"I'M SORRY if I'm boring you but I have no trauma to report," said Pam Hall to the small gathering, which was at less than rapt attention.
Hall was the keynote speaker at the 'Women in Reggae' forum at the inter-faculty lecture theatre, University of the West Indies, Mona, St. Andrew on Friday evening.
The forum was put together by the Reggae Studies Unit in association with the Jamaica Association of Female Artistes (JAFA) in celebration of 'International Women's Month'. The panel also featured Shirley McClean, Dianne Jobson and Italee, with Sandra Joy Alcott, president of JAFA, chairing the event. Friday's gathering was the third such forum, the first of which was held three years ago.
FAIL TO APPEAR
Though the evening went along fairly well, it did not completely live up to the planned event. First Elise Kelly, one of the scheduled panellists, failed to appear, as did the bass player from the Omega band. As a result most of the performances were accompanied by Ibo Cooper on keyboard and Ricardo Thomas on drums.
Hall's keynote address largely centred on her own love for music. "Talking is not my thing," she explained. "So, after my horror stricken reaction to Ibo's (Cooper) request, I decided to brave it."
Hall addressed the audience after Jobson and McClean. Jobson, who was Bob Marley's lawyer, told very little about herself, instead focusing on importance of the Rastafari message to the reggae icon. McClean, on the other hand, noted that the message behind her music is also very important to her.
Hall therefore broke the trend when she declared that to her, music was all important. "It might sound blasphemous, but I am in the music business because of music," she said. "I don't see myself as a prophetess."
EMPOWERED BY TECHNOLOGY
She explained that with music being all important, she has been able to continue to love her work. One of those being empowered by technology, Hall explained how getting over her "love and fear" relationship with her computer, is allowing her to be even more involved in her chosen art.
Hall said that her love for music has driven her to explore all genres. "I don't care who wants to put me in a box, I refuse to stay there," she said to the amused audience.
Shirley McClean informed the audience that she too has been able to sustain her love for music while working in the industry. While recording songs when inspiration takes hold of her, McClean also holds down a regular job as an accountant. She explained that she can feel no ill will toward the men in the industry as they have been supportive of her endeavours.
The youngest of the group, Italee, was the last to address the audience. She promptly informed them that her message was one of empowerment. What it contained was how she journeyed from the stage name 'Rude' to using her given name 'Italee'. Though the journey was supposedly guided by her brief stint in the world of poetry, now she has returned to music. Unlike her previous persona 'Rude', now Italee is striving to be a rock artiste. Her appearance oozed the budding rock persona with her shaggy hair, wrist studs and skin-tight black jeans which barely clung to her hips. According to Italee, she had decided to leave the reggae world when she realised that being 'Rude' was not being true to herself.
Following her speech, Italee sang three of her new songs, which were received with rousing applause by the audience.
