Page 49 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2019

The Team JMC Summit Series visited Oakland, CA, in May 2019 as part of its 10-city tour worldwide to connect with the industry.
Photo by © Lee Abel Photography

conversations that connect communities and The JMC is not just a lot of talk. The four-day

bring meaningful change and results. conference offers several opportunities for

local and international talent to showcase
“Reggae Mekka Jamaica: Vision 2020” is the

theme chosen by the JMC organizational and network with industry insiders and peers.

team for this year’s preparatory process. The Music business doesn’t just take place in a

team includes Jamaican-based music industry boardroom, and the JMC gets that. In 2017,
personnel and aficionados from across the JMC local organizer Joan “Nanook” Webley

diaspora. Each year, an analysis of what went conceptualized “JMC Beach Day,” making JMC

before, and a focus on the reality the JMC the first conference to utilize the beach as a place

hopes to achieve, spurs the activities forward. of business. This ability to create innovative

Team JMC has convened summits in the USA, and engaging experiences has allowed JMC
Canada and Ghana, and has spent countless to grow from a grassroots-offering into a force

hours speaking with Jamaican music industry that now reaches thousands of reggae lovers

stalwarts worldwide for advice on its growth and operators worldwide.

and direction. This year’s theme is a nod to In 2018, the JMC Beach Day panels closed
the need for national participation in an with a freestyle segment that was so hot,

international strategy. It’s a recognition that I’Octane (a first-time JMC attendee who

out of many, we are one people together on spontaneously joined a panel to share his

the journey towards reaping rewards from our experiences) had to get involved in the
cultural legacy. microphone action! This was also the year

Reggae Festival guide 2019 49