Though he announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 28 four years ago, singer/guitarist Omari Banks is still identified with sports by many people in the Caribbean.
These days, the lanky Banks is more keen to discuss guitar heroes like Carlos Santana and Neal Schon than the sport he left behind. He was in Jamaica last week, promoting System Set, a self-produced song he recently released.
Like his previous songs, System Set is a reggae number with elements of rhythm and blues. While many artistes shy away from labels, Banks has no problems with being tagged.
“Sometimes it’s necessary because it’s important to establish your brand to leverage your marketing power,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
The last year has been Banks’s busiest. He toured Europe as opening act for Morgan Heritage on their Strictly Roots Tour and released his debut album, Move On.
Prior to recording System Set, he performed at the SXSW multimedia conference in Austin, Texas, and Moonsplash in his native Anguilla. At the latter, he was joined onstage by his father, Banky Banks, a music legend in that British dependent.
Banks also received favourable reviews from the Huffington Post and the New York Times. He is quick to point out that he is not looking for a breakout hit with System Set.
“ No Point To Prove (with Peetah Morgan) did really well in Germany and other parts of Europe.
Jehovah Message was popular in the EC (Eastern Caribbean) so I don’t pressure myself about hit songs. The important thing is that the music reach the people,” he said.
Omari Banks had a satisfactory international career with the West Indies, playing 10 Tests and five One Day Internationals as a bowling all-rounder. At the first class level, he turned out for the Leeward Islands in regional competition and Somerset in the English County Championship.
Despite an encouraging 2011 season, he called time on his cricket career in early 2012 to focus on music.
“I scored most runs and took most wickets for my team but I didn’t get selected for the (West Indies) ‘A’ Team tour or by another team, so I thought it was probably the right time look forward,” said Banks.
Having been around music through his father, a career in entertainment seemed natural. The semi-autobiographical Move On summed up his transition from cricket to music.
Banks is preparing to tour with another high profile reggae act soon. He is also working on new songs with Jamaican producers Clive Hunt and Kirk Bennett.