On a continued quest to ensure that Guyanese music is recognized worldwide, Kross Kolor Records is set to spearhead and launch a network that it believes will set the way forward for Guyana and Guyanese musicians.
The company owned and managed by long time veteran Burchmore Simon has over the years played a major role in the entertainment arena in Guyana, contributing to the high standard quality of music being produced in the country to date.
The Guyana Music Network, a Kross Kolor Records initiative, is the first step designed to change the way we look at The music industry in Guyana and to reorganize and consolidate for its growth and commercialization.
Among the countries of the Caribbean Guyana cuts a lonely figure in the music industry. Over the years many attempts have been made to form and stabilise an organisation that would secure the affairs of musicians in the country all to no avail.
Even as studios have improved their equipment and engineers their skills, songwriters their writing and performers have upped their game, the music industry is almost non-existent.
There are no associations, no unions, no copyright society, absolutely nothing indicating that this industry is ready to rival any of our sister countries in the Caribbean much less farther afield. This state of affairs has resulted in frustration, poverty, and stagnation of an industry that has the potential to out sell rice, sugar and bauxite.
In other words, after decades of the likes of Jonny Braff, Mark Holder, The Yoruba Singers, Adrian Dutchin, Jumo Primo, Big Red, Fiona, The mighty Intruder, Celia Samaroo, Mighty Canary, Mighty Rebel, Charmaine Blackman, Dave Martins, Terry Gajraj, Joyce Harris, Bonny Alves, Keith Waithe and other stalwarts; and being ahead of the other Caribbean nations in the 50’s-60’s where music was concerned, we have been relegated to last position and struggling to survive.
One can agree that over the years our Guyanese artistes have faced many hardships; being disrespected by promoters who have constantly given them little or no preference when promoting events or not advertising them even if they are booked, or who want to pay little or nothing for their services; shunned by some djs who will play only foreign recordings 24/7 without playing a song from a Guyanese artiste, preferring to feed our children trash and feel good about it than aid in the positive development of their own.
The concept of the network is extremely simple, “han wash han, mek han clean”. The task is not impossible but it will call for hard work and dedication by all. We the stakeholders will have to start loving ourselves and what we produce. We also have to encourage others to love what we produce and supporting each other in all areas of the industry we can turn it around.
The introduction of the Guyana Music network will be done on Thursday 27th June, 2013 at the Umana Yana at 1730 hours. Come out and let’s stop blaming everyone else, let’s stop waiting for manna to fall from the sky, Self-sufficiency beats dependency any day.