Seretse's passion for his music is embodied in this photo as he lovingly holds the guitar.
Tanya Batson-Savage, Staff Reporter
THE SUNDAY Gleaner meets Seretse Small in what is soon to be his former apartment. The place is littered with remnants of his life there, much of which speak to the kind of person he is. Along with some furniture, artwork is still on the wall and stacks of CDs are yet to be packed.
As the city streets of Kingston are teeming with noonday life, a constant breeze blows on the slopes of Beverly Hills, cooling down what had seemed like an intolerably hot afternoon. Although Beverly Hills merely looks down or over on the rest of Kingston, its quietness makes it seem miles removed.
Seretse Small has already made his name in Jamaica as a very talented jazz musician. Recently, however, he has been cutting his teeth on another musical genre... dancehall. He laughingly points out that while he is already an 'adult' in the Caribbean jazz world, he is only a 'teenager' in the dancehall universe. Even so, he is quite ready to explore the genre some more.
His exposure to the intoxicating beats which have been rocking Jamaica for over two decades and storming the United States Billboard charts of late came through the new leader of the pack, Sean Paul. Small has been touring with mister 'Dutty-Yeah' for the last several months as a part of 'the Sean Paul Band', which also features Rupert Bent and Richie Folks.
However, rather than seeing dancehall as his pay cheque and jazz as the real music, Seretse is trying to combine both genres. The results can be seen at the next 'Griot Music Presents' which will feature Seretse and the Sean Paul Band. The concert is slated for Sunday, September 21, at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, University of the West Indies, Mona.
According to Small, much of the music which will be played at the concert came out of sound checks and rehearsals from the tour. "It's really jazz musicians playing dancehall and having fun with it," he explained.
While some of Jamaica's top jazz musicians such as Monty Alexander have blended reggae and jazz, especially through the works of Bob Marley, the focus on dancehall is not as prevalent.
This is not particularly surprising, since dancehall has not been granted legitimacy by everyone in the music fraternity. Small has no problem seeing dancehall as music, however. "Music is an expression of life through sound," Small argued. He said that anyone who attempts to argue that dancehall is not music is attempting to 'invalidate' the lives expressed in the form.
By now the topic has quite engaged his imagination and the musician in him springs to the fore. Whenever he needs to explain a rhythm, which is often, he either plucks an 'air guitar' or plays the piano on the table, while 'scatting' the necessary rhythm.
Small points out that in touring with Sean Paul he has been kept in constant contact with the latest rhythms, which has made him realise just how complex they can be. "Take the Diwali, for example," he says. "It is a fabulous piece of rhythm." He then goes on to explain how the rhythm marries Mento beats and eastern music (with the table as his willing assistant). "It shows that the people creating this kind of music are not idiots," he says.
Additionally, Small says that he is able to see links between jazz and dancehall. "I see a great connection between dancehall and jazz, historically and rhythmically." Small says. "It's (dancehall) a fabulous piece of improvisational art," he continues to explain his assertion of the rhythmic similarities. According to Small, the deejay's improvised rhythmic sound comes from jazz scatting.
Although his upcoming show will reflect his continuing romance with Caribbean jazz and his growing respect for dancehall, it does not completely encompass Small's work in music. Griot Music continues to be an important element, but only a part, of his work.
He points out that a major aspect of the entity is publishing and the group is working toward an international approach. According to Small, this is another beneficial spin-off from touring with Sean Paul. He remarks that he has been brought into contact with many persons, from producers to owners of venues, who will be relevant to the growth of Griot Music.
Additionally, an eight-event season of Griot Music Presents is also in the works. In 2002, Griot Music presented a five-month series, also at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies' Mona campus, St Andrew. Each month, the area of the centre dubbed 'The Round' was transformed into a stage and a group of musicians thrilled the gathering which surrounded them.
The series had begun with 'The Lover Within', which focused on Small's development as a musician. The series ended in June with a tribute to Desi Jones. The Desi Jones tribute brought a fabulous close to the series, featuring performances by Mutabaruka, Peter Ashbourne, Wayne Armond, and Marjorie Whylie, who also regaled the audiences with anecdotes about Jones.
According to Small, this is the format that the next season of Griot Music Presents will follow. He says that the season will focus on the lives of persons such as Mutabaruka and Dean Frazer. Each night will also feature the artiste in performance, who will also select the persons who are a part of the show.
Small adds that the nights will be very thematic, with every aspect of the event, not just what is on-stage, reflecting the life of the artiste being celebrated.
So far Seretse's music, his original compositions and interpretations of older work, has met with much appreciation. It therefore remains to be seen if he can again weave magic when he jazzes with the drum and bass of dancehall.
