Musicians meet to plot business strategy
Over the long weekend Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires will be doing their thing at the Belize City Centre, San Pedro and Cayo…but this year in addition to making music, leading band members are working with local musicians to advance their skills…not on the stage but in the boardroom.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Musicians from across the country came to the seminar to see what steps can be taken to protect them and their music, as well as strengthen the industry. Although the concerns are not new and have been expressed numerous times by the musicians, they have yet to come together into a viable organisation.
Andy Palacio, Musician
“Musicians are a very large community in Belize and these attempts have been geared at organising all types of Belizean artists: painters, writers, sculptors, craftsmen and the likes. I don’t think that is going to work. This has been going on for a very long time and until we realise that musicians as a community can come together and make certain decisions, we are not going to have any successes.”
But the music industry did reach a milestone when earlier this year the copyright law came into effect.
Glenn Tillett
“The copyright law, like all laws work, period. It’s there on the books and anybody who feels aggrieved or feels like they have been taken advantage of can use the law. But for you to use the law to help develop the industry and to help regulate the industry, there must be an association just like you would have in any other industry.
It’s not for the government to form a copyright association. What you call a copyright association is actually a society of musicians, artists, authors, composers, et cetera, and they should form themselves into that. When they do through affiliation with international bodies, then they can begin to regulate their industry and collect their royalties.”
Neville Hinds, Musical Director, Byron Lee
“The musicians are hurting. Speaking with them, they are afraid. There is a lot of potential, but if you have musicians who are afraid of releasing their product because they are fearful of piracy and stuff, then the whole music industry will not benefit. So that aspect of it need to be addressed; the protection of the musicians under the copyright act and the enforcement of such a copyright act.”
The Byron Lee Musicians Seminar discussed other issues ranging from what constitutes a music industry, to how unions can help develop it.
Bro David, Artist
“If the unions like the P.S.U., or any other union that is much more organised in more ways than one, and have more economics to deal with, have more facilities to do the things we need to do, that will really help us. We never did look at it from that angle. So I hope that the unions consider it. And not only that, I myself will take steps now to go and talk to a couple of unions and put it to them and see what would be their interest.”
Byron Lee says the Jamaican music industry has had its share of problems, but managed to forge ahead after its government included Jamaican music in its tourism promotion package.
Byron Lee, Musician
“The Jamaica Tourist Board uses the music of reggae to promote. Anybody in the tourist area has sand, sea, sun, but few of them have the music. So when the tourist comes to Jamaica–we have one point six million tourists visiting Jamaica–they all go back with memories of the beach, memories of the sand and memories of the music by buying a CD. So I would say to the government to Belize, please include that in your tourist promotions.”
The concept is one the musicians say would like to see adopted in Belize. They as well would like to see more local support from Belizeans and the media.
Naphi, Jazz Musician
“From I was growing up, Belize has been a place where all music play. So that has developed, a lot of artists have developed different styles. It may not be Punta, it might not be reggae, it may be bridges from those music. So now we have to embrace the totality of Belize music.”
Byron Lee
“And I think also for the people of Belize, you must support you local acts. Not only performances, but you have got to buy their CDs, you have to let their producers feel that there is investment in it. They are putting investment in it, so they must re-coop that investment. And the only way is if the local people can go out and buy CDs.”
Besides trying to capture a Belizean audience, the musicians would also like to share their music with the rest of the Caribbean. Ironically, it’s one market they say they have not really tried to access.
Andy Palacio
“I know of a trade show that is held in Montego Bay every year to market Caribbean music. We have never attended that trade show before, and as a result, we have never had any access to the Caribbean market.
They have access to our market. Morgan Heritage comes to Belize, Byron lee and the Dragonnaires comes to Belize, Square One. And yet very seldom do you hear of anyone from Belize going out to the Caribbean. As a matter of fact we probably don’t….get air play.”
The musicians were encouraged to learn the rules and laws governing the music industry and to form an association and decide how best they can, as a group, protect their rights. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
Byron Lee is one of those rare musicians who has acquired a well deserved reputation as a savvy business manager.
