Clyde McKenzie, ContributorLAST Tuesday night saw a rather impressive launch of Caribbean Music Expo (CME) 2000. After a successful staging of CME '99, we were very vocal in our support of this venture noting that it had not only provided an avenue for members of the music fraternity to upgrade their knowledge, but to establish a great network.
I pointed out in a previous article that some of the persons one came face to face with at CME would not normally return one's calls should one venture to telephone their offices. Our local promoters and artistes must realise that performers and production talents constitute just a small part of what is necessary to achieve success in the music industry.
Artistes and producers will have to avail themselves of the knowledge and contacts which are possible through participation in an event such as the CME.
Last year saw an impressive line-up of speakers drawn from the local and international music fraternities at the CME. Sadly enough some of our producers and artistes did not take advantage of the opportunities which presented themselves. Let us hope this year they will make an effort to improve their knowledge, particularly at this most volatile juncture in the music industry.
So often we hear artistes talking about being robbed by producers and labels. So do their arguments have any basis? Perhaps, but sometimes their positions are based on ignorance. An artiste who is aware of the rules of the game and chooses a manager who does what he should, will usually have very little problem. Real life situations are not like that since most managers pluck the artistes from poverty, so the performers usually do not start at a strong negotiating position. Yet, with knowledge, the artiste could learn the industry.
Many managers operate in ways that are deemed unfair not because they are scamps, but because they do not know better. We can avoid a great amount of distress by informing ourselves.
While young artistes can gain vital links to established players in the industry through participation in the CME, the senior personalities can earn access to young talent.
Artistes need to be aware of all the possibilities that are available to them to expose their talent. Is the Internet a viable option for young artistes to gain exposure? Do artistes need to sign to international labels in order to gain international prominence? These are some of the questions which will be dealt with in a forum such as the CME.
Artistes must realise that making the best songs in the world will not create hits if there are not proper mechanisms in place to promote and distribute these works.
On the other hand, artistes must also learn that if the song does not have the ingredients to resonate with an audience, a hit they will not have.
It is one thing to have good lawyers and accountants who can give advice, but the situation is far better when the artiste and his management are knowledgeable enough to assess the quality of such advice.
Congratulations are, therefore, in order for Lloyd Stanbury and the other directors of the CME who are definitely on to a good thing. The response this year at the launch was much bigger than that of last year. That is a positive sign.
Wyclef Jean, arguably the most sought after producer/songwriter today, has underscored his commitment to the conference and will be a part of the proceedings when things unfold come November.
