PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
www. bassculture islands .com
CREDITS
PLATFORM FOR CREATIVE MELTDOWNS Editor in Chief Ania Orlowska www.theorlowska.com Creative & Art Direction Kerron Riley www.kerronrileyphotography.com Graphic Artist Che Geoffroy www.chegeoffroy.com Managing Editor Lina Komin Advertising & Creative Contribution Marko Depender www.bassculture.nl Special Thanks to William.M & Co, Shaun Griffith Perez RedRunway
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
Ula ‘Afro’ Fryc
SUMMARY
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
26
Jeremy Greenidge
Brown Cotton
Alexander Masson
54
116 48
Simone Asia
14
38 70
Brianna McCarthy
Dub Creator
106
Sheena Rose
80
Haiti fashion week
Andre Choo Quan
92
www. bassculture islands .com
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
Barbados
That Gray M atter‌
‘I still found myself becoming ultimately bored’ Before coming to this series I would say I had a lot of challenges. I am still facing challenges up to this point but they may be a bit more manageable than before. I had done a lot of concepts based on things to which I was attracted. Even though I was working with certain themes I liked, I still found myself becoming ultimately bored. The work never seemed interesting enough and I felt I needed to become more connected with my work. I realized that theproblem was that those previous pieces were done by me but they were not of me. My main difficulty started when I was trying too hard to finalize a solid concept. I was so concerned with trying to find concepts with deep intellectual meaning that it became forced and it slowed down my process. Unfortunately I suffered many mental blocks so eventually everything ceased.
‘I want to create atertnate reality; my hybrids within my own universe.’
M y go al w it h my n ewer ser i es wa s to b e m ore honest t han I was in my p revious s e r i e s. I wa nte d my wo r k to co n n ec t to me as an ar t ist. I gravit ate toward id eas ab out s c i e n ce, th e u n ive rs e, d rea ms, th e mi n d, exp er iences and analogies. I want to exp lore t h e s e i de a s f ro m my p erspec ti ve a n d personal connec t ion to t hem . I want to c reate my a l te r nate re al it y ; my hy br i ds w i th i n my own univer se. M y u s e o f d e t ail i s ba sed o n my bel i ef t hat I had some t yp e of OC D. M y t hought s co n sum e m e an d I a l so w r i te a l o t, bu t rep et it ively. I am ver y p ar t ic ular in my ways a n d at ti m e s I can be a bi t o f a per fec ti onist. The use of d et ail however, is not sp eci fi c a l l y li nk e d to any s e r i es. I h ave been do ing d et ail ser iously for t hree year s now an d i t h a s grown s i n ce t h e n . I i l l u strate th i s way b ec ause even t hough it c an b e t ime cons u mi n g, i t i s a s t re s s re li ever. I t pu ts me i n a t rance -like st ate where it elud es t he con ce p t o f ti me. I t al s o d istra c ts me f ro m my ra cing t hought s. Funny t hing is, I am not a nat u ra l l y pati e nt p e rs o n ; bu t my wo r k revea l s t he p at ience hid d en in me.
‘ ..it is like I am subconsciously trying to put myself together. ’ I connect or merge images and patterns together because it is a correlation of everything happening in my mind. The way I put them together is a manifestation of the way thoughts are processed in my brain- very random, scattered, juxtaposed but all interlinked. My perspective on myself is that I am broken; so when I put these images or patterns together, it is like I am subconsciously trying to put myself together. I believe that an artist’s work should be a mirror for that artist; every time they see their work, they see themselves. Art should be honest; it should be a reflection of its creator. I want that. I want my identity to be reinforced and translated in my work. It does not take much to inspire me; I just need to experience something, whether negatively or positively.
â€˜â€Śit highlights my obsessive nature and embodies the essence of my being.’ Personally, most of the time, the experience is solely about the feeling. If my feelings are intense toward a specific topic, evidently I am more inspired or inclined to produce. Things which inundate my mind are what usually inspire my moments of creativity. Ultimately, I am an artist who strives on feeling. I do not believe that every piece of imagery in my work should have a connection or meaning within my overall concept. I do random patterns in my trance-like state. I do not believe I have control of my work in that moment. I like that because I tend to control things in my conscious state; my conscious state causes me to think. I try to avoid thinking most of the time because it tends to hold me back. I illustrate this way because it highlights my obsessive nature and embodies the essence of my being.
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
www. bassculture islands .com
Photography: Michal Kownacki www.michalkownacki.com
POLAND I AM A DANCEHALL QUEEN
How did you start your life journey with dance? When did you discover that dancehall is the type of dance you want to focus on? My adventure with Dancehall as a dance, or rather as the whole Dancehall culture, started about nine years ago in 2005. It has been a long journey before this discovery. I started dancing at the age of four. My mother took me to my first dance class and I will be grateful to her for the rest of my life! After trying out many different dance styles, I accidentally came across Dancehall music when I saw an online video of girls dancing to it I fell in love instantly and couldn’t sit whenever I heard this music, so I knew ‘this was it!’
Currently you are a professional dance teacher. What about the beginning? How did you manage to find people who are interested in learning Dancehall? When it comes to the very beginning, it wasn’t easy. Not to say that people didn’t want to come to my classes but Dancehall wasn’t popular in Poland yet. On top of this, right after I finished high school I moved to a different city where I had to find my way around and get a location where I could teach. But month after month, it was getting better and the dance room started filling with people. Nowadays it is much easier. People know me, they recognize my effort in promoting and supporting Dancehall in my country and around the world. Also this style is much more popular in Poland now. I am very happy to have a full room of people during my training sessions so I can share my knowledge and skills with them. I have been working hard to be where I am right now and people’s satisfaction after my classes is the highest reward for me!
Do you teach all the typical Dancehall moves, including head top or wine?
It depends on the training session. I also wouldn’t agree with the saying ‘all the typical moves’ , as head top and wine are just a few elements of Dancehall Queen Style, which is only reserved for women. Of course men in this dance style wouldn’t use these moves as it is not considered to be appropriate. In the beginning in Europe, when Dancehall started to appear on dance scene, this particular Dancehall Queen Style was promoted, therefore, most of the people thought Dancehall was only about butt shaking and wining. Since then a lot has changed and I believe that now everyone knows that it is a dance style initiated by a man, a very talented dancer, the father of Dancehall – Bogle. I divided my training sessions to allow everybody to find something for themselves. I do typical training for women where we learn more feminine moves, we do acrobatics, stretching and hips moving techniques. But there are also classes where both sexes are welcome where I teach the dance moves, history and the origin of Dancehall. I also have an exclusive group of advanced dancers who under my supervision deepen this beautiful and great culture of Dancehall.
Dancehall music is known for its’ explicit and controversial lyrics. Do you think that Polish fans of this music and dance understand these lyrics? Do they understand the meaning of the songs? I totally agree with the fact that the lyrics of Jamaican Dancehall are much different thanDancehall which is sang by Polish artists. I do think though, that it depends on the person. Some people, who are deep into the Jamaican culture, know the lyrics and understand it perfectly. There are also some who have no clue what the song is about and the Jamaican dialect is like black magic to them but they like the melody and the positive impact it has on them.
Do you happen to come across some negative feedback about your dance style from outsiders who are not familiar with dancehall culture? Perhaps I am very lucky or it simply is this way, there are no negative reactions. I always feel welcome, people like what I do and they are interested in talking to me and knowing more about the culture. There could have been some small unpleasant episodes, but I think we all have experienced some drunken behaviors.
Awards 1st place in ‘DANCEHALL QUEEN POLAND 2008’ championship 2nd place ‘Dancehall Queen’ regional championship in Montego Bay, Jamaica 1st place in ‘DANCEHALL QUEEN POLAND 2009’ championship 2009 semifinals of ‘Poland Got Talent’ TV show 2nd place in ‘INTERNATIONAL DANCEHALL QUEEN 2009’ world championship, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Reward for the best dance choreography. 1st place in ‘DANCEHALL QUEEN POLAND 2010’ championship 1st place in ‘Hip Hop Kemp Dancehall Queen 2011 ‘competition in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic 1st place in ‘Dancehall International Preselections’ 1st runner up of ‘European Dancehall Queen Contest 2013’ in Vienna, Austria 1st place in ‘Wining Queen’ competition run by Dancehall MasakRah
It seems Poland would be the last place to be associated with Reggae and Dancehall music. How would you describe the Polish Dancehall scene? I wouldn’t agree that Poland is the last place to associate with Reggae and Dancehall. Nowadays we throw many great Reggae festivals known around the world. There are more and more dancers who go to Jamaica to promote our country and prove that Polish people can dance and be successful in it! On the other hand, Jamaican dancers come to Poland and do regular workshops. There are many documentaries and articles about the Polish Reggae/ Dancehall scene. In my opinion, we are well placed in the world. I can’t help but mention that Polish sound systems like Dancehall Masak-Rah, Splendid Sound, Sensithief, travel the world to play at the events and win sound system clashes!
You seem to be a frequent visitor to Jamaica. Where do you go out while you are there? What is it that you like most about Jamaican culture? This year was my sixth time to Jamaica. Even though I have been there so many times, I discover new places and learn more every time. Every day there are parties in Jamaica, more so, there are few on the same night so it would be hard for me to mention them all. I try to be there during the summer when the Dancehall Queen World championship is held, which I take part in. I recommend this event to anyone who is visiting Jamaica between July and August – wonderful performances, the best Dancehall dancers in the world and such incredible energy! Of course a trip to the mountains to visit the wild part of Jamaica is a must – I’m a bit of a ‘bushman’ and nature pulls me in. I like so many things about the Jamaican culture but if I had to pick three it would be: the music and dance, the positive life attitude and incredible vibes created by the people and the places and events.
Favorite Dancehall artist oh no….! I can’t pick just one!
Favorite Dancehall Queen Style move Headtop
Gaza or Gully I ‘m against separation
Ackee and saltfish or jerk chicken Definitely Jerk chicken but from the Jerk Man on the street
Highest ambition It is my biggest dream at the same time, so I won’t reveal
Biggest authority and why My parents! The support and love they give me will always be my inspiration
Dream car Volkswagen Transporter...for real!
The biggest turn on I like a manly man, with purpose and passion in life – such as my boyfriend!
The biggest turn off Wussy men and show off guys
Your secret talent I play violin
Tr inidad Anima /u s B o ta n i ca 2013 - 2014
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
www. bassculture islands .com
Designs: William.M&Co
On The Red Runway In Trinidad
This French – Columbian, 21 year old model... is called ‘the global sensation’. You might have seen Alexander in Jennifer Lopez video ‘I Luh you papi’ and ‘Adrenaline’. Lately he was invited to Trinidad and Tobago as a guest model for Red Runway. This fashion project is designed to showcase new and emerging fashion talent in Trinidad and Tobago including designers, models, make-up artists, fashion photographers and fashion stylists. Taking this opportunity, we caught up with Alexander in Las Cuevas, Trinidad to talk about his work and get some great shots of him on the beach.
I do consider modeling to be an art! From the way you are put together with different clothing to striking a pose, it definitely tells a story, exactly like an art piece. Modeling has been a passion of mine for a few years now. I grew up admiring many different models and began to enjoy fashion on another level. I also began to envisioning myself becoming a model. At the age of 20 I decided to pursue my modeling career. I enjoy it very much and appreciate all the love and support everyone has sent my way. Working with a team to produce fascinating images to walking on the runway, just seeing myself in many different places is surreal. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have been given. The high points of my career are that I get to meet and interact with new people and work on amazing projects. The low point of my job is mainly the rejection due to my locks, but it also gives me the extra push to keep moving forward and overcome any obstacles. My future plans in modeling is traveling more to other countries and being in high end campaigns and performing in more runway shows. As I would enjoy continuing to be a model, I would like to pursue an additional career in acting, which is why I have started to take lesson/classes in acting.
Favorite food in Trinidad Roti Favorite place in Trinidad Scenery on the way to Las Cuevas beach Big turn on If a woman is into fitness Your kind of girl Different shapes, sizes, and colors have their own appeal to me
Designs: Shaun Griffith Perez
My motto for success is:
“ Follow your dreams, keep striving for what you want and do whatever it takes to achieve success “
Photography: Kerron Riley www.kerronrileyphotography.com
Collection “IRIS” Design Label - Brown Cotton Photographer - Justin Ifill Forbes Stylist - Kathryn Nurse MakeUp - Arry Cruickshank HairStylist - Kimbalene Blackman Model - Kimili See Tai
Risanne Martin Trinidad & Tobago
Brown Cotton is a Fashion and Life Style Brand with a design Studio based in Trinidad and Tobago. Regionally acclaimed Stylist and now, designer for the brand, Risanne Martin designed the Collection “IRIS� after her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. The Collection is named after her ailing mother and the entire editorial tells the tale of IRIS as a bold and daring beauty making her way through an enchanted wilderness that is living without a cure for cancer.
IRIS reflects Caribbean Resort Wear infused with bold and daring elements, plunging necklines and flared fanciness fostering a lifestyle of boldness through dress and in the quest to make dreams, a reality, the importance of dress in our approach to our daily lives, our quest for identity.
‘Creative flow for Brown Cotton literally comes in my dreams. Ideas and inspiration stem from dreaming. Over the past couple years I have been waking up and writing, sketching images from my dreams. Creating garments for myself was the idea, until friends and family and even strangers showed interest, that is when I knew I had to share my dreams with the world.’ - Risanne Martin
www. bassculture islands .com
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
BARBADOS The aesthetic experience of the streets
I am always interested in the streets, shopping, overheard conversation and architecture of the spaces/countries I encountered. I look at the everyday situations and share my experiences to the viewer through drawing,
paintings,
performances and animations. I add more lines because it seems more interesting and it shows different layers of streets or angles of the building. So I really like the idea of layers instead of just one line drawing. Recently I have been thinking to add thicker or thinner lines to add depth too but for now I really like the flatness and graphic feeling of the work. I am interested of the viewer seeing these spaces with me and hopefully have the same aesthetic experience which I had in these many countries. – Sheena Rose
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
www. bassculture islands .com
by Donn Thompson of Dracinc www.dracinc.com Hair, Make Up and Styling: Richard Young
EVENT IN FOCUS
Model: Viergeline Antoinise Julienne Jean Designer: Esther Joseph (St. Lucia)
Model: Christelle Lesifort Designer: Magguy Durce (Haiti)
Model: Christelle Lesifort Designer: Esther Joseph (St. Lucia)
Model: Viergeline Antoinise Julienne Jean Designer: Esther Joseph (St. Lucia)
Model: Viergeline Antoinise Julienne Jean Designer: Magguy Durce (Haiti)
By Sian McIntosh
BEHIND THE SCENE
TRINIJUNGLEJUICE.COM
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO CARNIVAL
MAN VS. CARNIVAL TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
BACCHANAL JAMAICA
Let’s start from the beginning. How did you end up doing this ‘carnival business’? What exactly is your job? Trini Jungle Juice (also commonly referred to as TJJ) all started off as a hobby back in college in Connecticut, when it was my personal website without a proper URL hosted by one of those make a website in minutes companies. My website was called “Jungle Juice”, named after a party we did in Trinidad years before. I always loved the name and the logo. The site documented my travels around the world, which of course included the greatest show in the world... Trinidad & Tobago carnival; a trusty Canon Powershot point and shoot camera was my best friend. Fast forward a few years, I’m working full time as an IT Specialist with IBM in Atlanta, but working part time (seem like another full time job) on Jungle Juice. Around 2002/2003, when I came to realization that the world was actually paying attention to my lil’ project (the beauty of web statistics), it was time to take things to the next level – register my own domain and get an official URL. JungleJuice.com ... TAKEN! Rats!! What next? Then my American friend Julius said, “Why not Trini Jungle Juice, after all you are a TRINI!” and in 2003, TriniJungleJuice.com was official. Our mission was simple - to be the 1st Caribbean entertainment website to take our viewers Global, reaching Caribbean and International communities across the world. Yes there were already established Caribbean websites like Toronto Lime and Trini Scene at the time, BUT they specifically focused on their local markets. This is where TJJ broke the mold; an accomplishment we are quite proud of, especially when others are following our trend. Beside event photography TJJ focuses heavily on video coverage of carnivals. Between 2004-2006 when I was based in Toronto I found that a lot of people were aware of the popular Soca and Reggae songs, no context of the artists singing them. That is when a little JVC camcorder joined my arsenal. It felt great to promote our local artistes and their music, and to showcase what transpires behind the scenes and below the surface of fetes, pretty costumes and carnival.
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL UK
Five years later in 2008, I left corporate America to pursue my dream full time. It was at the point when I decided it was best for TJJ to specialize in Carnival after establishing ourselves in every major city we targeted across the globe. We then achieved yet another ‘First’ in our market; becoming the 1st Caribbean website to have our own television production – “You, TJJ and Carnival” in 2009. The show airs locally in Trinidad & Tobago with past seasons airing throughout the Caribbean and in the US (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut). When I look back today where it started, sometimes I don’t believe how far the website (and myself as a person) has grown.
How many carnivals have you been to? Did u ever check how much time in a year you spend at carnivals? I’ve been to around 20 different carnivals from what I can recall. Honestly, I believe there’s a carnival happening somewhere around the world most weekends. My season usually starts in January with Trinidad Carnival and ends in October with Miami Carnival, spending roughly 4 months at carnivals a year.
For many this is dream job, tell us honestly what are the downfalls? Personally I hate packing and traveling, but once I’m at the destination I love it. If I could grab my phone, camera and laptop get on a plane and see my luggage waiting at hotel when I arrive I would be a happy camper.
SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL
Carnival can be exhausting with all the fetes and parade. How do you feel each time? It’s a game I like to call “Man vs. Carnival” You win some, you lose some. A short Trinidad Carnival season (4-6 weeks) is the most intense and usually leaves me sick in bed for a week sometime after. But as the saying goes, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” It’s a game of stamina and serious ‘Carnivalliers’ (I might have just created a new word) train and diet for months before. Being in shape will not only get you to the finish line, but have you looking great in your carnival costume too!
What is carnival for you? Is it more of a job or fun? They say if you love what you do, you feel as if never work a day in your life. I think this isn’t 100% true. I absolutely love what I do, but at times I feel like I’m working 24/7 and need a break. It’s funny, as everyone tells me off when I take a vacation to some exotic destination following a carnival. But they don’t realize that while they are drinking, partying and have a ball... I’m right there with them! Not only doing the same - drinking, partying... and yes, wining BUT I’m also working. This part of the job never feels like work. The work comes before with the planning and after when we have to process and showcase the respective carnivals.
What is the part of carnival that impresses you or makes you excited each time? What are you tired of? I’m always impressed by the preparations for carnival by the mas bands, soca artistes and promoters. As soon as one carnival is over, they start planning for the next year. Unfortunately Trini Jungle Juice doesn’t have that luxury, as it’s on to the next carnival for us. Band launch season always excites me... you can feel the spirit of carnival coming. I also love the feeling of reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones. I’ve met some of my best friends at the different carnivals I attend. Now, what I do get tired of... soca artistes and bands doing the same exact performance all season (or all year in some cases). In this day and age, partygoers should never know what to expect entertainment wise. I’m not asking for bands to rework their entire set, but mix it up in subtle ways for the very least.
HOLLYWOOD CARNIVAL
You have been doing this for a while now. How did carnivals change over the years? It’s gotten a lot more expensive – both parties and playing mas. But I also believe the level of service and quality has also gone up. Women’s costumes have also gotten skimpier and skimpier!! But heh, “Less is MORE!” Entertainment wise, there are more musical groups/bands that perform primarily their own music. Yes, you still have a couple cross over bands doing covers, but personally this is dying breed. One must establish and grow their own music and brand identity to stay relevant and competitive. You don’t go to a Jay-Z concert to hear him sing Bob Marley’s songs! Also, most partygoers don’t want to be told what to do by entertainers at events. The days for “move to the left, move to the right” and “hands up, hands down” are gone. We simply want artistes to perform and entertain us.
Let’s say you have a daughter or maybe two of them, would you let them play carnival and at what age if yes. Would you follow them around to see what’s happening? Yes of course. I believe 16-17 years old is a good age to start with adult supervision. It’s nice to see parents have their kids play adult mas with them when in their later teenager years. I would do the same. Carnival hands down is one of the best social mechanisms and I also like the idea of Kiddies carnival to get the young generation started. However, parents shouldn’t force their kids into it if it doesn’t appeal to them. One pet peeve of mine is seeing young children dancing and wining like adults, I believe carnival should be fun and innocent at this age.
MIAMI CARNIVAL
5 absolutely not to do things during carnival. -
Don’t oversleep. Especially before Breakfast Parties or J’Ouvert If you don’t drink, Carnival is NOT the place to start. Don’t wear tight shoes, unless losing a toe nail is okay Never walk around with a thick wad of money Don’t NOT play Mas
If Machel is Mr. Fete who would you be? The Carnival Ref. I’m that guy that makes the call if a carnival is worth going to.
The best ever carnival fete Vale Vibe Breakfast Party (Trinidad), especially when it was hosted in Diamond Vale
Carnival with the most beautiful costumes Helloooooooooooo, Trinidad Carnival hands down
Carnival with the most stunning girls Trinidad based on sheer numbers; however both Jamaica and Cayman can give a good run for money
Which one you can’t remember? Tampa Bay Carnival... don’t even think it still exist.
Did u ever lose your camera in this bacchanal? *Knocking on wood* Thankfully NO
Which carnival you haven’t been to yet? Both Antigua and Rotterdam. They always seem to clash with bigger carnivals.
Best Power Soca tune Destra Garcia & Machel Montano – Carnival
Groovy Wow... too many to name… And I seem to love the groovy songs from the other islands too. Krosfyah - Insane (Wet Me) (1996) Gabby - Dr. Cassandra (1995) Atlantik - All Aboard (1997) Kevin Lyttle - Home For Carnival (2005) and my anthem.... Rupee - That’s Where I’ll be (2003)
Is carnival coming out your pores? It’s in my blood, but not coming out of my pores. There are lots of folks out there and live and die by carnival.
How long are you planning to do this? I always asked myself this question. Will I become too old to do this? I definitely don’t want to be “that guy” in the party/carnival. But then someone told me something that stuck. They said they see me as being the “Anthony Bourdain of Carnival” one day because my years of experience with carnival will be unrivaled.
The Netherlands
The History and Future of New Roots
by M.A. Depender of Bassculture Foundation Pictures by Lara Tompa (www.pixolar.com) Location: Zwaanshoek, Holland
Dub Creator is known for his music productions regarding Digital Roots, Steppa & Reggae music specially made for the heavy, hand made, Sound Systems. He is the creator of the many King Shiloh Sound System releases and mix & masters for several other producers & labels. Among these releases are the 7” vinyls of Bassculture Foundation Amsterdam coming out in 2015. Bassculture crew rides down to the village of ‘Zwaanshoek’ in the North-Holland province to visit Mr. A. Goldstein AKA the Dub Creator in his studio. We talk about sounds that are and sounds to come from his big “little” DUBshed!
Who is this man that cuts, produces & mixes these heavy Digital Dub rhythms for massive Sound Systems? How did it all start? I am born in Purmerend and raised in Haarlem. After that I moved to Amsterdam. The music and love for bass started like everybody else I assume; my brother had some vinyl from Bob Marley, UB40, Peter Tosh and others that I really enjoyed. From there, other sounds came to ear like dubs from King Tubby, Lee Perry, Jamaican Style. Listening together with friends and of course with something nice to ‘smoke’, it was kind of magic. I started to collect these sounds and rhythms and felt that I could try to play a style too. Somewhere around 1986, I passed by a shop and bought myself a Casio keyboard, it was good fun to play along with dub. Soon after that I purchased a Roland E5, and an 8 track mixer and my first echo/delay, the Rockman Stereo Echo…my voyage with music started this way. Today I have replaced all equipment, but my Echo is still there…in all of my sounds. I tried to work with bands and had my own band but that was really hard work. I felt it never sounded exactly how I wanted. Around this time the computers came like Atari and others. I got one myself and it gave me the possibility to lead the tracks with MIDI to arrange the synths, etc. This was amazing. From then on, I was able to do everything myself. I like it like that!
We speak about the early nineties, what sounds influenced you around that time and where did they bring you? It was the UK dub in combination with Jamaican Dub that had a big influence on the sound I liked. We talk about Jah Shaka, , Jah Tubby’s, Channel One Sound System, Adrian Sherwood, Mad Professor, Dub Syndicate Band to mention a few. They laid out the path of dub evolution from the late 70’s combining Jamaican Reggae based music with the new digital equipment. Professional equipment was highly expensive at that time, so you had to mix it up with gear like the Roland TR-808 or TB-303. They were easy to get and affordable in the early 80’s. That is how Jah Warrior, Disciples, Conscious Sounds, Nick Manasseh started their sound, they were the real pioneers of that style. Around the same time I attended the King Shiloh sessions in the early 90’s in Amsterdam, when they didn’t even have their own sound system. I remember it was once a month but Dancehall was really hot at the time with Gregory Isaacs’ new hits. I came there mainly to listen to Roots & Reggae Culture. At one particular time, I gave a DAT recording to Neil from King Shiloh. He called me a few days later saying; “I have two singers here maybe we could pass by and record?” I immediately laid down two rhythms for them, they weren’t anything special. One of them was a track called ‘Red Light’ with Idren Natural, released on 10” vinyl. It kind of started from there.
Sound Systems & Dub culture really grew over the past thirty years, how do you feel about that? I feel that a lot of the dubs you hear nowadays are lower in quality then they used to be. Due to technology, which is also a good thing, a lot of young people make a rhythm in their attic on a computer. It has everything in it like; cubase, built-in synthesizers & plug-ins access galore. But they immediately mistake it as a great track and release it. Nowadays, there is a lot of sound with the simple ‘bumbumbum klak’ with tremendous bass and that is it. Where is the vocal? What about the hornsection? How about some melody? To me, these are just a kind of ‘guide’ tracks, an interlude, a base to get all the harmonies together. It takes time to collect and properly master these instruments and machines together with musicians to make a solid, heavy and harmonious sound. Also the dance changed with more mass-audience. I kind of enjoyed the early days when the dance was with more rastas and alternative people. We enjoyed the sounds and the culture in a kind of natural way. Now it became more and more of a rave with students and other freaks using the pills, coke or whatever chemical just to get rave-wasted.
Which other labels are you working with right now? I prefer to work alone on music productions but do mixing and mastering for other labels and/or producers. For 1,5 years I worked with Rootikal Attack. I just finished a 12” vinyl for them with vocals from Cedric Myton (singer of The Congo’s red.). A track with Johnny Clarke is also in the making for them…these are not minor artists you know. I gave them some of my ‘guide’ tracks in case they have vocals to go over them, that’s how we work. For King Shiloh I have a lot of work in stock, about 15 new tracks. I think that gives me enough to do for the next 5 years. Bassculture Foundation Amsterdam is going to release some tracks on vinyl in 2015 on their own independent label. I (re)mix and master their projects too. The tracks coming out with Bassculture are with ‘genuine’ quality. Like the first 7” vinyl release “Natty Dub” coming up in 2015 with the Bassculture Family Band & Mikey Murka vocal which has become a very strong Sound System track. The project of Bassculture Foundation was to give a vocal for the musicians to play and make the rhythm on top of that. I am happy with my mixing and mastering and I feel it is a big track for the dance. The 7” vinyl remix “Digital Age” with the vocal of Earl 16 is more of a strong listening tune, with a very strong message in my opinion. Of course it comes with a dub!
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It feels a little b years, but here producers. Wor nice crossovers Let’s get it on!
n you tell us about Bassculture Foundation Amsterdam?
her with Bassculture Foundation gives me a good and creative feeling. The ‘umbrella’ mind of Bassculture ects that contain many different elements in music styles and genres.
bit how I started off in the beginning, keeping it wide and open. It used to be only Roots & Reggae for e I work on projects like Umeme Afrorave Band, Bassculture Family Band and digital rhythms of various rking together with professional artists and musicians on these projects gives a platform that creates s and eventually leads to new collaborations.
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
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Barbados
I believe photographs are most interesting when they foster a sense of mystery, showing not just beauty, but also peaking the curiosity as to how and where it was taken. Beautiful photographs are to be found everywhere; however, it takes not only vision but also patience and perseverance to find them.
My work is about being in touch with my environment. My vision is also driven by my love of technology and the exploration of new places. My interests are to capture the beauty of our everyday surroundings, in addition to portraiture. Places and faces interest me equally.
I use slow shutter speeds and double exposures to explore the nuances of movement and the passage of time. I work with landscapes, seascapes, urbanscapes and people, to illustrate my perspective. My goal is to use my camera to open unexplored worlds, to satisfy human curiosity and show everyday beauty.
www. bassculture islands .com
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com
www. bassculture islands .com
PHOTO BY: MIQUEL GALOFRE (T&T ROCKS!) LOCATION: BARBADOS www.facebook.com/TandTrocks www.miquelgalofre.com