By Teino Evans, Staff ReporterFIFTEEN ASPIRING songwriters attended the 2004 Songwriters Boot Camp, held from December 3-5 at the Starlight Chalet, Blue Mountains. The boot camp featured some of the music industry's top players and other professionals who gave of their time, knowledge and expertise.
Some of the presenters at the camp included producer Mickey Bennett, who spoke about the structure of music, rhymes and rhythms Steven Ventura, presented on the use of his digital audio workstation and Wayne Wright from JAMPRO looked at publishing.
PIVOTAL TO ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR
According to Marjorie Scott-Whiley, organiser of the boot camp, "over the years, the workshop has created an awareness in songwriting and was pivotal to the entertainment sector, because you can't have songs and music without songwriters."
Whiley said that usually, from the camp programme, a minimum of six good songs come each year, but what was lacking was the support from the industry itself.
This year, the Songwriter's Boot Camp has seen a marked improvement in terms of its support, as two scholarships were awarded to participants in the JCDC Popular and Gospel Song finals, with an additional option of publishing their work with the North Star Media Company in Los Angeles, California.
The two scholarships were awarded to Popular Song Finalist 2004 Phillip Watkis for his song Bless Our souls Jah and Gospel finalist, Lisa Johnson for her entry Wings Around My Heart.
"We had a relationship with The North Star Media and they (the awardees of the scholarship) will have the choice of submitting material to this publishing Company," Ms. Scott-Whiley said. "The songwriter's guild that supported the workshop will also be having some monthly activities, where they will be having a forum where we will be bringing together people who are in need of songwriters. Songwriting is a craft and we want it to be recognised and appropriately linked to the relevant people in the business," Ms. Scott-Whiley explained.
Also, come next January, Ms. Scott-Whiley said the Fontaine Talent Agency will be coming back to Jamaica to offer developmental contracts. "This confirms my opinion of the recently held Performing Arts Olympics, that once you go there prepared, there are opportunities, as persons are always looking for material that they can use," she said.
