St Lucia Soca Monarch 2009 - thoughts from a musician...
by STEPHEN MATHURIIN
(DENNERY ST.LUCIA)
St Lucia Soca Monarch 2009 - thoughts from a musician...
I THINK THAT WE ARE NOT AS READY AS WE THINK WE ARE TO TAKE THE WORLD WITH OUR MUSIC OR MAY I SAY OUR ART.
I AM THINKING THE ARTISTRY IS SOMETHING THAT WE NURTURE ALL YEAR ROUND TO MAKE IT AS PERFECT AS POSSIBLE BUT THEN AGAIN WHO AM I TO JUDGE,MAYBE THIS IS PERFECTION IN THE EYES OF US WHO PLAN IT AND MAKE THE SHOW THAT IT IS.
IT SADDENS ME THE UNPROFESSIONALISM THAT IS DISPLAYED IN WHAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE A WORLD SPECTACULAR EVENT.
FROM A MUSICIANS VIEW,BEING A SPECTATOR AT THE SOCA MONARCH SHOW AT THE MINDOO PHILLIP PARK ON SATURDAY WAS DEPLORABLE. LET ME NOT OFFEND ANYONE IN ME SAYING THIS BUT THE SOUND WAS OFF.I AM NOT GOING TO POINT ON THE ENGINEER CAUSE I HAVE HEARD SO MUCH BETTER WORK FROM HIM AND WE ALL MUSICIANS KNOW THAT HE CAN WORK BUT WHO IN THE HELL IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SE UP A FULL FLYING RIGG TO THE BACK OF AN ARTIST USING A MIC.THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL IN THE SOUND SYSTEM. WE ARE BLACK PEOPLE AND WE MOVE WHEN WE FEEL NOT WHEN WE HEAR.I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY HEARD ON KEYBOARD LINE IN THE MUSIC ON THE OUTSIDE.I HAVE NOT HEARD A BASS LINE AND IF THE LIST GOES ON I MAY AS WELL CONCLUDE IN SAYING I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY MUSIC, BUT THEN IT IS STILL A MATTER OF OPINION.I CAN BE CORRECTED AND CALL DEAF.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING ON THE NIGHT WAS THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE ARTIST AND WHAT IS EVEN MORE FUNNY IT IS NOT 2 PERCENT OF THE JUDGED SCORE.HOW CRAZY COULD THAT BE.
THE OTHER IS I DON'T THINK THE ARTIST GOT FAIR REHEARSALS. I THINK THEIR SONGS ARE BEING RUSHED THROUGH AND THEY HAVE NOT YET GOT THE CHANCE TO REMEMBER CUES NEITHER HAVE THE BAND MEMBERS I THINK FOR NEXT TIME THE PERSON IN SHOULD LOOK AT THE WORK LOAD AND SEE THE FRUSTRATION OF THE MUSICIANS HAVING TO SIT AT 2 DIFFERENT REHEARSALS IN A DAY WITH THE NUMBER OF ARTIST THEY DO IT. DO YOU THINK THAT MOST OF THE ARTIST GET A FAIR REHEARSAL?I THINK MANY OF THE ARTIST WOULD BE IN THE SAME OPINION AS I AM.
NOW TO THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE MUSIC AND MAKES IT UNIQUE.
MUSIC IS MADE OF RHYTHM, MELODY AND HARMONY.TO IDENTIFY ONES SONG THERE ARE ELEMENT SUCH AS A BASS LINE THAT IS MADE UNIQUE TO THE SONG A MELODY LINE IN THE KEYBOARDS OR GUITARS THAT IS ALSO MADE UNIQUE TO THE SONG AND YES CHORDS THAT ARE MADE UNIQUE TO THE SONG IN AN INVERSION THAT GIVES IT COLOR. WHY DOES EVERY ONES SONG SOUND THE SAME.THIS ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THOUGHT RUNNING IN MY HEAD AND A FEW FOR THE ORGANIZERS TO LOOK INTO WHEN PLANNING SUCH MASS EVENT, THE BIGGEST EVER AND MOST IMPORTANT IS TIME TO PUT IT TO PERFECTION. IT IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT THING. HOW CAN WE COMPETE WITH THE WORLD WHEN THEY ARE YEARS IN TIME AHEAD OF US AND ALL WE SEEK TO DO IS LET OUR ARTISTRY BE POLITICALLY DEPRESSED AND PLAN SUFFOCATED.
JUST MY THOUGHTS. ANYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DISPUTE IT.OR ADD TO IT. MY OPINION
