UNESCO JOINS CME FOR 2003 EXPO

The Caribbean Music Expo will see a change in the format of its presentation this year. The organizers of the annual music business convention will be presenting a 10 day residential workshop for 20 professional Caribbean singers, songwriters, musicians and producers to be held from September 24 to October 4, 2003. This year’s event is being carried out under the UNESCO “ Artists in Development Creativity Workshop Programme”, funded by the Norwegian Government. Fifteen Jamaican artists chosen primarily from past CME Star Search Finalists and participants, will join five artists from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Dominica in a series of lectures and practical workshops.

In past years CME has consisted of several days of product expos and seminars featuring leaders of the Jamaican, Caribbean and US music industry, as well as performers including Shaggy, Mary J. Blige, Eddy Grant, Bounti Killa and Wayne Marshall.

An important feature has been the annual CME Star Search that has produced Abijah and Nadz and established their careers. In a survey conducted after CME2000, the organizers found that those who felt they benefited most from CME were the young people working and interested in music, whose choices influence the industry.

Thus the CME organizers decided to change the format this year to focus on the young artists who are blossoming in all sectors of Caribbean music. The event is specifically aimed at those whose productions may be excellent, but who lack the ability to circulate it beyond their own markets and to accommodate the latest trends. Many of these young artists produce and record their music digitally, utilizing the emerging technologies in video, audio, as well as website production.

The aim of the CME/UNESCO ‘Artists In Development’ workshop is to equip these young artists and music producers with tools to better manage their careers, present their music to labels and record companies, better understand how the music business works, and what is necessary to promote and produce their music. The Workshop aims at reducing the technology divide, through transfer of expertise and training. It will further their understanding of contract practices, copyrights and intellectual property issues. Ultimately, the challenge of each artist is to present his/her abilities in the best way for maximum benefit.

The Workshop which takes place at the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel in Jamaica will consist of morning lectures on aspects of the industry, followed by afternoon working sessions when artists will have opportunity to develop their works-in-progress. There will be case studies of performers Eddy Grant, Third World, Sean Paul-vs-Beenie Man, and Nadz, while evening recreation will include lectures and films on Caribbean music history and performances. A video team will film the Workshop to produce a documentary of the event.