Germaine Smith, Staff Reporter 
Members of the 809 band. - FILE PHOTOS
IN OUR lively world of reggae and dancehall music, backing bands are some of the unsung heroes.
While the artistes who
perform at stage shows get showered with praises about their golden voices and captivating presence, hardly any
flattery goes in the direction of the bands that play the music.
It takes a very skilful band to bring out the best in an artiste. From knowing when to 'play it low' to when to speed up the tempo to when to give a 'mix', attention to detail is what makes a backing band stand out just as much as the artist that they were paid to support.
Bands come and go, but two persons with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke recently were able to give some of the requirements for longevity.
And what is clear is that the same principles which apply to any non-musical businesses discipline, dedication and die-hearted love are what hold a band together.
PROFESSIONALISM FIRST
This year, Lloyd Parkes and We The People Band celebrate 30 years as a unit, going through only one major change in these three decades.
The band has provided the music for many of the biggest names in Jamaican music's history.
Parkes plays bass, melodica and guitar and sings. For him, professionalism comes first.
"The first thing is that you have to be a professional musician," he states. "You have to be rounded and be able to play any type of music. You must be disciplined in terms of time, putting in hours on your own to make sure you can play your instrument well," he advises.
UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
Parkes notes that understanding the characters of the other band members is critical too, as it determines how they blend on stage.
"You must understand each other's feelings and your own as well. Study each person to know their habits and their ways to know what to expect. These will let the show run smoothly," he continues. Parkes says he has seen less bands emerging now than 10 years ago.
However, president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM), Desmond Young, has noted a rise in the numbers.
"More bands are here now, speaking from my position," he notes. "In the past the bands went with the artistes; now there has been a big change. The focus is not on the traditional bands but on individual artistes and these artistes have their own bands with them. Even in the dancehall world we see this."
"From my position there are more bands here than say 10 years ago. Now the music is impacting so much on the world and yu find that so many acts now carry their own bands," he continues.
Speaking as a member of the famous 809 Band, in Young's view, similarities in the band members is key to maintaining the band's substance.
COMMONALITY OF PURPOSE
" Just like a good marriage, the people must have some commonality of purpose, share the same ideals in terms of striving for excellence," he advises. "You need a leader who is professional and who needs to have the respect of the band in terms of the knowledge he has and how he prepares the music. This leader will often determine how the group is seen."
This leader, Young notes, will keep the band grounded when the temptation arises to see themselves in the same limelight as the popular artistes they may support. It is not unheard of for a musician playing for a famous artiste to get caught up in the hype and forgets the basics on stage.
A backing band needs to know how to watch the artist who they are backing. They need to read the artiste and the signals they give out, to know when to play differently. You are supposed to be backing the artist. Remember, you are enhancing the performance, not being the star," Young said.
Other good backing band qualities Young outlines are preparation and plain old pride in the music.
"The key to any performance is proper preparation. If the band is not dedicated to to seeing that they music is complementary to the performer, then it will not be a good band. Punctuality is a key factor, plus the attention to detail with the music," he cautions."
"A band needs to have their priorities right. The term 'professional' must not be used loosely. The band needs people who know how to tune their instruments properly so that the band is always in harmony....They must know how to care their instruments and keep them in pristine condition."
For those with starry eyes about getting into the business to become overnight stars, the veteran band member advises to keep calm.
"People come to the business with a dream and, if it doesn't work, they immediately throw it down. You have to love it, so that when a few setbacks come your way you don't throw it down. You have to be able to love it and just take correction when it comes your way," he said.
