AFTER more than 30 years as a professional guitarist, Seretse Small is ready to retire.

“I wish I could do it sooner,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Paid performances seem to be the only thing he will be abandoning, since Small intends to host a series of seminars at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts this summer.

The music management workshops are intended to morph into full-fledged courses next year.

Small, who has hosted a series of live music events through his company, Griot Music, said he intends to help turn the focus on distribution and publishing.

“Outlets are now available for young talent,” he said, “we now need to focus on getting more product to market.”

But the packaging of that product eludes many local artistes, he said.

“A lot of artistes are recording songs that are not useful to an audience. With what’s going on in the world, we can’t expect to break into an international market singing about legalising weed,” he said.

“In many parts of the US, it’s already legal for medicinal use so an audience is not going to connect with that song. It serves no purpose.”

He said artistes should recognise the importance of image and a strong connection with audiences.

“Nobody does music anymore,” he chuckled. “Only old fogies like me do music. Nowadays it’s all about your image and how useful that is to an audience.”

In the meantime, the local Global Battle of the Bands franchise holder is working with winner of the Jamaican leg, Di Blueprint, as they prepare to head for Romania later this month to compete against bands from 16 countries.

“I love their music,” he said. “They have a very sophisticated sound but we’re still working on ways for them to connect more with the average listener.”