By Mark Dawes,
Staff Reporter
Jon Williams - Contributed
IF THERE is a computer in heaven, and one double-clicked on the name 'Jon Williams', a prompt would appear with the word 'musician'.
Acclaimed for his proficiency in the reggae, jazz, classical and other genres, Mr. Williams is in demand as a performer, composer, producer and seminar/workshop leader.
He has penned thousands of songs and musical pieces. These include many of the popular advertising jingles heard on radio and television. In February, he released a new album, A Time to Build, which contains songs that "chart the course of my spiritual journey." It is his second solo album. The first, First Fruit was released in the 1990s.
BIRTHED WITH MUSIC
But, did he choose music, or did music choose him? Or is it both? Mr. Williams said: "I was birthed with music. I believe that is what God ordained and he predestined me to be a musician."
A born-again Christian since his teens, he won a scholarship in 1980 to the Royal College of Music in England. The scholarship was awarded after he earned distinctions in performance at Grade Eight Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams in piano and violin.
While there, he found the time to write a musical score for a ballet company; and to form a jazz band which performed at many venues, including the Royal Festival Hall.
On his return to Jamaica, he taught briefly at the Jamaica School of Music and at Excelsior High School. But his calling was for music production, which he does on a full-time basis through his company, Almond Productions.
ANSWERING THE CALL
Jon, 40, regularly performs at both gospel shows, and secular music
concerts notably jazz. Amazingly, he professes no recollection of ever being confronted by church folk on his straddling of the two music domains. But he is not naive enough to think that he is without his critics for his stance. He stresses: "The Word says we need to be in the world but we are not governed by its ways. If you ask any musician who knows me, he or she would say, 'Jon is a child of God'."
Gleaner: Are there too many gospel concerts happening in Jamaica these days?
Williams: It may be an issue of quantity versus quality. Unfortunately, some people say more is good, less is bad. I believe there is more of something, but what is it? Is it doing the job? I assume that the gospel concerts are there for a
purpose to continue to carry the message of God. But are the many gospel concerts working? Personally, I don't think so. I just read in my paper, the murder rate is way up. Something is not going through. I don't know how to answer you.
Gleaner: Why is it that Jamaica's gospel artistes can't seem to make it big internationally, like secular artistes such as Shaggy and Sean Paul?
Williams: It took our dancehall artistes some time to make it. Our gospel music industry is still pretty young in comparison to the popular/secular genre. Slowly it is coming up
I mean you hear like a Kirk Franklin doing something with a Papa San. I believe, based on the direction that pop music is going, there is going to be a (greater) acceptance of Jamaica's Gospel music.
CARVING OUT A NAME
He spoke of his happiness that many formerly secular musicians have embraced the Christian faith and are carving out a name as gospel artistes. "My only concern," he said, "is that they are properly discipled." He argued that if they are properly discipled they will be more effective in their quest to influence minds and other musicians.
Jon grew up at the East Queen Street Baptist Church in Kingston. For the last three years, he has been worshipping at the Kingdom Life Advancement Centre which is led by Pastor Regmond Fernandez and which meets at Dunrobin Plaza, in Kingston. He holds no ill will towards his former church home. But in his
journey of faith, he sensed the need to worship at a church that in his mind
gave greater exposition to the biblical idea of the Kingdom of God.
BE BORN AGAIN
"I read in the Bible where it says you must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, a lot of people just stop at the Good News 'You must be born again.' I was on a path to find out more about this Kingdom because this is what Christ sent me to go and preach. So I found Pastor Regmond Fernandez. When we spoke initially, that is all he was about the Kingdom. I said, you are what I am looking for. In my life, my priority is not my job. My priority is doing what God instructs me to do to seek the Kingdom of God, learning its values, learning what makes up the Kingdom," Mr. Williams said.
After more than 20 active years of producing and performing around Jamaica, Jon is a senior spokesman for the music industry. He sees as part of his mission the bringing together of musicians to help them better appreciate their role and responsibilities to God and to listeners.
"Generally, music is amoral. It is not only a collection of tones. The word 'music' comes from the word 'muse'. It (music) is the only vehicle that is invisible. But you feel its effects. It can invade your thoughts. It is a powerful tool. Those who have this power are entrusted with the
responsibility to manage it well. So for me, understanding
that God has given to me the talent for music, I am ensuring that what I put in that music for people is managed properly.
It has to be filled with stuff that builds people. In terms of the direction God is taking me, it is one of responsibility to ensure that what goes into that music is of me, from me and placed inside of it a determination to reach the heart of man.
I cannot put a song to music if I do not truly believe in it.
I must get the truth so I can accurately impart it to others."
Jon is married to Ann-Marie and they have three children ages ten, seven and four.
Send feedback to mark.dawes@gleanerjm.com
