Photo contributed. Lloyd Stanbury, entertainment lawyer, music business consultant and author of 'REGGAE ROADBLOCKS: A Music Business Development Perspective.' |
By Neil Armstrong
Organizers of the
second annual Canadian Reggae Music Conference (CRMC) say it will address
issues that contribute to the building of the reggae music industry in Ontario.
The inaugural
conference was held last August at York University as part of Rastafest,
Canada’s largest celebration of Rastafarian heritage and culture.
This year’s event
will bring together musicians, entertainment lawyers, promoters, producers,
publicists, funding agents and more in presentations and discussions at Metro
Hall in downtown Toronto on April 27 and 28.
Masani Montague, founder
of Rastafest, says the inspiration for the Canadian Reggae Music Conference
came about while attending the Jamaica Music Conference in 2016.
“I found the wealth
of knowledge and information on the reggae music industry to be very
rewarding. While brainstorming with Lloyd Stanbury in Jamaica about
the reggae music industry the idea for the CRMC in Toronto was created.”
Stanbury, an
entertainment attorney and music business consultant, is hailed as a Caribbean
pioneer in the field of entertainment law.
In August 2017, he was
awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica for service to
the music entertainment and media industries.
His expertise and
experience span a wide range of related activities in the entertainment
industry, including the practice of law, artist management, music production,
event promotion, research, creative industries policy development, and
lecturing.
Stanbury started his
journey in the business of music in 1983 when he organized and presented the
Sly and Robbie 10th anniversary concert in Kingston, Jamaica.
His impact on the
international music scene began in 1990 with his role as co-founder and
vice-chairman of the world’s first all-Reggae radio station, IRIE-FM,
established in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
The veteran
consultant, who was the keynote speaker at the CRMC in 2017, says the
idea to stage the annual Canadian Reggae Music Conference in Toronto is an
excellent one.
He says Montague should be
applauded for her commitment to this initiative, but like many conference
projects, the inaugural CRMC suffered from the inexperience of the organizers.
Masani Montague, founder of the Canadian Reggae Music Conference and the annual Rastafest, which celebrates its 18th anniversary in the summer. |
“I think there is need for an
experienced conference manager for the Canadian Reggae Music Conference,” he
says, noting that emphasis should be placed on pre-event publicity and the
tight running of the daily activities during the conference.
Last year a few sessions were
cancelled at the last minute, some invited speakers were not able to deliver their
presentations and the turnout was less than it should be, he notes.
For the second conference,
Stanbury is hoping that the issues that had a negative impact on the outcome of
the inaugural event will be addressed.
He also hopes that the reggae
music community in and around Toronto will come out to learn and network.
“Properly organized and
presented annual music conferences are a tried and proven means of music
industry development globally. I am hoping that persons in the Canadian reggae
music community will use the Canadian Reggae Music Conference as an industry
developmental tool, and work in partnership with the local state and private
agencies that support development of the arts and culture sector,” he says.
In 1999, Stanbury established
the Caribbean Music Expo (CME), and served as executive chairman.
Between 1999 and 2004, the CME
held a series of international music business conventions and training
workshops which resulted in the participation of hundreds of musicians, music
and media business representatives, and organizations from more than forty
countries.
As the keynote speaker again at the CRMC, Stanbury will
participate in a one-on-one interview and question and answer session that will
be focused on his book "REGGAE ROADBLOCKS, A Music Business Development
Perspective."
Published by Abeng Press in 2015, the book’s objective is to
“generate relevant discussions and facilitate new thinking and approaches to
address the various challenges faced by creative, technical and management
practitioners of Reggae inside and outside of Jamaica.”
“I hope to use my session at this year's conference to share
the experiences I gained and the lessons learned from working as a researcher,
consultant and representative of reggae music business practitioners around the
world,” says Stanbury.
His consultancy services include research and presentations
to and on behalf of Jamaican, and international entities, such as the
Government of Jamaica; the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat,
Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and more.
The conference will address issues such
as the influence that reggae producers/promoters in Ontario have on the music
industry; the contribution of
reggae festivals in the province to the music industry;
and explore how reggae
musicians/artists contribute to the cultural media industry.
It will also examine global trends
in the music industry and their impact on the reggae music industry.
There are plans to develop a
5-year action plan for the Canadian Reggae music industry.
Among
the participants at this year’s conference are: Kwasi Bonsu, entertainment
lawyer and founding member of the Jamaica Music Conference; singers Nadine
Sutherland, Jay Douglas, Donna Makeda and Michie Mee; media personalities Ron
Nelson, Sweet T and more.
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