Veterans in the music art form have been called upon to nurture the young, budding, artists and create a new fusion of the Boyoun music, so it can be accelerated to higher heights.
Minister for Tourism, Ian Douglas, made the call during the official launch on Wednesday, of Carnival 2014, held at the Krazy Koconuts under the theme ‘Nou Konnet Viv!’, meaning we know how to live.
According to the Tourism Minister, “Our own mass Domnik has stood the test of time and is still evolving into a major force once we maintain our confidence or pride of place and keep working together and making it a better and better carnival every year,” he said.
He mentioned the promotional advertisement which was a collage of the top players in the bouyon music industry, such as Asa Bantan, Benji, Nayee, Rah among others, which he described as “a great example of what it really means to work together.”
“That is one of my dreams,” he said of the collaboration adding “I would like more of that to happen. …The older guys like Gordon Henderson, Midnight Groovers, First Serenade is coming back I would like to see them collaborate and work with the up and coming musicians, so that we can perpetuate the bouyon and we can take it to a next level”.
Director of Tourism Colin Piper said the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) is laser focused on achieving their 90,000 stay over visitors on island by 2015 and, “We are leaving no stone unturned in our quest to find ways and means to incentivise people to come to Dominica and while they are at it, we are asking them to bring a friend to enjoy all that we have.”
He said the DDA was also cognizant of the need to increase the quality of Dominica’s offerings, “so that the money left on island by the visitors is increased, so as to allow for a better way of life for our people”.
Below is audio of Konnet Vive.
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Mr. Douglas you idea of the bouyon collabroration is a good idea,except that it should be put in Dominica’s Politics.Taiwan,Japan,China and the others should be encouraged to collaborate in Dominica Politics together to help the country and not the One Nation Policy as you guys have in place.Doe talk because you have to give a speech,talk the truth to power.
Truth. Spoken like a true professional!
I am not a fan of the Bouyon music and my feeling may stem from my inclination to what the we may call old school. I firmly believe that there is so much more that should be done to make the music more appealing and marketable. Nevertheless I am not willing to denigrate nor discourage the young people with the Bouyon music. I believe we need to encourage the young people with their music instead of discouraging them and I support Mr Douglas on that matter. We must accept that Bouyon music is the genre of the youth.
In order to create a more marketable product the Bouyon producers need to strengthen the music content, the lyrics and the bands need to focus on artistic performances – memorable stage performances etc. I must also say too that the vocalist need to get themselves some vocal training.
I’m not one who thinks that the government must provide everything for all members of society, but I think they should put things in place to allow the private sector to flourish and grow the economy.
As it regards music and cultural industries, I think the government could be doing more to allow musicians to profit from their craft – for e.g. more public education on copyright/intellectual property; stiffer penalties for copyright infringement; duty-free concessions on importation of certain materials and music equipment, management of a natonal musicians body, etc. If certain things were present, then the same “collaborations” Minister Douglas is talking about would occur organically and more frequently. Our politicians and musicians alike need to accept that hiring a few bands for two seasons out of the year cannot sustain a music industry.
One last point – we have to be more open to collaborating not just on songs, but in management, organization and overall leadership. In 2011 Mr. Alwin Bully called for the DCA to “adopt” Dominican bouyon and soca music. Since then, the local soca competition has died out and there has been no further talk of this adoption since. I don’t know who dropped the ball, but without a doubt, the ball was dropped. It’s relationships and arrangements like these that need to be nurtured and developed for this music thing to make strides.
Tourism Minister John Maginley of Antigua is realised, the Thomas Cook airline is expected to stick to its agreed non-stop weekly service into Antigua & Barbuda.
Dominica tourism minister Ian Douglas, want veterans to collaborate with young people, Ian earn your salary and do something for tourism, bring an airline, do something geez man?
This is good news, not only for Antigua but also St. Lucia and Barbados as two weekly flights are scheduled: Antigua-St. Lucia and St. Lucia-Barbados. Thomas Cook are a leisure airline so remember, it is economy class only on an Airbus 330 with 320 seats, which could get a bit cramped on a long haul flight like this. The flights operate, not out London Gatwick but Manchester, which is useful for those folks traveling from the north of England. The schedule will only operate during the winter season, up to 1 May and I suspect much of the capacity will be used by passengers joining cruises.
Dominica eat your heart out.
To put this into some perspective I have compared our air access with that of Aruba, a Caribbean island of just over 61 sq. miles (we are 4 3/4 times larger!) with a population of just over 100,000. It does not have any tropical forests, waterfalls, or even rivers and has a severe shortage of water. However, tomorrow, 13 Jan. there are 15 direct jet (..not props) flights from N. America scheduled to land there:
New York JFK, 3 flights (JetBlue & Delta)
” ” Newark, 2 flights (United)
Boston, 2 flights (JetBlue)
Philadelphia, 1 flight (US Air)
Baltimore/
Washington, 1 flight (Airtan)
Chicago, 1 flight (United)
Charlotte, 1 flight (US Air)
Atlanta, 1 flight (Delta)
Miami, 2 flights (American)
Ft. Lauderdale, 1 flight (Tiara)
Toronto, 1 flight (Air Canada)
This is in addition to one direct flight from Europe (Amsterdam, by Arkefly.
I am not advocating that we should become exactly like Aruba – for a start we don’t have the beaches they do,although we have other marketable assets. However, the gap in access is huge and we must improve this if we are to develop our full potential. In my humble opinion, this should be the Min. of Tourism’s priority over anything else.
Well…do you have white sand? The common denominator in tourist attraction? So does St.Marten. They also have sophisticated politicians
Beach is not the only attraction for the tourist. There are places as rugged as Dominica which attracts plenty of tourist, there are place in the African inhabited desert in North African which attracts more tourist than Dominica.
If Beaches was all it took to attract tourist; Antigua, St. Kitts, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and even Grenada would get them all; there are not many beaches in St. Lucia either, yet the industry in big in St. Lucia.
To be blunt about it; places such as Las Vegas, and Hollywood would not get any since there are no beaches in Las Vegas, nor Hollywood. Yet last year more than forty million visitors from all over the world visited Las Vegas, and they ll did not go there for gambling, there are other activities in Vegas the tourist enjoy than gambling!
And if you go down Sunset Blvd., right now in Hollywood most of the people in the streets at this time of day are tourist. You will also find plenty of tourist on Venice beach, however nobody in the water, due to fear of pollution, there are plenty also on the Board Walk in Santa Monica, however,the beach is not the attraction.
And all those walking the streets of Los Angeles, they are not there because of any beach, because there are is no sea in LA; never mind a beach.
If we develop the country, make the best of what we have developing; our river banks, and unitized the few beaches we have, and get at least two class tourist resorts to the standard of Sandals, or equivalent, and the International Airport the Labor Party deprived Dominica of, you would see a vast difference.
There is no shortage of tourist in the world; they simply chose their vacation destination based on what the country have to offer, and how much that county is advertised.
When you hear about tourism week in Dominica, all the talk on radio and television is limited to Dominica; via Television everything said is limited to Dominica; and anything said on Radio is limited to some islands in the Caribbean.
Our country will remain a place without any International Flights unless we build an International Airport, and even if we build it and does not introduce Dominica to the world as a tourist destination, we will continue to get the crumb the devil leaves as far as tourism is concerned.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
All of these people are just trying to create a Nanny state where they tell everyone how they should leave their lives. They will only successed if you follow Peter Piper. Who was he? And where did he take all who decided to follow him?
Well Mr. Douglas you seem to have good intentions but put money where your mouth is. Put a plan together that will contribute towards their betterment. Many countries have invested heavily in their musicians, be it music lessons, mentorship programs, assistance with instruments to play and practice with etc, throught their cultural divisions or some avenue.
In the past Partick and Mamo REFUSED to invest in Cadence and young musicians, although the musicians did all they could and got Cadence-Lypso recognised a household name in the French territories: All cring/begging for help from Mamo and Patrick John’s gov’t. If they had put something in place, Cadence would be an economic success. This is your opportunity to shine Mr. Douglas!
Do for Bouyon and Cadence-Lypso what the others neglected to do for Cadence when they had the opportunity to do so.
Thank you Annon, my point exactly. While there’s still access to Chinese dollars, some money needs to be injected into that industry to assist these musicians and achieve good or intended results.
Nice point Mr. Minister!
Let RAH Rock, King of BOUYON Another River Street production.
“Boyoun music, so it can be accelerated to higher heights.
He mentioned the promotional advertisement which was a collage of the top players in the bouyon music industry,”(Ian Douglas).
The most talented most; specially and skilled Dominican has spoken again, he beats his drums; beating out some special rhythms, that is music only to his ear; it is not funny since we know the man is very unique he is the only Dominican we know who is capable of reading comfortably, and very efficiently in the backwards direction.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Very clever is he who prefers to read from right to left, and even upside down too, he is good at that, perhaps that is why he believes Bouyon music is an industry, or can become an industry. I need to explain, or define the word industry to our genus, kid Douglas.
We can define industry as something which employs a large personnel, and capital, especially in the business of manufacturing. We can think in terms of diligence in an employment, or pursuit, a steady or habitual effort of a distinct group of productive, or profit-making enterprise.
What is Bouyou music; is simply patios music known only to Dominicans, St. Lucian’s, and a few other people who understands patios?
Again the Douglas kind like to talk rubbish without thinking, just because something sounds good to the Dominican ears, that is not an indication it can become an industry. Reggae is big in the Caribbean, however, if you walk by in a neighborhood in Canada, and the United and one hears the sound of Reggae, 100% of the time the music is being played by a West Indian.
Calypso, is big in the Caribbean, nonetheless in England where there are so many people from all over the Caribbean who plays Calypso, that was never enough to influence the British population to buy calypso music the late Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff are the two most popular regarding Reggae artist, nonetheless though they have performed all over the world, the sale of their music is zero in the same countries they have performed.
In view of this what makes Ian believe Bouyou will become an industry. Encourage the kids, wish them well that one of them will make a hit song; the only time people makes money in the record, and song business is if they are lucky to produce a hit record, do not talk crap giving people false hope.
Every opportunity you politicians get to stand in front of a Camera, useless words come from your mouth; industrialize the country so the youths can find some hope, you would be better off than piping this crap!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Hey Francisco, you seem to be experiencing …what’s that, brain fart??
Reggae is so big in California and Europe this tells me you need to get out of your cave a bit more and don’t comment on things you do not know much about. Cadence could have gotten so much bigger except it was side-swiped by Zouke. Bouyon is poised to become even bigger if given the push and local incentives to get out The man makes sense but he just needs to influence his boys to invest some of the Chinese money into our local music and musicians. Now keep your shirt on!
That jump up music has been around for twenty five years already and you telling us it is still poised to get out? A woman could be born and have her own child in less time. Next thing you telling us people are prejudiced against bouyon and we must subsidize it with tax payer money. Joke man, everyone have their own taste, don’t push thing down people throat. You have your bouyon and I have my reggae and let there be peace brother. No need to be rude.
My friend I do not care how much you try to run me out of my cage; I stand behind my comment.
If you know Los Angeles, I invite you to go up on 67th and Crenshaw , to a place called Stones Market; Jamaican owned, there is a guy up there called, he is outside of Stones selling Reggae, and other West Indian music.
In al the years I have been going there I have never met any other national, American or otherwise buying any West Indian music from that guy. If you do not believe he exists, if you see the movie “Out The Gate” which was released last year, that is his production, about his life!
He wanted me in the movie, when he approached me I laughed at the man, I taught he was joking, I did no believe he was serious until he gave me a copy of the movie last month when I went to buy a Jamaican Christmas CD from him.
My friend who in the world is going to buy patios thunder and lighten music that they cannot understand?
Midnight Grover’s, came here last year, two years ago, the Grand Bay Band. The show was at the Hollywood Park Casino, the audience comprised Haitians, were the majority, and a few Dominicans attended. If an American was found there it is because they went along with a husband, wife boyfriend, or girlfriend, who is either Dominican, or Haitian.
That is the reality sir!
In Canada, England is the same thing; West Indian music is a cultural thing that is why Calypso never made it internationally, even in the twenty-first century if you ask and American if they familiar with Calypso, the will answer no, however, you may find someone in their eighty’s say, yes, and will mention Harry Bellafonte, why.
Bellafonte, was born to Jamaican Parent, in the 1950’s he sang more or less Caribbean Folk songs, he appeared in a movie sing “Daylight Come And Me Want Go Home.” if you are old enough you will remember “Come mister tally-man tally me banana, even I know that is not a Calypso, however calcified as a Caribbean folk song. He sang that for many years in Las Vegas where he performed for more than twenty years, so most people who went to Vegas to gamble are familiar with such songs, other than that Americans do not buy West Indian music.
I was returning from Canada, I went to Ohio to meet a friend of mine herself recording artist, she was visiting with he mother. we went to the store, was playing a very old one Sparrow, in parking loot an American guy said to me I have that one, I ask him where he bought it, he pointed to his wife, and I am married to her, she is from Grenada.
so, you see sir, that is the only way such music gets into a few American homes; not because there is a crave for Dominica, or any type of West Indian music.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaqie
How can you say bouyon without including Wakas? Cornell? Keith? The pioneers of bouyon?
That is a minister that has no more ideas. Let me help you out with some ideas. what about bringing in some hotel investors such as Sandals, Hilton , hyatt. to build hotels and create employment.
best idea ever. save ourselves the trouble, let them buy the land and do the construction so the government wont have to worry about or miss payments to workers. GREAT IDEA! and they already have a brand.
When the artist start putting lyrics that do not make them look illiterate on record i might listen to bouyon. Honestly I am not proud of bouyon one of the few things that I am ashamed to call myself a Dominican when I hear it played. The guys who can perform do not have to right vocals, those who have to vocals cannot perform or cannot think to write a song that make sense. There was a time that bouyon was just that a mix of our heritage/folk and culture in song. You could hear the melodies in the music and the artist was able to be understood. Now …? Maybe I am old and this is what is meant by the generation gap. The young guys seem to like it, but is we in Dominica, you cannot bring that in Trinidad and St. Vincent and them.
Rah and Nayee did well on this record. They are two I respect and admire in this game. Asa Bantan, no matter how much he tries, will always have one bounce. Tarzy can sing well but needs to stray from the chanting that his fellow lead singer does.
But mr. Douglas is not everyone that likes bouyon. some people think it is crap. So long that music there already it would be world famous if it was that good. So let them do their music they like in their own place and find their own level. Is not everybody that wants to go to Krazy Kokonut to listen to that and go deaf.
I agree. Reason why i would advocate to having some young talented folks try out for midnight grovers to sing and play along with chobby and Co while they still around
riddim upppppp
wicked tune….
rah rah rah
all i here from you ministers are talk talk its hi time i see something productive from you all because you all are being payed a sallary by the tax payers of this country change is a must
What Does Mr Douglas really mean when hes says “perpetuate the bouyon and we can take it to a next level”? and The older Musicians collaborating and working with the up and coming musicians. What do those statements really mean.It sounds like just talk Really tell us whats going on in you head give us a clearer picture. Maybe the cultural division and the tourism would make something happen for real is they collaborated and work with each other by supporting the up and coming musicians instead of leaving it up to a few groups and artists. I am talking about “MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN DOMINICA FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE” This is the only way we can Take our music to higher levels. Thank you !!
Minister you must better the infrastructure, clean all streets and maintain them to the max – reduce crime significantly- get young people working by creating jobs. By trying to achieve these goals you will see Dominica as a great destination. I appreciate you can’t do everything due to financial constraints but we have to start somewhere. All the same I like what you are doing to better the island. God bless Dominica.
Apart from the natural beauty , we have music , food ,and a host of other things we can offer ,one is agri tourism and i see or hear no one alking or trying to develop the idea . It is a niche and very viable enterprise , maybe because it’s not a hand out why it is not being explored .
Mr.Douglas your intentions seem genuine but not enough funds is allocated to market and promote Dominica as a tourism product . Be it carnival , creole festival or just as a nature destination we cannot wait a few weeks before the planned event to promote . International , regional , print , cyber and other mediums has to be utilised as marketing tools and agents to sell the DOMINICAN product .
Bushpilot, it is not mediums but media, please. Singular = medium, plural = media. My old teacher would smack me for doing a thing like that.