Macka Diamond. emerged from the ashes of Lady Mackerel and staked her claim

And so it was in the year of the Drop Leaf that an artiste who sought the benefit of a name change would glisten in the realm of raunchiness. Yes, Macka Diamond emerged from the ashes of Lady Mackerel and staked her claim to being one of the hottest acts to grace the scene in 2004.

Miss Ting, who was purring for the "Dude with the "wickedest slam", was flying high on the international airwaves until her encounter with the stork. The question now is whether she will gain that momentum in 2005 which made her one of the promising new acts for 2004?

Tanya Stephens. Gangsta Blues has placed her among the best songwriters to come out of this island

Among the other ladies to gain some prominence in 2004 were Kris Kelly and Tami Chin, both of whom will work well in an age increasingly driven by video promotion. Tanya Stephens gave us Gangsta Blues, one of the best efforts of the year certainly in terms of lyrical content. And although the album has not been an instant best-seller it is safe to bet that it will be in demand for some time to come. Gangsta Blues has certainly placed Tanya among the best songwriters to come out of this island.

Who says you have to be original to be successful? Well, Rising Stars, a local spin-off of the popular American Idol, clearly demonstrates that the audience doesn't really care whose idea it is as long as it executed properly. Rising Stars was a major hit in Jamaica and we look forward to the new season with Anthony Miller cast as the local avatar of Simon Cowell. Digicel certainly picked a winner in this one. The marketing muscle of this international telecommunications outfit certainly carried the day.

Congratulations are certainly in order for Heather Shields and Harry Smith; you really came good on this one.

I believe Cavan and the other prize winners are in good hands with the Gee Jam outfit. Jon Baker knows his way around the international music scene. Jon, the wise man that he is, has noted that there are no guarantees in the music industry. One can have the greatest management, the best record company and the finest album and still flop. There is that factor called luck which often plays havoc with the best laid plans.

Downsound Records seems to have finally come into its own on the recording side of the business. The success of Fantan Moja and the strong presence of DYCR have made the operations headed by American-born Josef Bogdanovich finally seem as if it is ready for the big times. Josef has invested heavily in the music with few tangible returns.

Things are looking up for him, and it is justly deserved. I had the opportunity of visiting Trinidad late last year for a meeting of the Regional Negotiating Machinery and returned with the feeling that enough imagination has not been invested in finding creative ways of financing Caribbean cultural projects.

While I must confess that I was certainly impressed with the ingenuity of some of our entrepreneurs present at the conference who have been able to compete internationally with the best in such areas as publishing. I left Trinidad with the feeling that our financial sector has experienced a total failure of the imagination, at least as it relates to the financingof cultural projects. Such Caribbean-based publications as She and Maco can match the quality of the very best magazines of their kind in the world.

Nadz and Abdel Wright have shown that one does not have to fit neatly in a box to succeed. By the conventional method of record sales, neither of these two artistes would have been considered to have made a considerable significant impact, yet both of them made an impression internationally. Abdel, a virtual unknown, was signed to Interscope and has been securing international performances alongside some of the biggest names in music including U2.

Nadz, who works mainly out of Europe where she is very busy has been making a name for herself, has already had two of her songs placed in movie soundtracks. Nadz has been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame and Mick Jagger. For those who might have forgotten, Nadz's music appeared on the soundtracks of Alfie and the Tomb Raiders.

I went down to Barbados earlier in 2004, where I witnessed a performance by Toni Norville and her band and was literally blown away by their presentation. Toni is slated to be in Jamaica for the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.
Speaking of which, the festival which has very little of either jazz or blues, sure does have great music. I am certainly looking forward to the 2005 staging of this wonderful event. The Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues is not just a festival, it's an unforgettable experience.

In looking back on the year past we always try to play the role of the seer, making bold predictions about trends which will emerge. I believe this is a fool's errand. I certainly see some acts which, ceteris paribus, to use a little Latin, could make a major impact in 2005. Among these is certainly Queen Ifrica, who is one of the few female voices of consciousness crying in the wilderness. She has good lines and quite a presence.
Last year I encountered a young artiste out of New York called J Life. He has a velvety- smooth voice and seems as comfortable handling an R&B ballad as he is doing a lovers' rock. He is also an incredible writer and I look forward to hearing great things from him and his Jones Town label mates, particularly deejay Hell Raizor.

There are some young producers who could emerge forcefully on the scene this year. Marlon Piranha Cooke could be one such. I heard a combination of Sean Paul and Nina Sky that he produced and it is certainly banging. One should also give an eye to Raymond Ledgister's Shoe Lane label which could be one of the brighter prospects for 2005.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World