By Ayanna Kirton, Staff Reporter
Jon Baker, CEO of Gee Jam Productions.
WHILE the 'American Idol' phenomenon swept the United States and Europe, Jon Baker, CEO of Gee Jam Productions, looked on in disappointment at what he considered the demise of the international music industry. "I won't lie, I was sort of put off by it and thought to myself, oh my God it's getting from bad to worse!" says Mr. Baker, describing his impression of the Fox network programme that creates superstars out of young performers based on popular vote.
A few years later, the same idea has been replicated by Jamaican programmers to create Rising Stars, a local version of the popular international TV show. This time Mr. Baker has a decidedly different impression of this kind of programme. He feels it is perfect for the Jamaican music industry as it "pinpoints potential talent and takes the contestants through an accelerated process of artiste development," he says.
GEE JAM STUDIO
Among other prizes, Cavan Lewis, the winner of the Rising Stars competition, was awarded a recording and publishing contract with Gee Jam. And in a display of confidence in the potential of the competition's finalists, Mr. Baker has decided to form Rising Star Records. This entity will be responsible for developing the show's talent with the aim of ultimately scoring contracts with leading record labels overseas.
Mr. Baker, former president of Island Jamaica Records, has an eye for spotting talent. Before focusing on music and artiste development, Mr. Baker's love for popular cultures of music, fashion and art landed him one of his first jobs with fashion and music impresarios Vivian Westwood and Malcolm McClaren after studying fashion and photography at Chelsea School of Art in London.
In the early eighties, Mr. Baker began promoting events at night clubs and worked with then unsigned groups, Sade and Spandau Ballet. He later travelled to New York where he became immersed in the city's club scene and was one of the founders of 'The Roxy', one of New York City's most famous night-clubs.
In 1985 when he returned to the UK, Mr. Baker founded Gee Street Records, which became one of the UK's pre-eminent hip-hop and dance independent record labels. In 1990, among the artistes promoted by Mr. Baker were Queen Latifah, The Jungle Brothers, Stereo MCs and PM Dawn. The label sold over 1.5 million records during that time and continued to enjoy success as the nineties progressed, selling over 4.5 million records independently and signing several artistes, including Doug E. Fresh and the Gravediggaz. In 1996, after his career at Island Records came to an end, Mr. Baker embarked on a joint venture with Virgin owner, Richard Branson, to form Gee Street Records/V2, based in New York. In 2000 after a successful run, Mr. Baker decided to sell the label in its entirety to focus on his growing passion, Jamaica.
NATURALISED JAMAICAN
A recently naturalised Jamaican, Mr. Baker is the father of three children, was born in the UK and relocated to the island some ten years ago when he purchased the San Wood Estate in San San, Port Antonio. For him this was a natural progression as he had always been drawn to Jamaican culture and music ever since he was a teenager. "When I bought San Wood it was basically derelict so I refurbished the property. I got the development bug as friends and family would come to visit me, and one guest cottage lead to another," said Mr Baker, who also put his entrepreneurial and creative skills into the development of the Port Antonio Marina.
The 3-acre San Wood Estate also houses the Gee Jam Studio, a residential state-of-the- art recording studio that boasts a guest list of some of the music industry's most prominent artistes. Groups like No Doubt, Les Nubians, Dru Hill as well as solo artistes, India Arie and Wyclef Jean have all worked at the studio.
PERFECT RECORDING LOCATION
According to Mr. Baker the recording studio was the result of an attempt to create the perfect recording location for the artistes signed to the record label he once owned.
"In the late nineties I was struggling with some of the groups to get their second recordings out. I had a studio in London so I shipped the equipment to Jamaica and set it up in one of the cottages at San Wood. It was incredible, their writing and their timeliness in completing the records (as well as) spirit and health both in body and soul was just spot on," says Mr. Baker. He then made the move to invest approximately US$ 2 million to construct a purpose-built facility dedicated to the recording studio, multimedia and film as well as accommodations.
However, Mr. Baker is quick to point out that his core business does not lie in the hotel and tourist industry. "I own a production company in London and one in New York and we work with and represent producers. From time to time we will get calls from various artistes who want to work with our producers and so they'll come down to Jamaica to use the facility and record here," he says.
See part II next week.
