Canada helps send 'JAVAA To The World'

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

The intentions of the 13-track Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA) album are clearly stated in the upbeat title, JAVAA To The World. And on the journey from the studio to the Half-Way Entertainment Complex, then, hopefully, 'to the world', the album has received some help from the Canadian High Commission.

Canadian High Commissioner Stephen Halihan framed his office's support of the 13-track project in the context of not only Jamaica's musical impact worldwide but also the social importance of the message in the music.

"It is a genre of music that has had great influence; it has been seen as 'resistance' music and has fuelled the hopes of many seeking freedom and justice," Halihan said.

It would seem that there is another fuelling on the cards as Halihan said, "We are hopeful that younger persons within the music industry, as well as persons all around, will take the positive messages embedded in the music, as well as the opportunity to learn more about their forebears who did so much to develop the music and make it into the powerful force that it is."

Some of those 'forebears' performed their songs on JAVAA To The World, showing the album's diversity in the process. There was mento from the Mento Tones in De Man Dem A Ginnal Too, Keith Lyn's ballad is Where Is the Love, Kojovi Dawes really got into the rock of Everybody Can Rock, Jasmine Black demanded Respect Me, High Roots requested Han' Inn De Air and Grub Cooper brought an Irie Feeling, recorded by Fab 5.

At the beginning of the programme Cooper had spoken in his other role on the set, giving an album overview as co-producer and arranger. The performer's perspective came from De'on Hardy, with JAVAA chairman Frankie Campbell providing more details of the project in dispensing thanks.

He noted that Sir Paul McCartney has complained that his records were not being played on radio, joking, "We are not the only ones in the world having this problem".

Among the factors determining the final composition of JAVAA To The World were that the performer had to be a paid-up JAVAA member and there was an effort to include as many women as possible. "We have come up with a good collection which I think will work," Campbell said.

He congratulated Cooper and guitarist Dwight Pinkney as two of Jamaica's best arrangers, thanked Case for the artwork and said "the work is just starting now. We have to go out and market and sell the album".