Canadian Reggae Music Conference Focuses on Building Music Industry

Photo contributed.    Lloyd Stanbury, entertainment lawyer, music business consultant and author of 'REGGAE ROADBLOCKS: A Music Business Development Perspective.'

By Neil Armstrong

Organizers of the second annual Canadian Reggae Music Conference (CRMC) say it will address issues that contribute to the building of the reggae music industry in Ontario.

The inaugural conference was held last August at York University as part of Rastafest, Canada’s largest celebration of Rastafarian heritage and culture.

This year’s event will bring together musicians, entertainment lawyers, promoters, producers, publicists, funding agents and more in presentations and discussions at Metro Hall in downtown Toronto on April 27 and 28.

Masani Montague, founder of Rastafest, says the inspiration for the Canadian Reggae Music Conference came about while attending the Jamaica Music Conference in 2016.  

“I found the wealth of knowledge and information on the reggae music industry to be very rewarding.  While brainstorming with Lloyd Stanbury in Jamaica about the reggae music industry the idea for the CRMC in Toronto was created.”

Stanbury, an entertainment attorney and music business consultant, is hailed as a Caribbean pioneer in the field of entertainment law.

In August 2017, he was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica for service to the music entertainment and media industries.

His expertise and experience span a wide range of related activities in the entertainment industry, including the practice of law, artist management, music production, event promotion, research, creative industries policy development, and lecturing.

Stanbury started his journey in the business of music in 1983 when he organized and presented the Sly and Robbie 10^th anniversary concert in Kingston, Jamaica.

His impact on the international music scene began in 1990 with his role as co-founder and vice-chairman of the world’s first all-Reggae radio station, IRIE-FM, established in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

The veteran consultant, who was the keynote speaker at the CRMC in 2017, says the idea to stage the annual Canadian Reggae Music Conference in Toronto is an excellent one.

He says Montague should be applauded for her commitment to this initiative, but like many conference projects, the inaugural CRMC suffered from the inexperience of the organizers. 

Masani Montague, founder of the Canadian Reggae Music Conference and the annual Rastafest, which celebrates its 18th anniversary in the summer.

“I think there is need for an experienced conference manager for the Canadian Reggae Music Conference,” he says, noting that emphasis should be placed on pre-event publicity and the tight running of the daily activities during the conference.

Last year a few sessions were cancelled at the last minute, some invited speakers were not able to deliver their presentations and the turnout was less than it should be, he notes.

For the second conference, Stanbury is hoping that the issues that had a negative impact on the outcome of the inaugural event will be addressed.

He also hopes that the reggae music community in and around Toronto will come out to learn and network. 

“Properly organized and presented annual music conferences are a tried and proven means of music industry development globally. I am hoping that persons in the Canadian reggae music community will use the Canadian Reggae Music Conference as an industry developmental tool, and work in partnership with the local state and private agencies that support development of the arts and culture sector,” he says.

In 1999, Stanbury established the Caribbean Music Expo (CME), and served as executive chairman.

Between 1999 and 2004, the CME held a series of international music business conventions and training workshops which resulted in the participation of hundreds of musicians, music and media business representatives, and organizations from more than forty countries.

As the keynote speaker again at the CRMC, Stanbury will participate in a one-on-one interview and question and answer session that will be focused on his book "REGGAE ROADBLOCKS, A Music Business Development Perspective."

Published by Abeng Press in 2015, the book’s objective is to “generate relevant discussions and facilitate new thinking and approaches to address the various challenges faced by creative, technical and management practitioners of Reggae inside and outside of Jamaica.”

“I hope to use my session at this year's conference to share the experiences I gained and the lessons learned from working as a researcher, consultant and representative of reggae music business practitioners around the world,” says Stanbury.  

His consultancy services include research and presentations to and on behalf of Jamaican, and international entities, such as the Government of Jamaica; the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and more.

The conference will address issues such as the influence that reggae producers/promoters in Ontario have on the music industry; the contribution of reggae festivals in the province to the music industry; and explore how reggae musicians/artists contribute to the cultural media industry.

 

It will also examine global trends in the music industry and their impact on the reggae music industry.

 

There are plans to develop a 5-year action plan for the Canadian Reggae music industry.  

Among the participants at this year’s conference are: Kwasi Bonsu, entertainment lawyer and founding member of the Jamaica Music Conference; singers Nadine Sutherland, Jay Douglas, Donna Makeda and Michie Mee; media personalities Ron Nelson, Sweet T and more.