MUSIC producer, Carlo Less is a guardian of Jamaica’s underground reggae music scene; bravely holding on to all that is great about the original genre embraced the world over.

It is that burning passion that Less brought to the award-winning feature-length documentary, RiseUp as its Associate Producer, in a process that unfolded over a five-year period.

RiseUp follows the lives of three aspiring artistes struggling to pursue their dreams in Jamaica’s competitive underground music scene; a new world to which the film’s director, Argentina-born Luciano Blotta was introduced to by Less. “Carlo was invaluable to me as a foreigner. It was primarily through him that I learned about the island,” noted Blotta. Besides, he is one of RiseUp’s on-screen presences, sharing his extensive knowledge of Jamaica and its music.

Less can be likened to a quiet storm in Jamaica’s music industry, having produced Turbulence’ mega-hit, Notorious which propelled the artiste to international stardom. Through his label, GMB Records, Less is producing the creations of artistes who were involved in RiseUp. “Ras Haile Malekot’s album, Who is Rastafari is now being mastered in London, while much work is being done on Kemoy Reid’s debut album, which will be an outstanding work of art,” boasted Less.

The Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts alum is buoyed about the contribution RiseUp has made and will continue to make to Jamaica’s fledging film industry. “RiseUp, Better Mus Come by Storm Saulter and cult classics such as The Harder They Come and Rockers have shown that we can create our own film industry here, rather than getting excited whenever an overseas film company shoots some scenes on the island. Music has already done the public relations for us, and people need to see what the sound represents, and that is what films are about,” Less pointed out.

Less stressed that film is an untapped industry in Jamaica, and expressed gratitude to the Executive Producer of RiseUp, Mark Hart, for having the courage to put his resources behind the documentary.

RiseUp premieres in Jamaica on October 26 at the historic Carib Cinema in Kingston and opens in theatres islandwide the following day.