If there is any substance to this rumour then it is going to definitely have a major positive impact for local music and for our artists making a decent living at home all year round.
A President, A Viking and 50% Local- Differentology?
Posted on Mar 19 2013 - 1:22pm Amid talk of plans by Trinidad and Tobago’s government to mandate that all radio stations on the island play 50% local music, the country yesterday swore in its fifth President since it acquired Republican status in 1976. It was a big day for the country – a day that possibly symbolised change with the inauguration of a new President whose background in the criminal justice system will hopefully augur well for the heightened crime statistics reported over the years. Amid the pomp and pageantry at the Hasley Crawford Stadium on Monday however, something was noted by the E-BUZZ team, something quite ironic really. Something different!
Two days prior to the swearing in of the new president, the armed forces, dignitaries and the population bid farewell to former President, George Maxwell Richards. Toward the end of the ceremony at the Queen’s Park Savannah, a parade of national security personnel vigorously marched to Ragga Soca artiste, Bunji Garlin’s 2013 hit single, Differentology- a song done with the accompaniment of local rock band, Orange Sky’s leading man, Nigel Rojas on guitar throughout the season. For local music, it meant something. It meant that the higher authorities were in tuned to the population and what they responded to- maybe more than they had expected.
Two days later, the situation repeated itself at the Hasley Crawford Stadium. Again, as the national security officials marched off the grounds, Differentology echoed across the foreshore of West Trinidad. For Bunji Garlin, it was more humbling than words could explain. “I feel very humbled by it all. I am very happy that I was able to create a song that could be used for any occasion. That should be the goal of music. I feel blessed to have had this happen in my lifetime,” he said. The artiste who spoke with us this morning, merely a few days after laying his elder brother to rest, told us that his mother had a dream some 10 years ago and in that dream, she had heard his music being played for kings and dignitaries. “That must have been what she had dreamt,” said Garlin.
Overseas, Differentology – a piece of music created by well known producer, Sherif in Trinidad, was played at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami on the weekend. This morning, Bunji quaintly made mention of it, saying that he was really happy about the direction things were going in. Meanwhile, not to be outdone, another of Bunji’s hits, the 2012 single Tun Up is turning heads overseas. The song was re-done by Jus Now- a two man production team comprising Trinidad’s very own LAZAbeam. The Vibe Magazine, in a short excerpt wrote, “ Nervous Records stays ahead of the curve by leaping across the globe and snagging duo, Jus Now. With a genre-defying sound, “Tun Up” shoots turnt-up bass into the sonic g-spot; and it feels so good. Jus Now (consisting of Bristol based DJ-producer, Interface, and Trinidadian percussionist-producer, LAZAbeam) is going to be a “must-watch” act this year.”
Even with so much going on in his personal life and career, Bunji has been keeping an ear out, listening to the decision makers in Trinidad. He’s heard about moves to have local music given 50% airplay on local frequencies. He told us he didn’t understand, in his youth, what a move like that would mean, but now he does. “I have gotten to realise how important something like this is. My only question now is what standards will define the quality of content that will play?”
Garlin said this is about the customer and consumer affairs, highlighting that you just cannot sell what a consumer doesn’t want to buy “no matter how much you pretty it up.” Optimistic still, the artiste said the move could stimulate the industry but called for there to be responsible people at all points involved- people who could help in offering something substantial for the growth of the industry. “We will need to have quality writing and production… this poses a challenge. This is a gateway that is opening for us all to explore the opportunities. We may not reap the benefits now but we need to work on it now so that generations to come, will benefit.”
