Heavenly Belize, coffee table book, now digital

Heavenly Belize was first released in December of 2009. It is first publication of aerial photographs of the jewel and now it is also the first to be released in digital form. This morning, at the Radisson, the photographer Marious Jovaisa, also launched a song that accompanies the online format of Heavenly Belize. News Five Isani Cayetano was on hand.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

While many have flown commercially over the Jewel and marveled at its lush vistas there has not been a publication that features Belize primarily from an aerial perspective.  That was until Lithuanian photographer Marius Jovaisa flew over and fell in love with what he saw.  Jovaisa’s passion for this hidden destination by air culminated in the launch of Heavenly Belize in 2009.

Marius Jovaisa, Photographer

marius jovaisa

“I decided I would make a book, something to depict the beauty of the country and since my genre of photography which I like the most is aerial pictures and I saw some people who have some light aircrafts available for rent I decided I would fly all over the country making the shots of the Maya ruins, of the swamps, of the forests, and you know, the islands and all that.”

It is indeed a pictorial of the many places and faces that are native to our Homeland by the Sea and to spruce things up for its internet release an accompanying song was written and performed by a team of local artists.  That number which debuted today at the Radisson is the brainchild of Joint Project, a trio of musicians who wowed Jovaisa on their first take of the images’ soundtrack.

alexis milan

Alexis Milan, Songwriter and Performer

“It wasn’t too hard because when we met Aras and Marius they gave us, they told us exactly what it is that they were looking for and so we just, when we sat down and we started making the instrumental we [uhm] we started brainstorming on ideas and we had a copy of the book so we were looking at the book to get inspiration and images.”

Marius Jovaisa

“I was surprised by the quality, especially about the whole concept of the music, the melody and the lyrics.  It goes so well with the pictures that I took and now it’s available to everybody on the internet and youtube and there is also a special electronic edition of the book for the Apple fans.  On the Apple Itunes Store you can get it and the Heavenly Belize application [is] specially made with lots of extra material that is not included on the picture in printed version.”

The aim is to cross promote this audiovisual marvel; to showcase the images taken by Jovaisa and to provide international exposure for these up and coming artists.  Ultimately however, Belize will benefit most from this marriage of talents.

jarreth gault

Jarreth Gault, Songwriter and Performer

“Right now ih di gi wi wah lotta exposure because dis song right ya soh wah be one ah di first video we ever di participate eena to.  I think ih good fu we as a group because everything more or less di get stable and yeah you know, [ih di] go fu we way so I guess everything alright right now and I love weh di happen eena di music bizniz.”

Marius Jovaisa

“I think that I am going to continue my adventures here in Belize for a long $time to come and it’s a beautiful country. I just love to be here!”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano