefs for work. I think CP helped to revive or restore the personal drive to pursue creative interests outside of work. So now, although I am still an attorney and my current job allows me wonderful outlets for diverse creative expression, I have been re-energized to continue writing, other than reports (!), for personal satisfaction.

6. What is the most significant insight you have gained so far in your life?

Ignore societal or self- labels. Be polite to everyone and judge each on his /her own merit.

7. Describe a typical day in your life at this point?

Intense but fun! As a one-woman operation in the Copyright section at the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office, I handle everything for myself – such as answering questions from the general public on copyright law and procedure either by phone, email or direct visits, researching and drafting legal issues on copyright legislation, participating in radio or television interviews, making presentations or seeking out opportunities to speak about intellectual property to schools and business places…

8. If you were marooned on the proverbial island with only 3 books you could read for the rest of your life, what would they be?

(Arghhh...only 3 ..)The Bible, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and, the Oxford Book of Caribbean Short stories.

9. What writing projects are you currently working on and do you have plans for any joint projects with your brother, Andrew?

More short stories, plays and a novel (historical fiction). With my brother, a screenplay for an action/ sci-fi film.

10. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Seek out and appreciate diverse experiences and persons. Observe everything and keep notes, something may be inspiration for your next work or character!

10 Questions with Gayle Cunningham from Kid Friendly Jamaica

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:45:02 UT

This week we interview Gayle Cunningham the founder of the blog Kid Friendly Jamaica. There are lots to do in Jamaica for adults but what is there to do for children. Gayle has set out on an adventure blogging on what is really there to do in Jamaica for children. The site was recently nominated for a Jamaica Blog Award and is certainly one to watch.

Q: I hear an accent. Are you from Jamaica?
LOL. I am not actually from Jamaica. I am a born and bred Trinidadian who happened upon a Jamaican fella and moved over here. February 25th makes 12 years that I am living in Jamaica. I actually lived in Miami for 4years while attending college.

Q: Tell us why you started this website/blog?
KidFriendly Jamaica was born out of a conversation I was having with a friend. She wanted us to do a magazine which highlighted all the things that a working mother could do with her children in Kingston. Then she moved away to Trinidad. I shelved the magazine idea but still thought we needed some where people could go to see what was happening in Kingston and Jamaica that was suitable for the entire family. And that is when I decided to start the blog.

Q: How many children do you have and what ages are they?
I have four children. The eldest is a boy. He just recently turned 10, then I have a girl who is the main star of the blog LOL she recently turned 8. And then there are my twin girls 20 months old.

Q: Jamaican has many events every week so people may have the perception there is something for everyone. How do you define Kid Friendly events?
A Kid Friendly event is any event that you would feel comfortable to take your children to. This runs from a stroll through Hope Gardens to a dexterity exercise in the streets of New Kingston.

Q: How has the website/blog been received by Jamaicans?
The blog is fairly new so my reach is small, however the Jamaicans that have visited and the ones that visit often, like the concept of the blog. Plus the blog emphasizes the positive side of Jamaica I hope.

Q: Do you get many questions from people over the island on what to do with their children?
Not yet, but that is one of the goal of the blog.

Q: What would you say is the most Kid Friendly annual event in Jamaica?
Still working through the events.

Q: What were some of the technology challenges you faced with you started the website?
I had never worked with the Wordpress format so that was/is a challenge. KidFriendly Jamaica has it own domain, but I am still figuring out how to make that transition. I am not very technological or am I HTML proficient. It has been interesting.., not worried though. I will figure it all out.

Q: You have an area on the site for eating Kid Friendly. What is the focus in this area? Is it healthy food or stuff that kids like?
An eating place that is KidFriendly.... this section focuses more on the experience rather than the type of food. Because I am all about the children trying new things. For example I was over the moon with the KidFriendly experience of East (Japanese) Restaurant.
As I say on the blog a KidFriendly eating place has smiling waiters, disposable cups that sit alongside fine crystal, high chairs, kid section on the menu and /or suggests sharing an adult serving into two and such like that.
Though now that you mention it I should try mentioning healthy options as well.

Q: What are the future things we can look forward to on the website?
I definitely would like to have a page dedicated to upcoming events... a calendar of events so to speak and a review section in which persons could give their opinion and experience at a specific event or place that they thought was KidFriendly in Jamaica.

Q: What activities do you participate in that make you feel like a kid again?
Making sand castles at the beach! Love the beach. And Jamaica has some really beautiful ones. Oh and I love a bounce-about! You can't get onto one without feeling six again. If you haven't tried it you should take a bounce in a bounce-about.

Q: Thanks for your time. Do you have any closing thoughts?
Thanks for having me. If you know of any event or place that someone wants to share please link them to us because I would love to share in it and post it.

You can visit the Kid Friendly Jamaica website at: http://kidfriendlyja.wordpress.com/

Interview Jollywood Productions, Kanhai Condison

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:45:02 UT

This week we interview Kanhai Condison, CEO of the Jamaican based, Jollywood Productions. Started in 2008, the main goal of the company is to HELP build the FIlm/Acting Industry in Jamaica. They have releases a set of short films online with Jamaican actors. They are currently working on a few feature films ( God's Window, Snow, I Sleeper, Broken, Parallel Points and The Cycle) to be released in 2012 and 2013. Jollywood Productions have six sections; Jollywood ENTERTAINMENT, Jollywood FILMS, Jollywood MAGAZINE, Jollywood MERCHANDISE, Jollywood TALENT and Jollywood TV. They recently released a series of online clips on Youtube and Facebook with rehearsal footage from their up-coming local TV series, S.L.E.E.PERS . Here is our conversation with Kanhai Condison.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got started as a CEO of a production company? Where did it all begin?
My background is modeling. I stated modeling here, Jamaica, in the 1995. During that time I was modeling and working a normal job. Modeling took me around the world, well most places. Places I have lived and worked are; UK, USA, CANADA, PARIS, South Africa and NIGERIA. Travelling to these places and meeting different people gave me the confidence to start JOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS.

The word 'JOLLYWOOD' is registered to me, here in JAMAICA. Hence, CEO & Founder.

What kind of films can we expect from the Jollywood production team?
Films you can expect from Jollywood Productions are Films that will appeal to all and reach across borders.

Has the world economic recession affected your plans?
Jollywood Productions is in a building process. Which mean we are dotting all the 'I's and crossing all the 'T's. To build 'brand' JOLLYWOOD will take time and patience. We are here for the long haul. So challenges will come and go. It's apart of this business.

This may be a stereotype however Jamaicans and Caribbean people seem to think that only Hollywood can produce top quality films. How will Jollywood Productions make top films with commercial appeal to the Caribbean audience?
Jamaica and the Caribbean are familiar with seeing Hollywood Movies. That doesn't mean that ALL Hollywood movies are top movies. Some good movies have come out of Bollywood. Bollywood generate more income yearly than Hollywood. So in that arena, Bollywood is winning. The Hollywood market is the more recognize market. But the Bollywood and Nollywood movies still have world appeal and that include Jamaican and Caribbean people. Jollywood will make the Action, Drama, Suspense, SyFy and Horror movies. Because those movies are great to watch. What will separate a Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood and Jollywood is each will allow people to see abit of each culture in the movie. You know a Bollywood, Hollywood and Nollywood movie when you see it. Jollywood want to also have that distinction.

Is Jollywood associated with established Jamaican actors?
Jollywood Productions have a link to most Jamaican Actors. Jollywood want to build a 'bridge' that will allow Jamaican Actors to link with International Actors/Directors/Producers and Writers. But for now Jollywood has no real link with any 'International' Actor.

Do you plan to recruit experienced, recognizable actors for future films?
Jollywood Productions will soon represent Jamaican Actors. This means, Jollywood Productions CEO& Founder, Kanhai Condison, will become a AGENT for Jamaican Actors. Some Jamaican Actors figure they don’t need an agent. To go international, they will need an agent. Jollywood is ready to sign/represent any Jamaican Actor. The first step begins with the Actors themselves.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the projects you are working on right now? Are there any future projects that you would like to make mention of? What are your long term plans for Jollywood Production? What sort of things can we expect to see from you guys in the future?
What JOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS is working on right now is S.L.E.E.PERS TV series. Which Jollywood Productions want to have on local TV by Dec, 2011. Jollywood Productions is also working on building JOLLYWOOD JAMAICA Facebook page. Jollywood Jamaica Facebook page is a promotional page for Actors, Writers, Directors, Talent, Models, Etc.

Jollywood Productions also started on Jollywood Jamaica Facebook page, JOLLYWOOD TV. Jollywood TV is a interview program for Actors, Writers, etc. Jollywood Productions want to get JOLLYWOOD TV on Local TV. JOLLYWOOD TV will be the place local/international production houses can come and PLUG their up-cominbg Production.

What is Jollywood’s philosophy on filmmaking? Is it more a business or a creative process?
Jollywood Productions philosophy on the 'Industry' is; BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME.

Jollywood Productions see this Industry are a 'Business and a Creative process'. The two go hand in hand. Jollywood Productions philosophy on 'Film Making' is ; THEY MUST KNOW WHERE THIS MOVIE CAME FROM. Jollywood Productios MOTTO is; "VISION, WE see what YOU don't"

Finally, what advice would you give to a someone who wants to get started in Entertainment production?
Just start!!! Dont let fear stop you from dreaming or starting. The world is not looking for any 'sleeping giants.'

To learn more about about Jollywood vister their youtube page or facebook page.

Conversation with creators of the Jamaican film "Out the Gate"

Xavier Murphy — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:00:02 UT

This week we interview The Village Brothers, a directorial team that consists of R Steven Johnson and Qmillion, directors of the Jamaican film "Out The Gate". The film is a cross cultural urban action/drama that follows the journey of Jamaican E-Dee coming to America to pursue his dreams in the entertainment industry. Shot on location in Jamaica and Los Angeles, this film boast a cast that reads like a who’s who in Jamaican entertainment including Paul Campbell Oliver Samuels, and dancehall reggae artists E-Dee, Mr. Lexx, Edley Shine, Lady G, Ms. Triniti, and more. Here is our conversation with the Village Brothers.

- Tell us about the movie "Out the Gate"?
It is the story of a young man's dream and journey to find love and success in America, and the challenges that come along with those dreams.

- Without giving us too much what is the underling message of the movie?

Its about the choices we make in life and the human passion towards the idea that we can make our dreams come true.

- What were some of the challenges of making the film?
Finding people with the resources and the understanding of Jamaican film willing to invest was challenging. Film making is an expensive venture. Other challenges were due to the fact that we made the film with SAG actors. It took our movie out of the our traditional guerrilla style of movie making to being legit. That meant that we had to get insurance, film permits, deal with the unions, etc. Very challenging.

- How did the idea for the movie come about?
The story is based on the life of International Dancehall/Reggae Artist Everton (E-Dee) Dennis, who also co-wrote the story and starred in the picture, so the foundation of the story comes from his life.

- Is this your first film/movie?

R. S. has appeared in tons of movies and I (Qmillion) have been blessed to contribute musically to several
hit studio pictures including The Five Heartbeats, White Men Cant Jump, The Sweetest Thing, etc, however, Out the Gate is the directorial debut for the Village Brothers.

- When will the movie be released?

We held the Hollywood premiere and Los Angeles sneak preview in January this year. The movie is coming to New York this spring and continues on to Jamaica, Miami, Toronto, London etc after our run in New York.

- Has it been entered in any film festivals?

Our focus has been on bringing the movie to our core audience first so festivals weren't really a part of the original game plan.

- You have a A-list of Jamaican stars in the movie. Was it a challenge getting these stars?

Getting them on board was no small feat but their involvement in the project was key. Its a tremendous blessing to have them in the movie. I have been a fan of Paul Campbell's riveting performances since Lunatic and Oliver Samuels's career is nothing short of legendary. I would like to think that it was the strength of the script that help them take the chance and work with first time directors such as ourselves, but I know that
just like everything else in this project, it was God's plan and blessing.

- How did the stars work together on the set?

The whole vibe was very family and very positive. When you are working with actors like Paul and Oliver,
their experience and presence on the set ups the level of performance of everyone in the scene. They were
both very generous with their talent and ideas and their energy had everyone giving 100%. Of course there
were tons of laughs on the set and off.

- What schooling have you had in filmmaking?

RS - I have have a Masters in Theatre/Fine Arts from USC.
Qmillion - My training has been hands on since 2005 when I started making videos for artists on Unseen Lab Recordings.

- Who have been the biggest influences in your movie making?

R. Steven - Movie making is visual story telling. I enjoy how Alfred Hitchcock captures the simplicity of tension, the wit of Billy Wilder, and the heart of Roberto Benigni.
Qmillion - I have been a long time fan of Spike Lee, and Haile Gerima who directed Sankofa and more recently Teza.

- Do you think there will be a Jamaican film that will break through and have commercial success other popular American films have?
We both feel like Out the Gate has the potential to be a Jamaican Slumdog Millionaire and reach the masses.

- Do you have any other projects you are working on?
Qmillion - Everton and I are nearly finished with the script for Out the Gate part 2 and will go into production this Fall, with the Village Brothers directing of course.
R Steven is writing the screenplay adapted from the novel he just completed entitled Convertible Chocolate
and we have a Jamaican Horror movie and a romantic comedy in development.

- Thanks for your time. Any closing thought?
The entire process has been an incredible experience and we hope that everyone comes out to support. Thank you for the interview.

A conversation with Heneka Watkis-Porter, CEO/Marketing Director of Patwa Apparel

Xavier Murphy — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:25:00 UT

This week we have a conversation with Heneka Watkis-Porter, CEO/Marketing Director of Patwa Apparel. It was always been her dream to own and operate a business and so Heneka started the operation of PATWA Apparel 2 years ago in august, 2007. PATWA Apparel is a brand that is deeply rooted in the culture of the Jamaican society. It honors the colorful dialect of the Jamaican people, recognizing that it is penetrates deep into the minds of all people. The line features casual clothing with Jamaican expressions while it provides an explanation in English. The response to this simple idea has been very profound with a far-reaching impact. The expressions on the clothing has evoked many a smiles from all those who have come in contact with it.

Since inception, the line has been on several expos such as the Jamaican Business Expo (Ft. Lauderdale), Kumba Mi Yabba, SDC Festival launch, Yemaya Model Agency launch, Island Couture, among others. Patwa Apparel has been featured on local television programmes – Smile Jamaica, It’s morning Time (TVJ) (2 times) and CVM at Sunrise (CVM) as well as in the popular Flair Magazine within the Daily Gleaner.

Where in Jamaica are you from?
I grew up in St. Mary and migrated to Portmore, St. Catherine in 2000

Do you currently live in Jamaica
Yes

Tell us how the company got started?
In August, 2007 I was home recovering from a minor procedure done at the University Hospital of the West Indies. I was supposed to be resting but then my wandering mind began to think again about starting a business of my own. This came in the middle of watching a television programme on one of our local channels. There was someone on the show promoting their business. I immediately jumped out of bed and telephoned a former co-worker to help me come up with a name for my t-shirt line. I called other friends and companies who could do the production for me as well. As soon as I return to work form my sick leave, I did a little survey asking persons to choose a Jamaica name that they would feel comfortable wearing. The names I got did not resonate with me. Then finally, there was an aha moment and the name PATWA came about as I thought this name would certainly speak to what the line is about.

Shortly thereafter, I got a logo designed, got samples together, sought customers, registered a business as well as my trademark.

What Patwa Apparel?
Patwa Apparel is a clothing line which designs and marketing casual wear with a unique concept – Jamaican patois/slang with an English translation imprinted on its pieces. The creative use of the Jamaican expressions evokes a smile from anyone who has happened to encounter the line. PATWA evolved from the recognition that the Jamaican dialect - a truly colorful, penetrating tool that resonates deep into the minds and souls of Jamaican nationals, the Diaspora and tourists generally, could be used as a cultural enhancement instrument to delve deeply into an authentic component of the Jamaican culture. PATWA apparel highlights the current need for linguistic expressions through a brand

There is a debate in Jamaica about Patois being a language. What are your thoughts?
Patios is an authentic component of our culture whether or not we want to accept it. I think some persons are embarrassed by it probably because they link it to our class structure to which they would rather not be associated. I must caution though that it has its place and should never be taken out of context. What I mean by this is that in the same way you wear your swimsuit to the beach and not to the office, for example when conducting business locally or on the international scene, I would suggest that the language of business is used – the English Language.

How do you keep up with the latest slangs?
Oh that’s easy. One has to only listen to the talk of the youngsters around and it’s a no brainer. The slangs that the older folks are used are not discounted though as an old time favourite, ‘likkle but tallawah’ (don’t be fooled by my size) will never grow old.

You started this business after Graduating from UWI. Was it a major challenge jumping right out of school into business?
To be honest it, it has never been a challenge maybe because I was employed full-time to another company at the time I started (I still am), this is something I do part-time (for now anyways). I wanted it so badly that even when I came across obstacles, I never viewed them as such but rather things that I could learn from and to motivate me.

How is the line doing?
The line is doing well considering we are in a recessive economic climate. We are actively seeking out avenues for development for 2011. We received grant funding from the European Union last year and that funds went towards collateral material such as printing of posters and catalogues. We are considering offering a trademark license to distributors in the US and some sections of Europe as well. There are several things on the agenda for this year.

Do you have any major retailers carrying it?
Oh definitely. In Kingston there is Collectibles, Artique, Fi Wi Brandish, Things Jamaica Stores, Casa de Xayamca (Norman Manley Airport), Reggae Vibes, Most of the hotels in the Superclubs chain. There are negotiations ongoing for other outlets throughout Jamaica as well. (By the way, if there are any distributors wanted to carry the line they can give me a call at 849-2571)

Do you participate in Caribbean Fashion week?
No, but is definitely something to be considered.

How many new lines will you be releasing in 2011?
I am thinking about focusing on a line that will fit all body types, you know like a one-size fits all kind of thing.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I really, really love to do international travels as well as just chilling by the beach and watching the sunset or anywhere quiet with a nice view. Just talking about it now and I feel like stopping this interview to go and chill. And I must mention eating in general but more specifically mangoes, cheesecake, ackee & saltfish and mangoes (not together).

What is the movie that you never get tired of watching?
Pretty Woman

Any words of advise for budding entrepreneurs?

The business plan is very crucial…do one and stick to it. Networking is something one can never discount. It is important to attend business linkages event and follow up with them after the event even if you have no immediate needs for contacting them.

You ought to be highly motivated. It is not what you do but why you do it. Find the reason why you want to get in business and let that motivate you. For example, you ‘why’ could be that you don’t want your family to experience the same suffering you did as a child. That should be enough to motivate you to get ahead.

Thanks for the interview.
You’re welcome

Any closing thoughts.
I want to wish everyone a great 2011. Be positive in every circumstance, don’t speak negatively about other people and ask God’s guidance in all that you do and trust His response.

About Patwa Apparel
Patwa Apparel is a member of the Jamaican USA Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Association of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Fashion and Apparel Cluster. The collection can be seen at most of the Things Jamaican stores, Fi Wi Brandish (Norman Manley Airport), Collectibles, Artique, Reggae Vibes, Casa de Xaymaca, hotels, Fontana Pharmacy (Mandeville locations), among several other locations. For more information on PATWA, log on to www.patwaapparel.com or call 849-2571 for further details.

Interview with Jonathan Gosse a co-founder of the Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival and vice president of SMORBA

Xavier Murphy — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:00:01 UT

This week we interview Jonathan Gosse a co-founder of the Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival, Jamaica premiere mountain biking event. The Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival is a week-long mountain biking extravaganza that highlights Jamaica's unique, vibrant culture and awesome trails. Jonathan is also the Vice President of the St. Mary Off-Road Bicycling Association (SMORBA). This non-profit organization has been running the event for the past 6 years. SMORBA is dedicated to locating, building and maintaining bicycling opportunities on Jamaica’s famed North Coast. This year’s festival is February 19 - February 26, 2011.

1) How did The Fat Tyre Festival get started?
The Fat Tyre Festival actually started in Negril in 1997. Rusty Jones started it off and ran it until 2007 when he gave SMORBA the thumbs-up to move the event to St. Mary. We've been doing it ever since.

2) How many people participated in the festival last year?
We aren't trying to take over the planet or run the biggest event - just the best. We actually limit the total number of riders to 20. We had something like 13 last year.

3) Are their many people who fly in for the event?
Most of the riders are from overseas. Most Jamaicans - despite loving bicycles - have yet to catch onto riding through the bush. Most riders are from either the States or Canada although we've had a couple Brits and a couple French riders in the past. There are a few riders in Jamaica that make the effort to come for the Festival, but they usually simply meet us at the trail head and ride the trails rather than taking part in all the 'festivities'.

4) Is this an event for professional mountain bikers or can amateurs participate?
Definitely not a "professional only" event. We've had professional riders come for the event and they've had a blast, but that is definitely not our focus. We try to provide equal amounts of great trail riding and chill vibes. While you will need to be a fairly competent rider to tackle our trails, if you are into all-mountain or aggressive cross-country riding, you'll be set for our event.

5) What is your advice to people who will be doing the event for the first time?
Get ready for a mountain biking experience that is vastly different from anything you've done before.

6) How many communities are part of the trail during the festival?
One of the best things about riding in Jamaica is the fact that the trails are living, breathing things. They all run through local communities and it is fairly common to pass persons going to/from work or walking to their farm. As long as you are aware of this fact and treat the trails as the public 'sidewalks' that they are, it is a very cool experience. Couldn't give an exact number of communities we go through other than: 'nuff!

7) How have the locals who reacted to the event passing through their community?
SMORBA has an excellent relationship with all the communities we pass through. Mainly because Andy and myself have been riding the trails for so long that everyone is used to the idea. We also make every effort to involve local communities as much as possible into the event. We are constantly stopping at local shops (and bars...) and make the effort to stop and talk to people about what is going on. I suppose it might be a different scenario if hundreds of people started passing through each week, but as we said before, we aren't trying to take over the world or run the biggest event. The reason why the Fat Tyre is so cool is that we are able to maintain the cool vibe - part of which is because it only happens once a year and local people are still excited about it.

8) Do you participate in the event?
Unfortunately, I spend most of my time during the event doing all the 'back-a-house' support type work. Lots of driving around and making sure everyone has what they need to stay riding and having a good time. Andy is the trail leader, so he gets to ride. But I get to ride the trails all year 'round so giving up a week to allow others to enjoy themselves seems like a good trade-off.

9) Tell us about your training regimen leading up to the festival?
Drink lots of beer and try to get on the trails as much as possible...

10) Tell us about your mountain bikes?
Right now I'm riding a 10 year old Kona XC bike. Desperately trying to save my pennies to get something a bit more burly. Andy lucked into a Santa Cruz Heckler. In fact, the frame was donated to him by one of the Fat Tyre Festival's annual riders. One of the highlights of the event for me is seeing all the super sweet bikes the riders bring down. Very jealous...

11) As one of the Vice President of the St. Mary Off-Road Bicycling Association (SMORBA), it would very interesting to hear your opinion on where the industry in Jamaica is going?
As much as I like mountain biking, I'm not sure that it will ever become a hugely popular sport for Jamaicans. The bikes are fairly expensive, it isn't exactly spectator friendly and as mentioned earlier there is something about riding through the bush that most Jamaicans find quite silly. Which is why SMORBA is building the first BMX racing track in the Caribbean right here in Oracabessa - but that is a whole different story... Back to mountain biking - most of its potential lies in providing another reason for tourists to come here. Obviously that is a double-edged sword, but I can very much envision a scenario where actual mountain biking could become another part of Jamaica's tourism offerings - as opposed to a once a year event. .

12) Where is your favorite place to ride in Jamaica?
My favorite trail in Jamaica is Carlton Pass in Robin's Bay. Andy has done a tremendous job adding just a touch of man-made niceness to what is an unbelievable natural trail.

13) Where is the best trail to get a really good view of Jamaica beauty?
All our trails have something unique to offer. But I'd say Pressure Drop trail (also in Robin's Bay) is hard to beat for the scenery. Great views of the mountains going straight into the sea...

14) Anything else you would like to add?
People should definitely come to check out the Jamaica Bicycle Bash on February 20 this year. It is our attempt to celebrate Jamaican bicycling culture. Great times at James Bond Beach.

Information and dates on the Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival visit the SMORBA website.

Interview with Joelle Cohen Wright Author of “A Soh Wi Do It”

Orrain Lee — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:00:01 UT

This week we interview Joelle “Wendy “ Cohen Wright who recently penned her first book “A Soh Wi Do It!”. Many of her ‘Jamaicanized’ stories and original sketches have been ‘viral’ on the Internet for several years. Many who have read her work has been known to laugh uncontrollably from the hilarious portrayal of the characters in the sketches. Wendy’s impressive writing portfolio includes the very funny Jamaicanized version of the Titanic, Cinderella (Punchinella) and most recently the sketch on the American Airline crash in Jamaica. Her work is featured in the Jamaicans.com forums and “Wendy’s Story Corner” for over 12 years and also enjoyed by many around the world. Here is our conversation with Wendy.

What prompted you (an IT professional) to write this book?
After my last sketch on the American Airlines Flight 331 went viral, I was encouraged by a multitude of friends and family to showcase my talent in another medium. So after being pounded with some tough love from my supporters, I decided to embark on the project. I give them all the credit.

What, if any challenges did you face getting published
Trying to find a publisher to take an “unknown” like myself seriously. When I decided to self-publish, I then had the challenge of organizing myself. I had to write and set up the business end while maintaining my full time job all at the same time. Pretty daunting stuff.

When you were doing your research for the book, what surprised you the most?
What I find surprising is that the book industry demands as much dedication and tenacity as any other industry you are trying to penetrate. Also, I researched very long and hard to find a book of sketches and I didn’t find one. That was surprising. I am not sure if “A Soh Wi Do It!” in its sketch format, is the first of its kind. That would be great to pioneer that sort of style of literature.

Do you have a favorite story or parody in “A Soh Wi Do It!”?
The book has four series and I have to say the GPS series is my favorite. I would pay a million dollars to have a “Yaad GPS” such as the one in the book developed. This GPS has a very short fuse, is ill-mannered, nosy and most of all – very funny. The series is based on how Jamaicans give directions and I thoroughly enjoyed writing this series.

Are you working on another book?
Yes – definitely! I already have readers of the first book banging on my door for another one. So I started writing just recently. Writing and making people laugh is my passion, so I don’t mind giving the people what they want (smile).
Can you give us a hint on what it is about?
I will continue to do what I do best – writing Jamaican sketches. It will follow the same theme as “A Soh Wi Do It!” but with some new series. Lots more funny characters will be portrayed in this book and I will definitely make sure the GPS makes a comeback.

What are you reading right now?
Right now my schedule is consumed with promoting “A Soh Wi Do It!” and writing the follow up so it leaves me little time for reading. I do however, have plans to read “Stages of Me” by Courtney White.

Who is the most influential author you have read?
Based on the type of writings, I am more influenced by actors and icons in the drama and literature category. I am mostly influenced by Oliver Samuels, the late Louise Bennett and Roger Mais.

On your website, you mention Michael Jackson inspired your first writing parody, where do you draw your inspirations from today?
From Jamaicans!! They are the funniest people on planet earth. You put Jamaicans in any situation, meet them anywhere -meet them in the market, on the bus, in a taxi, watch them on YouTube and you are bound to get a good belly full of laughs. They make it easy for me to create my characters.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
Don’t do it for the money. Do it for the love of writing. I so agree!

Any advice for aspiring writers?
Know your audience and write for them. I had doubts that because I write in Patois, a dialect not a lot of people can read or understand, I was limiting myself but I had to just realize Jamaicans are my audience and I shouldn’t be thinking about writing for say - Australians. Your audience will appreciate you for that. Keep your focus on them and give them characters they can relate to.

On behalf of the readers of Jamaicans.com thanks for providing us with this interview. Do you have any closing thoughts for our readers?

Sure. If you have a passion for something, follow through and believe in yourself. I use to fear failure but I have learnt that failures are just life lessons and they only make you better. If you decide to push forward and pursue a dream, surround yourself with positive energy. Keep your mind clear of negative vibes and you can realize a dream – no matter how small or grand it is.

A Soh Wi Do It! Is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

Rasta Art - 5 Minutes with Artist, Geary Taylor

Karen Mitchell — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:00:02 UT

It only takes a casual perusal of painter Geary "Rasta" Taylor's work collection to understand why it was not long after deciding to make is calling his career that word began to spread about the spread about the Tampa Dread who could translate any artistic vision suggested onto almost any medium presented. Underground buzz grew to a cacophonious drum beat and soon order were coming in from all over the globe, not only young urban trendsetters, but high profile celebrities were all now were all clammoring for a Masterpiece from the Master. Somehow I managed to get five minutes with the busy a artist while he was preparing for the auction of his famed Bob Marley Chair at his Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida here what he had to say:

1. I have always held the belief that what separates a good artist from a great one is the ability to see almost anything as a potential "canvas". How did you come to see shoes as yours?

Timing is everything and I guess it was my time to start painting shoes. I'd painted on anything and everything as a child and young adult and never thought of painting on a shoe until June 2007 when I was asked to do a pair for the 4th of July. Once I started, it was a wrap and it came very natural to me. I guess its because I've always loved shoes and art. I just wonder why I never thought of putting the two together until so late in my life. I guess the time just wasn't right til now. But shoes have become my favroite canvas to paint on even more than female body art.

2. You've been referred to as the Michaelangelo of shoes. How do you feel about that?

I've never painted a shoe on a ceiling before (laughs). No seriously, I've studied his writings and brushstrokes and love how hard he worked. He's the greatest artist of all time. I've often thought," wouldn't it have been awesome to look up and see him painting that ceiling back in the day or watch him sculpting" I push myself to even be half the artist/sculpture he was. It would've been cool to shake his hand or something you know. To be compared to him is an honor, but I really feel like I've got a long way to go still.

3. I understand that there is a great demand for your work. So much so that a pair of shoes recently commissioned by the esteemed Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida was recently stolen. Can you tell us a little more about that?

Well it wasn't that recent, it was a few years back. The artwork was very special to me because it was like I was painting with the spirit of Salvador Dali. It was like seeing the painting like he saw it. Anyway I think I matched the reproduction almost brushstroke for brushstroke, you had to see it to believe it. Those boots took me 20 hours to paint. And it was still worth it even though they are gone. The thief has not been caught. And we hope the boot will be returned some day.

4. How did you become involved with the Museum?

A friend of mine knew someone that worked at the museum and they heard about my desire to work with them. And if your going to do anything with the Dali museum you better come strong so I knew I had to put my best into that project.

5. You have designed over 800 pairs of shoes for clients across the globe. Which shoe was your most memorable pair?

Of course, the Dali boots, and the black Nike Air Force "Bright Lights, Big City." That was a shoe that was sold on E-bay and later copied by counterfeiters. What's really funny, is I always say after every shoe I paint, "this is the best shoe I've ever done".

6. Now I consider myself a shoe-nista and so I am able to appreciate the work involved with a beautiful well designed pair of shoes. How familiar are you with the work of other talented "designers"? Like if I said, Jimmy Choo or Louboutins, would that mean anything to you? (laughs)

They are shoe designers, I am a shoe Artist. So, in some ways we are the same yet we are different. I study different custom shoe artists around the world so I don't duplicate anybody's work or style, I study the top shoe designers or fashion designers to stay up on all of the new styles and trends of each season. I sometimes spend up to 10 hours on a day off just doing research. There's alot more to painting and designing a shoe than most people think. I really enjoy the research and studying part of the process, it all pays off in the end. Because I feel like I am giving each customer something that no one else is going to have.( And help them look better of course). When I see something I really like it's like I never forget it and I will lose sleep until I apply it to a project somehow somewhere.

7. Now you initially began with shoes as a canvas but has since segued into other mediums. Can you tell about some of the other things that you have done?

Lets just say there are many things, its hard to remember - here are a few, skateboards, hats, chairs, lighters, shirts, cameras, I-pod covers, luggage,Conch shells, motorcycles, bicycles, panties, and purses, cameras,walls basketballs, and just about anywhere paint will stick. Some say, "I put paint where it ain't". Each project brings a new challenge, and that's part of the fun, Because I'm doing something different every day. I love what I do.

8. I have heard quite a bit about the famed Bob Marley and the Wailers chairs that were placed for auction recently. May I ask why Bob Marley and the Wailers?

I always like the message of, "Get up, Stand up" and the message of "Uprising" so maybe taking a theme of people sitting down, I got people to stand up. And with Bob Marley I felt it was appropriate, And with a Bob Marley Chair, I always wanted one, and could never find one, so I created one. And I always knew, The bright colors, with Bob's bright smile, my brush strokes, and all the bright colors, I knew it would be something awesome. I have done six Bob Marley chairs now.

9. How did the Wailers come to sign the chairs and what was their reaction to your work?

I painted the chair, for our block party opening, of One of One Customs, a few days later I noticed on the concert marquee a few doors down, at a local concert venue, the Original Wailers Band was coming to St Pete. So, I went to their sound check, with the chair in hand, layed it next to the stage, and each band member, showed love and signed the chair, and what was also cool, was that none of them signed on the arm where Bob Marley's name was painted, that showed respect.

10. Rastafarianism appears to be an integral part of who you are and therefore your work. May I ask what led you to Rasta?

Loving God and the postive way of life and non racist way of looking at people mixed with Black spirituallity is a good way to live for our people. Since all of the African parts are taken out of King James version of the Bible, I like how Rasta kinda kept the Africa in the Bible. Also I was raised in Nebraska, not knowing my original birth parents, and in a very multiracial community. In a Baptist household by two self-employed parents, with two sisters - discipline, education, and black pride were stressed daily. Sports, Art, and music became very important to me at a young age. When I learned about Rastafari , I realized I have been living Rastafari since I was born. Some laugh when I say that, but its not a joke to me.

11. Our readers would be surprised to know that you have an advanced degree in not painting or fine arts, but physical education. You also spent a number of years in sales. When did you realized your passion for painting and how did you decide to make that your primary focus?

I realized my passion for painting at 6 years old. My parents got me into gifted art classes from the age of 6 until I was 10 years old. Before that I was drawing my neighbors houses' and selling the sketches. That's when my parents realized they should nurture my talents. I made it my focus after wasting so much time at unfullfilling career attempts. There is no headache, like the headache you get when you are at crappy job, and you know you could excel at your own business with your talents Growing up with entrepreneurs as parents, having the desire to do the same, I always knew it was a matter of time.

12. How do you compare your work to that of other Pop Artist like for instance Andy Warhol or some of the Japanese animae artists that are popular today?

As far as Andy Warhol is concerned, he's an idol of mine definitely, and when I think about him I feel its cool we both like to take young artists and teach them. I also think Andy and I, working with younger artists keeps us in touch with the pulse of the Art Community. As far as Japanese Animae Artists, I dont believe there is a comparison, they are on a whole other level compared to us "American Artists". Those guys over there seem to show a disciplined Artistic work habits that produce art and styles that set standards, and I like that.

13. You are considered to be a new trailblazer in the world of art. Do you see yourself possibly venturing into other art forms in the future?

Most definitly progressing into new forms of art is like almost a natural process as one grows. But I'd like to master a craft first, then tackle another. I don't want to be a "jack of all trades but the master of none."

For more pictures on Geary Taylor's work visit his website at http://www.1of1customs.com

A Conversation with Jamaican bag designer, Alia Michèle Orane

X Murphy — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:00:01 UT

This week we interview up and coming Jamaican bag designer, Alia Michèle Orane. A talented Kingstonian, Alia resided in New York City for many years before recently moving back to Jamaica, where she makes her bags using a small sewing machine. She has been featured in many online publications and print magazines as one of the hottest and hippest bag designers.

Q: Thanks for taking some time to speak to us. How did you get into fashion? Did you go to school for fashion design?
I actually studied Graphic Design with a minor in Textiles....and right before I graduated I realized I really loved Textiles a lot more and wanted to do something in that area for the rest of my life.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to focus on bag designing?
It was the second to last quarter of college, when I realized that I bought too many bags, and felt that I could make most of them myself. One of my best friends came over one day to my apartment with a book on how to make handbags! I made 10 bags for my closest female friends as part of my screen-printing final project, and that Spring Break I went home and told my parents that this was what I wanted to do.

Q: Tell us about you and your bags.
I am an adventurous, fun-loving girl who loves creating things that brighten the days of people's lives. My bags represent where I am in my life, and the paths I have crossed with different people. I believe everyone comes into your life for a reason, and most times I sit and try to figure out those reasons....but I find that every person has inspired me in some way. You'd be surprised the amount of ideas in my head for so many people.

Q: Where do you get inspiration for your bag concepts?

I think everything. Places, People, Art, Nature....you name it. I have a weird eye....I'll see something as simple as a button on a shirt and have an idea.

Q: Who are your top 5 bag designers?
I really only admire Kate Spade for creating a handbag business with her husband from the ground up. At the time, she saw a need for more stylish handbags and the company has expanded to creating clothing, home goods, eyewear...you name it. She is one of my role models...the day I read her story was the day I was inspired to conquer anything.

Q: If your bags were a reggae artist who would they be?

Tessanne Chin. This was a tough question, but her name was the first that came to mind, mostly because of her style, her beautiful voice, and the mixture of genres in her music.

Q: If you could have 1 celebrity call you to design a bag who would it be?
Marc Jacobs. He's a fashion designer, but I love his business ethic, and how much he took the Louis Vuitton brand to another level. So I'd be über flattered if he called me.

Q: What is the best advice you can give a woman about selecting a bag for any location?
Always find a bag that complements what you're wearing, rather than something that matches.

Q: Are your bags currently available in retail stores in Jamaica and the US?
No. I am currently revamping my whole business, but they will be available online www.aliamichele.com, and should be in some stores by 2011.

Q: Do you see yourself getting into retail and setting up a bag boutique?
Not right now, but who knows what the future holds...I just might.

Q: The one piece of advice my mother gave me that I will never forget is...

"Life will always be good to you if you let it, and if you believe and accept that you deserve only the best...that's what you'll receive"

Q: What book, movie or song changed your life?
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I remember being at a point in life where I was quite lost, and every day on the train in New York City, where I used to live, someone was reading that book. I bought it, and my whole perspective on life and self-love changed. It's funny that when I get into the uninspired mode, someone always reminds me of that book. It really changed my life.

Q: Thanks for the interview. Any final thoughts?
Nope.

Interview with the Jamaican ‘Cabbie’ Team Winners of the 2010 Caribbean Animation film festival

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:00:02 UT

Alison Latchman receives her 2010 Animae Caribe Award from Rudolph Hanamji, marketing manager at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company.

The short Jamaican animated film "The Cabbie Chronicles" recently won the2010 D.E.W Best Caribbean Animation Award in Port of Spain Trinidad. The animated short was produced by the Jamaican Team of Alison Tabois Latchman (writer), Marlo Scott (illustrator) and Anieph Latchman (animator), Cabbie Chronicles came out on top at the ninth instalment of the Animae Caribe New Media and Animation Festival. This week we interview "The Cabbie Chronicles" team. See the "The Cabbie Chronicles".

The ‘Cabbie’ Team:

Alison Tabois Latchman (writer) ATL
Anieph Latchman (animator) AL
Marlo Scott (illustrator) MS

How did you get started doing animation, did you go to school or are you self-taught?

AL: Self taught

Some say creating animation is harder than live filming because of the many frames and the hours needed for rendering. Do you agree?

AL: Yes

MS: Hell Yeah!

Congrats on your recent win at the 2010 Caribbean Animation film festival with the Cabbie Chronicles. How did you come up with the concept for the animated short?

ATL: Thanks! We were working on developing a Jamaican animated series but wanted to make sure it would include a wide cross-section of the society. A taxi-man was the most viable solution to us and presented lots of comedic opportunities. We started working on it about 2 years ago,

then we heard about the festival. So we completed it, submitted it and the rest is as you know.

Did you do a real-life character study for the short?
AT: Yes we did.

ATL: We study real-life characters everyday. Jamaica is full of them, so drawing from that arsenal was really what took place.

Can we look forward to part 2 or series of the Cabbie Chronicles?
ATL: Most definitely!

With so many great-animated shorts coming out of Jamaica, do you think the island is ready for it's own animation film festival?
AL: I think so.

MS: There's mad talent out there looking for a buss, so why not?

ATL: I don't think Jamaica on its own should have a festival though.

MS: Why not?

ATL: Let it be a Caribbean thing. Animae Caribe is a great platform for exposing Caribbean animation talent. I say we go with a strong Jamaican contingent and come back with headlines like "Clean Sweep for Jamaicans at Animae Caribe"

Growing up what was your favorite cartoon?

MS: All the good ones, I can't narrow it down.

AL: Silver hawks, He-man and Droopy stand out to me.

ATL: Bwoy I did love Top Cat ...

What is your favorite animated movie?

ATL: The Lion King man. Lion King all the way.

MS: All the good ones ... from ‘Secret of Nymh’ come right back to ‘UP’

AL: Hmmm … haffi tink bout dat one. Love most of them still but

the most recent I would say is Ratatouille.

What new projects do you have coming up?

MS: Anonimouse and the Melancholic Orchestra, and The Jingoists Hymnal

AL: LOL. More Cabbie Marlo, more Cabbie.

The best career advice I was ever given was...

MS: Dinna' recollect.

AL: Listen to no one!

ATL: Find out what you love to do and find a way to make money from of it.

The guilty pleasure I can't live without.

AL: Herb!

MS: Reality TV

ATL: How embarrassing ... E! Entertainment TV

MS: Den wha’ more embarrassing than E!?

Thanks for the interview. Any closing thoughts?
AL: We appreciate the response from the public and look forward to completing more for their valued entertainment. Respec’ …

Interview with Jamaican Painter, Laura-Anne Fung

X Murphy — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:45:02 UT

This week we interview Jamaican teenage painter, Laura-Anne Fung. The bold colors and shapes of her canvas painting will capture the attention of any onlooker and has won her numerous awards over the past 4 years. The Hillel Academy student has a promising career ahead and is one to watch.

Tell us how you got started in art?

Art was always there throughout my school years from pre-school to high school. I took it seriously at about the age of 11. My parents bought the supplies and I was good to go. That was the beginning of it all.

What was the title of your first painting and do you still have it?

I don't think it has a title and yes I still have it.

What is your favorite medium?

Acrylic Paints

You do alot of abstract work. Do you prefer abstracts?

I feel expression through abstract is less stressing as opposed to a realistic piece. It allows my thought and movements to flow without boundaries.

Have you won any awards for you work?

Yes many. I've been entering the JCDC visual arts competition since 2006 and I've won awards every year from merits to gold medals.

You recently had your first solo exhibit. At 18 what was that experience like?

It was a lovely, fun and exciting experience and I'm glad I was able to share it with the public.

Are you currently in school for visual arts?
No. I recently finished 6th form at Hillel Academy. I've had no formal training for art and I'm self taught.

Which Jamaican artist do you admire the most?

Barrington Watson

What inspires you when you are painting?

Any and everything.

What is your definition of an artist?

Anyone with a creative mind.

Who are listening to on your ipod/mp3 player?

Like Boom - vita chambers

I sing in the shower to…
Lol..I don't sing in the shower.

My idea of an great day is….

A day with interviews or meetings with potential buyers.

Are there any new projects you are working on and what can we look forward to for 2011?

Not sure yet for 2011 but I'm full of surprises. I have a group exhibition coming up Dec 2010 in NYC at The Broadway Gallery. Apart from that I am doing some charity work.

You can view Laura-Anne Fung's work at her website.

Interview with Jamaican comedians Ity and Fancy Cat

X Murphy — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:30:00 UT

This week we interview Ity and Fancy Cat. So who’s Ity & Fancy Cat? Ian “Ity” Ellis and Alton “Fancy Cat” Hardware are two talented, confident yet un-assuming men who have known each other since childhood days in Trench Town, long before they became a household name in Jamaica. As an established professional performing arts unit, they’ve been together longer than all the other famous Jamaican comedy duos before them, and they have been consistent purveyors of side-splitting laughter throughout the Caribbean as well as the Diaspora in North American and Europe for nearly 20 years.

When did you both realize that your are now famous?
[Laughs] We're not sure how to respond to that! [Laughs]

What inspires you when you are writing a script?
Ity & Fancy Cat: Blakka Ellis writes most of the scripts our skits for the TV Show but we're all engaged in the creative/ brainstorming process.

One of the most viral Jamaican videos is the “Country Helper”. When you wrote the skit for the show did you expect it to become before so popular?
Fancy Cat: "I was driving when di idea come to mi and mi tell Ity and him write the script."
Ity: "Yea, me write the script and Blakka added di finishing touches. We had no idea it would have the level of success it does though."

The Country Helper from the Ity & Fancy Cat Show

Where did you meet and how long have you known each other?
Ity & Fancy Cat: We met while playing for Boys Town Football inna di early 80's.

Reverend Al and Dudus

When did you start performing?
Ity & Fancy Cat: We started performing in 1992.

Your comedy routines and skits are very clean. Is this the case when you perform to an adult only audience or did you make a decision to keep it clean?
Ity & Fancy Cat: We made the decision to keep in clean but depending on the audience we may have some sexual innuendos in the set.

Every performer can remember a performance that was a disaster. Have you guys had one of those yet?
Ity & Fancy Cat: There were a few times when there was little connection with the audience but nothing disastrous.

Who is your hero?
Ity: Bery May Mattison, my mother.
Fancy Cat: Blakka

Do you have any new projects in the works?
Ity: Currently toying with an idea with Keyboard Money Mike, the same person who brought the idea about the TV show to us.

What about a Jamaican movie. Any plans to make one?
Ity & Fancy Cat: In the distant future.

Ity and Fancy Cat as Reneto Adams and Mutabaruka

Have you guys ever had any creative differences?
Ity & Fancy Cat: All the time! But wi always mek it work in the end.

What makes Jamaican comedy different from American comedy?
Ity & Fancy Cat: Nothing is off limits with comedy in America but inna Jamaica the culture is not 100% there yet. Wi getting there slowly though.

Digicel or Claro?
Ity & Fancy Cat: Digicel!!!

My friend would say the strangest thing I do is…
Fancy Cat: Drive while eating cooked food like rice and peas and chicken (laughs)

Thanks for the interview. Do you have any closing thoughts?
Thanks for having us, stay tuned for more!

Interview Jamaican Youth Activist Craig Dixon

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:00:01 UT

This week we interview Jamaican Youth Activist Craig Dixon, 22. He was recently chosen to represent Jamaica at the Nkabom: Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme in Kigali, Rwanda. He has an amazing drive for success as revealed in his life story as a child street vendor, who lived alone at age fourteen and managed, through remarkable acts of determination and self-sacrifice, to complete an honours degree in Public Relations and History at the University of the West Indies, Mona (2010). He is currently on internship with the Roving Caregivers Programme in Grenada.

Q: You have an amazing story of determination and will to succeed. Can you share your story with our readers on how you went from an illiterate school boy who sold products on the street to the being a youth activist and university student?
I am the second of four children born to Norma Evans. She was very young when she had her first child, unschooled and poverty-stricken. As a result she moved us around a lot, from one community to another – one house to another after numerous evictions due to non-payment of rental fees. At age fourteen, I moved into my fifteenth home, but this time I was alone. I was chased away from my home in Kendal, Hanover, by my grandmother after a fracas with one of my aunts. I took my paraphernalia and left…and wandered until I reached Pell River, a neighboring community in which I lived before. I went to an old man (now deceased) whom I had no biological tights with and asked if I could stay in his place – a one bedroom dwelling. I stayed there for three years.

I lived in Pell River for most of my life prior to that event, with my mother and three siblings. My mother did not have much but she tried her best to provide materially…she made innumerable and unbelievable sacrifices for us. She was shrewd and became wiser as she grew, but life was not easy. My mother worked as a domestic worker. Her remuneration could barely cover her transportations costs. We (the children) had to walk the expanse of our community to sell stuff (bars of soap, tin products, candles…) to make up. Sometimes we spent entire days in the sweltering heat digging turmeric, tending animals and gathering mangoes for sale. I went to Kendal Primary School, five miles away, I walked to school each day through a short-cut (cow pasture) because I could not afford to take a taxi. I was always wet to my neck in the mornings, literally. I was like a character from a fictional tale to most of my classmates, because I was always soaked, shoeless and normally had an excuse for having not done my home work. On my early days, I fetched water for the school canteen and they gave me free lunches. often I had no money for food except what I earned sporadically from Otaheite apples, mangoes and marble sales.

At grade five I could barely read. I decided to repeat grade six and enrolled in an after-school reading programme. I was the most outstanding graduate a year later, copping seven ‘most improved’ awards and a coveted scholarship from Prime Life Insurance Company – given to me by Mrs. Jennifer Baugh – our principal. I still had a lot to learn though, because I was not sufficiently stimulated as a child. I felt as if there was a lacuna in my brain.

In late 2001 when I left Kendal for Pell River, I took an oath to myself – deciding to change the course of my family by graduating from a university and never to relive the events of my youth. For two years, beginning at about the end of seventh grade at Rusea’s, I had one pair of shoe and uniform or Khaki as we call it. By the first term of eighth grade there were two massive holes in shoes. This caused me much embarrassment, but each morning I stuffed them with fresh pieces of cardboard, prayed and left for school. I washed my uniform mid-week.

I woke up for school at 4 am every morning for three years. My mother (who at this point lived in Rock Spring, Hanover) could only afford to give me J$150 per day. With 120 for bus fare, I would have had to skip lunch. So each morning, I woke up very early, ate what I had, walked (most mornings) a mile to a taxi-stand where a taxi driver picked up hotel workers traveling from Pell River to Negril. Sometimes the driver met me on the road. He would take me to Green Island and I would get on a bus carrying hotel workers to Lucea – no charge to me. That is how I afforded lunch. I reached school at 6 am on average for three years until I got monetary assistance. Some of my classmates tried relentlessly to get to school before me – but each morning they woke me up and removed my cap form my head…but none understood why I was always so early. This is only a synopsis of this phase of my journey.

I did not do very well at my CXCs. I was however a very active student. I was in numerous clubs. I debated for Rusea’s, played for the under-sixteen football team and was the Student of the Year in 2005. I left Pell River for Grange Hill after fifth form, enrolled in Rusea’s sixth form. Thereafter I was selected as Deputy Head-boy - I achieved five distinctions at CAPE and was the most successful student over all. I matriculated to UWI in 2007 and recently completed a degree in Public Relations and History.

My experiences have prepared me for a life of activism especially in matters concerning young people and the disenfranchised. At the UWI I aligned myself with some amazing youth people such as Mark Foster, Patrina Pink, Leethan Grandison and Valdamir Wallace (Utech). Notably, Wallace, Pink, Grandison – a couple others- and I (our group is called Catalyst for Social Change) ‘rented’ Emancipation Park in January (19-21), and hosted a three day candle light vigil (dubbed ‘light a candle for Haiti’) held in honour of the victims of the Haitian earthquake. We collected clothing and food items on an old-time Jamaican cart pushed around New Kingston. These were donated to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to be sorted and shipped to Haiti. I have done other things of this nature and Nkabom/Rwanda was yet another (and a very important) step on this trajectory of change.

Q: What was your experience like representing Jamaica in Rwanda?
The experience was beyond superlatives. I believe that if we change Jamaica we can change the world. At some point the entire world looked at our island for some kind of inspiration and even today nations aspire to be like us in one way or another. Jamaica was easily the most popular country represented in Rwanda. Everyone wanted to hear me speak ‘Jamaican’ and people from all tiers of society welcomed me and asked me to return. Some non-English speakers sung Bob’s songs better than I have ever done. It is only when one leaves Jamaica that one really begins to appreciate the beauty and might of the country.

Q: Rwanda is a country that has gone through a recent genocide. Did you see signs of this and was it discussed at the leadership conference?
Yes, a lot. The conference was about peace-building – respect and understanding among groups and nations. Rwanda was a fitting location because of its history of genocide, reconciliatory measures and steps that Rwandans have taken to preserve the events of 1994. We did sessions on the history of Rwanda, conflict and peace-building in Rwanda; we visited a few genocide memorial sites including the Kigali Memorial Centre which is a facility of very high standard. We also went to a reconciliatory camp (Role Model Village) where Hutus and Tutsis live in harmony, the stories of forgiveness and revival and the collective will of the people to build their country are unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Q: Do you see any similarities of what happened in Rwanda to the brutality and crime in Jamaica and the Caribbean?
Yes. The war in Rwanda was an ethnic/political one. Its catastrophic climax resulted from years of preparation from Hutu extremists - both on the ground through military training of local militia men and political propaganda via various media outlets. Jamaica is known for a similar type of political tribalism that has caused half-a-century of bloodshed and continues to divide the country as we speak. The complex challenges that have emerged from this division present the highest hurdles that Jamaicans have to surmount today.

Q: What was your goal as the representative for Jamaica?
My goal was to share my anecdotes and experiences as a youth activist in Jamaica. To learn from others of creative ways to deal with conflicts and to share what I learnt with my countrymen. I also wanted to build international networks and establish friendships with like-minded individuals.

Q: How would you describe Rwandan people?
Affable, unselfish, diligent and always willing to learn something new – and everyone seemed so focused on what is best for their country.

Q: What do you see as the biggest issue with youth in Jamaica?
This question has multifarious dimensions which makes it difficult to answer. But all things considered I think our young people need to be educated to dream and innovate. At the moment, most students who graduate from our high schools and universities are merely schooled and we ought to know the difference between ‘schooling’ and ‘educating’. Educated people understand themselves and the needs of the least among them... We have no recourse but to revolutionize how and what we teach, to research and redefine concepts like ‘literacy’ ‘intelligence’ and ‘reading’ and enhance the individual genius of each child. Our current educational systems make our youth diffident and ignorant and they are not fashioned to cater to the so-called ‘slow’ student, hence the frightening levels of illiteracy. We must devise practical solutions for these things and encourage our youth to think; only thinkers can dream and only dreamers can change the world.

Q: How do we solve this issue?
By first accepting this as a problem and educating/persuading those who find it hard to fathom. Then we must engage the entire country in redefining the word ‘education’ to incorporate knowledge of self, our unique history and culture, our individual talents, skills and attributes, innovation and ownership studies, confidence building, activism…beginning at the pre-school, early childhood level. To be quite honest, there are many variables to this, but one sure way to begin the process of change is for inspirational leaders to emerge and wake-up the people, lift their consciousness and incite them to take heed of these things. I believe such ‘leaders’ are in the making and that this is the generation which will inspire epoch-making change in our nation.

Q: What projects are you working on?
I am a member of the Regional Nkabom Caucus (other countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Kitts & Nevis and Canada) which has been commissioned by the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Youth Programme to ‘re-enact’ the activities of Nkabom (in Kigali) in a country in the region. We selected Jamaica. We are expected to host a regional week-long conference on Peace-building in the Caribbean for youths (18-25 yrs) who are committed to making a positive impact in their communities (in March 2011 – we are in the process of organizing this event but we need regional support and we have a far way to go).

Q: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Are you going to enter the political arena?
Uncertainty surrounds both question…but I do hope that I will be in a place where my words can shape policy on matters concerning the young and old alike.

Q: What's playing on your iPod/mp3 player right now?
Bob’s music, Lucky Dube, Peter Tosh… Fela Kuti, Gregory Isaacs… Times like These by Queen Ifrica -

Q: If you have a magic wand to change one thing about Jamaica what would it be?
I probably would wish that my magic wand disappear and the ‘magic wand ideology’ with it as well. There is such an ideology, known as the dependency syndrome in academic circles. The common people have this syndrome and look to the politicians while the politicians look to the international community for aid. We must teach our countrymen that ‘wands’ are only useful in fictions and fairy tales. The reality is that there is no wand, so people must learn to make real sacrifices on the road to self-sufficiency and stop depending on others to do, what they, with patience and sacrifice, can do for themselves.

Q: Thanks for your time do you have any closing thoughts?
I want to inform young people that they are not the sum of their circumstances; they are the sum of their character, their will-power and determination. Try to think less about where you are from and more about where you want to go. Know also that you have a ‘dream-right’ as much as you have a right to life and only those who gallantly pursue this ‘right’ will reap the fruitage of its benefits and be in a position to change the world or experience its resplendent wonders. Dream, dream, dream, change your strategy at times, but never give up on your dreams! Thank you -

Behind Independent VoYces Literary Fair is Judith, a true artist herself

Anthea McGibbon — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:00:02 UT

MICHAEL BROWN PHOTO: Jermaine signs a copy of "Colour and Power Your Thoughts" for Independent VoYces. Judith stands by to receive.

Earlier this month the Independent VoYces Literary Arts Fair (IVLF) at Strawberry Fields, St Mary presented exposure opportunities to new authors, writers, and poets particularly from the Caribbean. Host of the event was Judith, who herself is a writer, playwright, dancer and dramatist creating the literary arts fair to assist new authors in achieving their goals of being heard by a wide audience. Here she independently speaks her mind to Anthea McGibbon about herself, goals, aspirations. This interview was conducted before the event on November 7th, 2010.

ANTHEA: WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
JUDITH: I was born in Kingston but my family lived all over Jamaica. My formative years were in Mandeville where we lived until I was 10. My teen and high school years were in Montego Bay. I am an alumnae of Mt. Alvernia high School.

JUDITH: Financial gain is not an aim. I make my living from marketing consulting and TV & Video production. The Independent VoYces Literary arts fair is strictly a desire and dream fulfilled. to whom much is given, much is required says the Lord. He has given me much and I am required to give it back.

ANTHEA: WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
JUDITH: I currently live in St. Mary

ANTHEA: HOW LONG?
JUDITH: I lived in Florida for 15 years, and returned home to Kingston, last April and moved to St. Mary 2 weeks ago.

ANTHEA: HOW MUCH OF AN ARTIST ARE YOU?
JUDITH: I am a writer, playwright, dancer and dramatist. I have written several plays which have been performed in Florida and Jamaica. I founded By His Word Theatre Company in Florida 10 years ago. The ministry uses the arts to minister - dance, drama, mime and singing. i also sing and used to dabble in painting.

ANTHEA: WHO WAS YOUR ART MUSE/BEST MOMENTS?
JUDITH: I have been writing since I was 4. My first encounter with poetry was with the nuns who used to visit and teach at my primary school, St. Paul's of the Cross in Mandeville. I started acting in plays at school from as early as 5. Growing up, I was exposed to many different writing styles. I particularly love Shakespeare, the humor of past Gleaner columnist Morris Cargill who I studied, and the philosophical writings of Kahlil Gibran. Locally, Jennifer Keane-Dawes and Miss Lou were big influences because of their determination to garner acceptance for our native tongue and their use of the language.
God has placed such talent in my life and that he has afforded me the opportunity to give back in his name.

ANTHEA: WHAT JAMAICAN INSPIRED YOU WHILE GROWING UP?
JUDITH: My father was my hero and my biggest inspiration, followed closely by my sister Althea. Famous Jamaicans who inspired me were Miss Lou, Bob Marley, father Richard HoLung and my French teacher, Mrs. Franka Mohan-hylton who passed away.

ANTHEA: WHO/WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR LITERARY FAIR?
JUDITH: When I published my first book, Time & Seasons: A Layman's guide to Overcoming Adversity, I found out how difficult it was for unknown writers to have their voices heard. Although my first book was written as a healing exercise for myself, after my dad died, friends and well wishers thought it was a good book and it sold well. It was self-published. My second book, Full Circle, was also self-published and I had many personal challenges at the time. My younger daughter was ill, I had my own ill-health dealing with and other challenges came into the picture. I didnt have time to promote the book as I had intended to and I realized that no-one wanted to deal with a "no-name" author. Through my ministry work I met scores of other writers who had similar experiences. God laid the plan in my spirit and the idea was originally for a Christian book fair. It has expanded since to include all writers, providing the onstage content is suitable for families. The first time I went to Strawberry Fields Together in robin's Bay, I knew the time had come. I decided that no matter how small or how large, Independent VoYces was ready to be born.

ANTHEA: WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES TO YOUR BUSINESS?
JUDITH am a marketing consultant by profession and together with my husband, Michael Brown, we have a TV and Video production company, Barrivision productions. We currently produce 3 TV shows airing in Jamaica and Florida. However, the literary fair is a mission of mine. the main challenge is getting sponsorship to make the fair absolutely everything it can be and was meant to be.

ANTHEA: WHAT IS THE FAIR ABOUT?
JUDITH: The fair will be a 2-day experience next year with workshops for writers, shakespeare in the park and other additions. To make this a reality, we will need money.

ANTHEA; WHAT PARTICULAR ISSUES IN SOCIETY/CHALLENGES ARE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESS?
JUDITH: 1. The Fair is for exposing new writing talent; giving a voice to writers who are otherwise may have only been heard by their friends and families
2. The Fair is to encourage literacy, and encourage reading

ANTHEA: WHAT HAS BEEN THE SUCCESS RATE? WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTIONS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC?
ANTHEA: The reaction has been great! we have received a lot of interest and even more encouragement to go forward as this is seen as a much needed event.

ANTHEA: HOW CRITICAL IS THE LITERARY ARTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF JAMAICA(NS)?
JUDITH: It's extremely critical. Too many high school students are graduating with limited reading and writing skills. Too many others are not graduating because of limited reading and writing skills. We are plummeting towards a largely illiterate society unless we, and by we I mean each and every literate person, takes whatever steps they can, small or large, to stem the tide. IVLF is my small contribution to encouraging writing and the love of books.

ANTHEA: WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE, AIM OF YOUR BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF FINANCIAL GAIN?
JUDITH: Financial gain is not an aim. I make my living from marketing consulting and TV & Video production. The Independent VoYces Literary arts fair is strictly a desire and dream fulfilled. to whom much is given, much is required says the Lord. He has given me much and I am required to give it back.

ANTHEA: BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOME A BUSINESSWOMAN?
JUDITH: Wow! I think I have been a business woman my entire life. As a teenager, as young as 13, I started makign macrame flower pot hangers and hanging tables and other items which I would sell at local church fairs and other events. by the time i was 14 I was making glass wind chimes, bamboo chimes, painting and creating bamboo cups, knitting tams and a myriad of items including painting posters. My neighbor had a shop in Montego Bay and she would sell my items. By the time I was 15, I had co-founded the dance team at my school and spearheaded a 3-day season of dance to raise funds for the dance team. I guess you would say I have always had a knack for business. From there i simply kept going, trying my hand at every hair brained scheme and others.

I studied Public Relations(PR) and Marketing at UWI Continuing Studies and starting offering my services to small companies that couldnt afford the large PR firms. I could charge less and with a ferocious appetite for reading, I read and studied every book I could put my hands on about marketing and public relations strategies. I got out the gates running and haven't looked back. basically though i have simply folowed my dreams. Some have worked out, others not but i feel better for having followed them all.

ANTHEA: WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE?
JUDITH: It has been up and down. In general i am an optimist - a glass half full kind of girl. I believe that all experiences in our lives are worth something and as a Christian, I believe that my steps are ordered by God so if I just keep walking forward, i will always come out on top. The top for me is not the same as the top for others. I define my success by different standards. For me success is having tried and at least done the things I set out to do. Whether or not these things were profitable is irrelevant. With this mind set, I have approached business from a different perspective and it keeps me grounded and sane whenever things fall apart.

ANTHEA: WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE AS A BUSINESS (all including marketing etc)?
JUDITH: I think my outlook on life makes me different. I am in business for me, to meet my goals, fulfill my desires and not to meet some standard set by the world. With this in mind, I do business with my heart as well as my head. I believe in people and treat others the way i want to be treated. I believe in being fair and I am okay with others getting credit for my ideas, as long as the idea comes to fruition.

ANTHEA: HOW ACCESSIBLE ARE YOUR SERVICES/ PRODUCTS INTERNATIONALLY?
JUDITH: Our TV Shows each have their own website. in fact, every venture I am involved in has its own website, facebook pages etc. We use a lot of emarketing and web marketing. I get emails from all over the world asking about events and shows that I am involved in.

ANTHEA: BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR TEAM?
JUDITH: The IVLF team is made up of close friends, business associates and a few new friends I have made along the way.

ANTHEA: HOW BIG IS YOUR FAMILY?
JUDITH: I have three daughters - two biologically and one adopted along the way. Robyn - 27 years old, Michele 25 years and Joyce, 35 (adopted). I have one wonderful, adorable 6-year old grandson.

I have four sisters and one brother.

ANTHEA: HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5,10,15 YEARS?
JUDITH: I have no idea. I am very free spirited and I have a philosophy of doing what God wants me to do when he wants me to do it. He moves me from time to time and gives me new challenges. I avail myself of his vision for me. Outside of that, I see myself still pursuing my dreams, finishing things I have started, living my life one day at a time and enjoying every day I spend in this beautiful country. a preacher/speaker, Dr. Myles Munroe, once said that he intends to go back to his maker empty, having used all his talents and fulfilled all the things he was called to do (that he can identify). I have taken up his philosophy and this is my goal.

ANTHEA: HOW DO YOU SEE THE LITERARY ARTS, READING, PRINTED MATERIAL AND PRESERVATION GLOBALLY IN SAY 5,10,15 YEARS ESPECIALLY IN A DEVELOPING AGE?
JUDITH: People think that the printed word is on its way out because of the internet. Lots of newspapers have folded because of it. Nevertheless, it is up to us to ensure that reading and hte printed word doesnt disappear. Books on tape were all the rage a few years ago. Books triumphed. I think there will always be a place for the printed word. People like to feel stuff in their hands and collect stuff - you cant feel electronic words .

ANTHEA: WHAT ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU IMPART TO JAMAICANS IN ONE QUICKENING LAST BREATHE?
JUDITH: Learn to love and to forgive. Learn to laugh at almost everything - very few things are as serious as we make them. Life is way too short and we spend too much of it being unhappy and making our life more difficult than they need be so learn to keep it simple.

ANTHEA: NEXT PROJECT?
JUDITH: Hmmm..... the next Drums 4 Peace; Jamaica Youth for Christ Christmas Play - the Gift, written & directed by me and now in rehearsal; LIVE weekend - a concept to come.About the Author:

Over 13 years as a journalist, Anthea is a trained paralegal, and artist. She combines her skills including teaching, spanish, photography, editing, and experiences to feature arts, creativity to offer consultations, and other services. She ownsantheamcgibbon.com

, media website on arts, creativity, culture, and her paintings are available online and atGallart.com

. Contact her at 876-530-5744 or 305-648-6963 oranthea.mcgibbon@jamaicans.com

,anthea@antheamcgibbon.com

Tags: books, independent voyces, literary skills

Interview with Therese Morris, Founder & Owner of Flavour du Jour

X Murphy — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:10:00 UT

This week we interview Therese Morris, Founder & Owner of Flavour du Jour a Jamaican based culinary arts company. Therese has a passion for Caribbean food fusion. She hopes to educate Jamaica and Jamaicans about our rich culinary heritage. Flavour du Jour is passionate in presenting the best of Jamaica alongside the gastronomic novelties from the rest of the world.

Q: Why did you start your Flavour du Jour?
After quitting my job in Montego Bay as an English as a Foreign Language Tutor & Liaison for the UWI/PDVSA Programme, Latin American Caribbean Center Department of UWI, Mona, I returned to Kingston and found I was unable to secure a steady job. Eventually I turned my passion for food and knowledge into a career, registered Flavour du Jour as a business and became my own boss. Moreover the food education scene is quite limited throughout the island so I think of it as teaching, just in a much larger classroom.

Q: On your site you mention “driven by the need to expand Jamaica’s culinary views”. Can you explain on what you mean by expanding Jamaicans culinary views?
While safeguarding the culinary traditions of Jamaica which the world has come to know and love us for, our aim is to expose Jamaicans to the various types of cuisines and to develop an appreciation for different tastes & cultures .

Q: What is your vision of Jamaican and Caribbean food as it relates to our culture?
For us (Jamaicans & Caribbean people) to love and respect what our land gives us no matter what instead of an "either or" compulsion between local and foreign items.

Q: Do you think we do a good job promoting Jamaican food to the world?
Hhhmmm yes and no. Yes, because we've established Jamaica right across the board as a desirous brand to be a part of (or owned). No, because we have allowed others to exploit our national brand with little noteworthy attempts to regaining control of the benefits generated through brand Jamaican.

Q: Will you be writing a cook book in the future?
Yes, in due time I think a cook book would in order. I treat food as art, something to be experienced through the senses so I strongly believe the colour and scent of everything directly tells you what they pair well with and how best it should be prepared.

Q: How can Jamaicans expand these views during restaurant week?
The obvious answer would be to try something different, go crazy, be a little wild... but I'd also suggest they try something familiar prepared in a totally new way, reacquainting themselves with old favourites while appreciating the diversity of local chefs. Remember foreign doesn't always mean better.

Q: Will you be reviewing restaurants that week?
That's the plan for sure!

Q: Did you have a favorite restaurant from Restaurant Week 2009?
I didn't participate much in RW 2009 as I was in Montego Bay, but Twisted Kilt on Gloucester Avenue (aka "The Hip Strip") is one of my faves

Q: What is the best Jamaican fusion restaurant you recently ate at?
Coral Cliff in Montego Bay... there's also a quaint little restaurant in Kingston named Chez Maira that I like - it's more Lebanese/Mediterranean but it's nice.

Q: What is one of your favorite fusion recipes?
Donnie Bunting's 2004 Observer Table Talk award-winning Herb Stuffed Tilapia in Banana Leaf. I had the pleasure of dining at Bunting's Longville Park farm recently. Unfortunately I'm not privy to his award-winning recipe but I took pics :-)

Q: My favorite guilty pleasure is…
OMG cheesecake, chicken steak fried rice and jerk pork yummm lol

Q: Thanks for the interview, any closing thoughts?
Passion is the key to greatness of course but more so in any art. You have to cook for the love of it because your most genuine emotions are translated into every dish you prepare so be honest and love your craft. Also the best chefs read globally, absorb techniques, ask questions, experiment and deliver nothing but the best.

For more info check out the Flavour du Jour

An Interview with Jamaican animator, Mental Chung

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:01 UT

This week we interview Jamaican animator Mental Chung (Reinardo Chung). He recently created the "red" hot Jamaican animated short "Bad influence" that has people "buzzing". The animated short is above. You can view Mental Chung's work on youtube.com. or by visiting the Mental Chung Website.

How did you get started in doing animation?
Animation is something that I have been interested in ever since I was a child, I taught myself the necessary software’s a few years after learning graphics design of which I was self taught also.

Tell us about your animated short Bad Influence?
Bad Influence is about a young man (Lance) who is convinced by his friends (Jeff, Grains, Chronic) to assist them in pulling off a Heist. They devised but none took into consideration the circumstances to arise as a result of their individual desires. Caught in a major dilemma, they have to make a speedy decision on how to maneuver them so they have a chance of making an escape.

Who is your target audience for the film?
My target audience is anyone interested in this type of stuff young or old.

When and where it will be released?
The film will actually be released today Oct. 8 on my website www.mentalchung.com as well as on YouTube

Do you have a distribution channel or will you be using the internet?
Internet at the moment and it will also be available on DVD along with some extras.

Creating animated films is said to take 5 times the challenge of real life film. How many hours has this short taken?
I been at it for four months since I came up with the initial idea, I can tell you the sleep hours are at least six hours a day and the hours put into the film is at least 90% of the time that I am awake

Based on the trailer it seems there is some great music in the film. Who can we expect and how did you select the music?
For the trailer I used sound effects from royalty free music site online as well as some dancehall to generate that high energy vibe as well as to highlight the fact that the film is Jamaican

What other projects are you working on?
More shorts to come in the future but for now bad influence is the main focus

What is your favorite animated film?
I have many but I would say final fantasy advent children the animation is unlike anything I have ever seen its just mind blowing and I’m a fan of high impact stuff.

What do you think of the move to more 3-D animated film?
As an art form 3-D animation is exactly what films need to push it’s the visionary boundaries and ideas, not only is the mind of the writer and director free to explore without limitations of set design or characters or location, camera angles and so on, but it has also brought stunning detailed imagery that enhances the viewers experience. Software and equipment has gotten so sophisticated that it blurs the line between what is real and what is fake both in imagery and animation. Films have to evolve and 3-D is the right if not the only direction.

If you could work with any Jamaican entertainer to create an animated character who would it be?
Well I guess it would depend on the idea but off the bat Twin of Twins would make some very fascinating characters.

What food is a must have while working?
Peanut Butter Sandwich

What type of music?
Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, R&B, Souls, Pop, Rock

Ten years from now where do you expect your company to be?
I Live moment to moment and try to make each moment better so I guess ten years will be an extremely amplified version of now. I do see the film industry in Jamaica expanded though and hope to contribute towards that, also an established a movie production and visual effects house right here in JA.

Thanks for the interview any closing thoughts?
Appreciate it, peace and love blessings and education to all

Interview with four-time Emmy Award winning comedic reporter, Jamaican, Johnathan Walton

X Murphy — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:00:00 UT

This week we interview Johnathan Walton. A graduate from Campion College, he is a Jamaican born, four-time Emmy Award winning, comedic TV reporter, stand-up comedian and TV producer. His TV career began at WSVN-TV the FOX affiliate in Miami, Florida as a Special Projects segment producer. He later moved to San Antonio, Texas to be the Comedy TV reporter at KABB-TV the city’s FOX affiliate and then he did a 5 year Comedy TV reporter stint at CBS in Houston. Currently he’s living in Los Angeles writing, doing stand-up comedy and producing TV Shows.

Q: What do you call the type of Journalism you do?

It’s not journalism. It’s JOURNALUNACY.

Q: When did you realize you had a comedic talent?

In about a year from now.

Q: Some will argue that it is Howard Stern outside the studio?

I’m flattered. But I disagree. I do funny journalism. Howard does fart jokes and x-rated Jerry Springer shtick.

Q: You have won 4 Emmy awards. Were you surprised when you won your first one?

I was surprised and excited and thrilled and overjoyed and grateful. They’re regional Emmys not national Emmys but my mom can’t tell the difference so it’s all good.

Q: You worked for WSVN channel 7 in Miami that is hailed as the station that brought sensational news to the nation. Did this influence you in your journalism journey?

It was my first job out of college. I learned a lot at WSVN. But no, it didn’t influence me. My biggest influence was Jeanne Moos at CNN. She was the reporter doing the funny/interesting/weird stories and I thought, “I want to do that!” And I did.

Q: What do you think of Rick Sanchez? Are you friends with him?

If by “friends” you mean, do I follow him home every night and peek through his bathroom window while he brushes his teeth? If so, then yes. We’re friends.

Q: Tell us about Some Stupid Show?

Some Stupid Show is kind of like a “60 Minutes” for freaks and weirdos done in 30. Go to somestupidshow.com for more info.

Q: How do you keep a straight face doing some of the interviews you do for your show?

Botox. Lots of botox.

Q: What is the weirdest show you have done?

Human Suspension. It’s where “artists” drive stainless-steel hooks through their skin and hang from the ceiling with them. Here’s a link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZfudYn8ooA

Q: Do you have any other projects in the works?

Right now I’m producing a new series for The History Channel called: Brad Meltzer’s Decoded. It premiers after Thanksgiving 2010.

Q: Is men wearing jean shorts cool or uncool?

You mean Jorts? Very uncool.

Q: Men wearing Lady GaGa type boots cool or uncool?

It depends on what color their purse is.

Q: Thanks for the interview any final thoughts?

Can I use your restroom?

Interview with Jamaican female Deejay, Naz

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:40:00 UT

This week we interview rising Jamaican female Deejay, Naz. In last year's Heineken Green Synergy DJ competition she was the lone female DJ in the hunt for the over $2 million (Jamaican dollars) cash prize. Christened Nazaria Taylor, this Deejay is one to watch.

How did you get into DeeJaying?
I loved music from school days and wanted to be a engineer, went to school for it .then hooked up with some females selectors who asked me to be apart of their sound and that’s how I started

What was your fires Deejay gig?
I was as a member of an all-female team on a sound system called Chemical X. My first gig ever was at Bembe. Me and the gurls (Chemicalx) played there.

Do you remember the first songs you mixed and how did you feel when people enjoyed it?
The first song I played at a event was Idonia’s “When bad man buss the gun” ..it shell down the place

Tell us about your experience at the 2009 Heineken Green Synergy DJ competition?
It was crazy fun. After mi drop out and I was looking back..hahah.. but during it..the whole ting was very hectic always have to be on the go

Where did you place in the 2009 Heineken Green Synergy competition?
I placed 3^rd the 2009 Heineken Green Synergy competition

Your father, Don Taylor, is the former manager of Bob Marley and your mother is singer Joy White. Was there pressure from them to get into the entertainment industry or did they try deter from doing that?
No there wasn’t. Ii tried a lot of things before I decided what I really wanted.. lol

Has you Dad shared any information on his career managing Bob Marley?
My father and I weren’t as close and he died. When I was starting to get to know him :(

Do you have any new projects coming up? Are you doing any studio work?
Yes. I am doing a little producing have a riddim working on, but waiting my obligation in the whole green synergy ting past to start working fully.

Who is your favorite Deejay?
I have many..grandmaster flash, kurt riley & alric n boyd

Digicel or Claro?
I have both…hahahaa

What is the song that you can't get out of you mind this week?
Rihanna and Eminem “Watch me burn”.

Thanks for your time. Do you final thoughts?
Thanks to all my fans & best wishers and I hope to make it big and pave the way for more females :) big up all my friends and family.

Transcript from last week's discussion with Trilla U

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:35:00 UT

May 2005 Forum Discussions on Jamaicans.com

10 Questions with Peggy Llewellyn, NHRA Pro-Stock Motorcycle Drag Racer of Jamaican descent.

X Murphy — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:00:02 UT

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyclist Peggy Llewellyn flashes a smile as she waits for the next race session. Photo Courtesy of 2 Wheel Woman Racing.

This week we interview Peggy Llewellyn, NHRA Pro-Stock Motorcycle Drag Racer, of Jamaican and Mexican descent. She is the first black woman to win a professional motorsports event, racing at the NHRA POWERade event (Dallas) in 2007 and earning an appearance in the inaugural Countdown to 4 and Countdown to 1, finishing in the POWERade top five standings where she recorded her post-career-best time and speed. She is committed to encouraging our youth to be their own individuals, not putting limitations on what they can achieve, so they don't fall victim to drug or alcohol abuse, or child abuse, teen-age pregnancy, joining a gang or other issues that plague our youth.

How are you connected to Jamaica?
My father was born and raised in Kingston. He still has his home there. Except for an aunt in North Carolina and an uncle in Canada, my father's family still lives in Kingston.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyclist Peggy Llewellyn wins NHRA POWERade event (Dallas) in 2007 making her the first woman of color to win a professional

Being of Mexican Heritage and Jamaican Heritage you have some insight in the cultural similarities. What do you think the 2 cultures have in common?
The food is definitely similar in both cultures. (Laughing) You can't call either culture’s dishes bland, both Mexican and Jamaican cultures love spices. Food is important in both cultures because it is a way to bring the family together. Enjoying cooking together, gathering at the table catching up with each other represents quality time. So family is very important to both cultures as well.

How did you get started in racing motor bikes? What was your first experience like doing it as a professional?
My father owns a motorcycle repair shop here in San Antonio, so I have been around motorcycles all my life and riding since I was 7 years old. My first bike was a Dandy pocket rocket that went 30mph.

After watching 3 women attempt to qualify in the NHRA in 1996 I knew that was the career I wanted to have. My first experience racing in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) might not been successful in terms of winning (I didn't qualify Houston 2001) but I had accomplished my goal of getting the chance to compete at that level and experience everything that came with being a professional drag racer.

Did you ever try auto racing?
Although, I have never raced a car, I wouldn't rule it out. Right now my heart is set on winning races and championships on a pro stock motorcycle.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyclist and First Woman of Color in the World to win A Professional Event Peggy Llewellyn Photo Courtesy of 2 Wheel Woman Racing.

What it is model bike you ride and the specifications?
At the present, I race a Harley-Davidson Buell V-twin 160 cu. Inch.

What does it feel like to go so fast on a motor bike?
When you are going 190+mph and covering the quarter mile in 6.92 seconds it feels smooth. You don't realize you are going that fast because you are tucked under the fairing, keeping your eye on your target and shifting the bike on time.

You have massed quite a few accolades in a very short time. Which one are you most proudest?
Oooooh, that would be an easy one; my FIRST win Dallas 2007 (smiling) When I started out the season it was with a new team on a new bike, it had been 5 years since I had raced. I wasn't expected to even make into the top 10. We flew underneath the radar so to speak. At that particular event, I was up against the 3-time World Champion who had beaten me twice before. He had a faster elasped time, but I had a better reaction time and got the win! I finished #4 in the national rankings that season. Believe me I am not done yet! I am hoping to repeat it over and over again.

Can you tell us about the different circuits you race in. What is the difference between drag motor bike racing and the other circuit?
The only circuit I have raced in has been the NHRA. It's quarter mile drag racing. The only difference in other sanctions is in NHRA you must have a competitions license, a valid driver’s license, and it is the professional level. The other sanctions just require a motorcycle license and are not classified as professional.

Tell us about Divas For A Cure?
DFAC is a Foundation I am proud to endorse. It takes my two passions motorcycles and community service to raise awareness of breast cancer in the Black and Latina communities. We have a higher rate of death from breast cancer because we are not informed. My goal is encourage breast examinations and spread the word of early detection. With the efforts of DFAC, we can beat this disease.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyclist Peggy Llewellyn in the staging lane preparing for race. Photo Courtesy of 2 Wheel Woman Racing.

If you were not doing this what would you be doing?
I would do something in real estate, there are different areas of the real estate industry, such as property management, accounting, residential, and so on, and I got to experience a little in every area. So that is what I would do if I were not drag racing. And, actually still dabble a little bit.

What is the last good movie you saw?
“Despicable Me” I am on the road a lot, so any downtime I have I spend with my niece, Dayzha. Going to the movies is something we enjoy doing.

If you were on a desert island and could take 1 person and 1 book...You would take....
Hmmm.....I wouldn't take anyone and I would take a bottle of wine and a Terry McMillan book! (Laughing) Between the reading and enjoying the peace of the water, that bottle of wine would hit the spot. (Laughing)

Thanks for your time. Any closing thoughts?
One of my fave quotes is from Walt Disney, who said "All dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I did pursue my goal of racing professionally and I still have a lot of goals that I want to accomplish, but most importantly is to leave a legacy. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams!

Interview with Reggae Marathon Race Director, Alfred Francis - Celebrating 10 years

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:00:01 UT

This year the Reggae Marathon celebrates its 10-year anniversary as one of Jamaica's premiere marathon events. This week we sit down with Race Director, Alfred Francis and ask 10 questions about the Reggae Marathon.

Q. When the Reggae Marathon was started in 2001 did you envision it becoming the premiere marathon event in Jamaica?
Thanks for giving Reggae Marathon the opportunity to respond to your queries, I am happy to be asked. Yes, Xavier, we did envision this as that was and is, our aim.

Q. Many people ran in the first Reggae Marathon? How many are you expecting this year? In the history of the marathon how many Jamaican winners has there been?

Over 900 persons participated in 2001, and we are expecting 1400 this year. Over the past 9 years, we have had 7 male and female winners of the Marathon event. This number does not include winners in the Half Marathon nor 10K categories where we have had many winners over the years.

Q: How many nations were represented last year in the Marathon? How is the Jamaican Diaspora support for the event?
Over 21 countries were represented in 2009. The Jamaican Diaspora has been supportive in terms of participation and some print and electronic media targeting the Diaspora have assisted in promoting the event. Of course we welcome more participation by members of the Diaspora and hope to reach more persons in 2011 through our Embassies and Consulates. Our partner, the Jamaica Tourist Board has also been very supportive in reaching out to the Diaspora too.

Q: Apart from the increased number of marathon runners each year, how has the event changed over the past 10 years?
The Entertainment element of the event has increased - there are more live bands on the course; there is an increased thrust in Runner Care for our participants; a 10K event has been added since 2008 and of course, we have become a world renowned event.

Q: Any chance you will bring back the relay event or incorporate an alumni event? Any surprise Reggae artists for the after party?
No, we will not go back to a relay event, and there already is the High School Championships within the Half Marathon and 10K Events. The surprise Reggae Artists, will have to remain a surprise!

Q. Jamaica is known its sprinters not marathon runners. Can you give us an education on some of the top marathon runners and the marathon clubs in Jamaica?
In Jamaica, some of the top Marathon Runners are: Linton McKenzie, Rupert Green and Andrew Gutzmere who have all won the Reggae Marathon at some point and for the ladies, we are equally proud to name Arieta Martin, and Carlene Blagrove. Some Marathon Clubs are the Jamdammers Running Club, organizers of the Reggae Marathon event, Ebony Track Club, It Dat, and the Jamaica Money Market Brokers Corporate Team.

Q: Do you believe the popularity of marathon events in Jamaica will change view of some that we are the "Sprint factory" and Africa is the "marathon running factory"?

No, this perception will not change, our sprinters are getting better, and even this year, our sprinters dominate the world scene.

Q. Are there any young Jamaican marathon runners who could be the Jamaican Usain Bolt in the event? What is his/her name?
No, not yet, we are working on laying the foundation for them to emerge.

Q: What year do you think we will hear the name of a Jamaican Marathon runner at the Olympics?
Maybe in 2016, and we have had representation in the Marathon category at the Commonwealth Games.

Q: For a few they are there to support runner and the after parties features many leading Jamaican reggae performers.
We welcome them and hope they too will embrace the concept of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through running.