No creativity - Baker blasts stagnation in J'can pop music

Jolly Boys band manager turns down Reggae shows

BY STEVEN JACKSON Observer staff reporter

Friday, October 01, 2010

THE Jolly Boys mento band topped the Reggae/Dancehall charts because Jamaican pop music has lost creativity, argues band manager Jon Baker.

The band plans to further extend its chart dominance by releasing a documentary and reality series in preparation for its US and Japan album release in 2011.

"We going through a stagnation of creativity in Reggae for the last five years. Dancehall artistes sing about the same old stuff. It has not had anything dynamic to crossover into the mainstream," he told Splash in an interview.

The Jolly Boys returned this week from a hectic European tour which avoided reggae festivals but instead played at rock, pop and culture concerts. Baker avoided marketing the band as reggae in order to avoid restricting the album's sales potential.

"I don't want you to take this in a non-patriotic way but to look at it fairly. When I got requests to do Reggae festivals and to do Reggae press, I vehemently declined the request," he stated. "I have watched the genre of Reggae stagnate certainly in the last few years and I have seen the perception of the international market look at reggae and say 'that's cool but that niche or specialist'. If we started to position Jolly Boys as Reggae that's would have immediately put the perception of what they are at a disadvantage."

The Jolly Boys continue to out-chart all living reggae/dancehall artistes online, including Gyptian. This week the album was in the top-10 in nine markets on iTunes reggae albums which is the largest online music store. The band already released its CD Great Expectations in Europe in September, however the album is notably absent from the US and Japan charts which are the world's largest and second largest markets respectively.

"We expect to release the album in the US by the second quarter of 2011," stated Backer. "In Japan we are still talking but not yet confirmed."

The strategy is to visually introduce the band in US and Japan markets prior to releasing music for sale, which mirrors the Cuban model according to Baker who is also head of Geejam Group.

"We looked the Buena Vista Social Club and where they were successful. They broke out of Germany, France, the UK and then North America. It was also driven by a movie. A first they had modest sales then one year later they started to break out when the movie was released," he said.

The band returned this week from a hectic European tour which avoided reggae festivals but instead played at rock, pop and culture concerts. Baker avoided marketing the band as Reggae in order to avoid restricting the album's sales potential.

"My skill in music is the crossover, and we did it with the Jolly Boys. We did this by taking the instrumentation and pure charisma of the band, bringing in some younger musicians for live performances and taking pop and rock standards and doing mento interpretations of them," he said.

It's rare that a mento group releases an album marketed by a music label. Geejam Records included a cover of Amy Winehouse's hit single Rehab, in order to introduce mento to a new generation.

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COMMENTS (7)

Cullen Sirgool
10/2/2010

This is reminiscent of the antoine dodson story. Critics ALWAYS have alot to say after the fact. When will we recognize what we have in the caribbean? We haven't learned from Island records. Don't you think we have the talent locally to grant Albert Minnot his wish to be a star? YES!!! di man seh it inna him head from him likkle. Reggae music left Jamaica with midnite band (my opinion). Whatever said, when di man dem a hungry we nah see dem. Suh, bless dem and support dem, i.e BUY AN ALBUM. love

RE Ausetkmt
10/1/2010

I think Mr Baker is talking about his perceptions because being in Radio I can tell you that there is plenty of good music coming out of Jamaica everyday of the week. fyi more than 600 songs are released a week in Jamaica. not all of them good, but still. the Jolly Boys are certainly not POP Mr Baker and you can't fool anyone into thinking that. please write about music that suits you if you don't like Dancehall. maybe it's not all positive, but not all of it is blackheart either.

Antonette W.
10/1/2010

I would agree that dancehall music has become somewhat stale. Everyone is doing dancehall now, whether in Japan, Sweden, Africa or the US. It's over saturated. I believe all musical styles tend to change over time. I still don't agree that reggae should be confused with dancehall music, as some "experts" tend to do. Still, I can't see how mento, as lovely and marketable as it may be, could possibly be described as innovative, when all they are doing is reviving an old musical/dance style.

Charles Campbell
10/1/2010

The one important thing which Jon Baker did not state, is that he is smartly benefiting from the trail blazed by Gilzene & The Blue Light Mento Band with their album Sweet Sweet Jamaica, produced by Sam Clayton Jr, and Stephen Stewart in 2009. They were the only Jamaican act selected to perform at WOMEX '09, and did a n extensive European tour after. This was no co-incidence or great brainwave on his part, and we must give credit where it's due.

Peter Dean Rickards
10/1/2010

Yes , yes! "Mento" versions of third rate pop songs are such a great example of 'Jamaican creativity.'
What would we do without Geejams?!

Trevor Dawes
10/1/2010

I'm glad someone has the temerity to speak the truth regarding the state of reggae/dancehall music these days. While one need not issue a blanket criticism of reggae artistes, it's also fair to say the quality of the music being put out by a lot of these artistes leaves a whole lot to be desired. With the exception of a handful of artistes, the quality of reggae music production and the artistes singing the songs are dreadful.

Wharf Dawg
10/1/2010

Shame on you Mr Baker for speaking the truth so eloquently...
Don't you know it hurts?

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No creativity - Baker blasts stagnation in J'can pop music