Mystic Tammy…
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Years in the past, Netherlands-based radio broadcaster Tamara ‘Mystic Tammy’ Wijngaarde was shocked to grasp that reggae is definitely not the dominant sound on the radio or within the streets in Jamaica.
She found that bizarre truth throughout considered one of her visits to the island.
“I used to be stunned that they don’t play a variety of reggae music in Jamaica however while you go to Gambia, in all places you go, there may be reggae, within the streets, within the markets, in all places, however in Jamaica, it was completely different…a bit uncommon trigger Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae,” she stated.
“Why is reggae not revered in Jamaica? What occurred?” she mused.
Mystic Tammy, who’s initially from Suriname, says that reggae is revered in African nations like Gambia.
“Gambia is completely different, they like good music. They haven’t moved away from reggae, they love the vibes and the vibes are completely different…they know everybody’s music, they adore the vibe, they sing the whole lot regardless of the artiste, they really feel the music as a result of the power is contagious, and naturally, there’s a message. They love the muse, however not the brand new dancehall music a lot,” she stated.
Mystic Tammy works on the radio station, Rakoki.NL within the west aspect of Amsterdam, the cultural capital of The Netherlands. Her programme known as Mystic Royal Choices the place she performs each Friday through the 3:00pm to five:00 pm slot.
She made her identify by being the one feminine on the Firehouse Sound Worldwide Gambia with the DJ Fireman crew in Gambia. She began her profession spinning vinyl data and progressively taught herself methods to play digital music on her laptop computer.
“However I nonetheless love basis music,” she stated.
She admitted that she prefers music from acts like Chronixx, Vaughn from Midnight, and Akae Beka, Garnet Silk, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Marcia Griffiths.
Over the past couple of years, music critics have pointed to a decline of reggae on mainstream stations in large reggae loving nations like Belgium, The Netherlands, the UK and France, which have massive immigrant populations from their former colonies.
In keeping with reggae promoters, the Reggae Revival motion led by Protoje, Lila Ike, Chronixx, Sevana and Koffee has largely stalled. No reggae songs are even on the playlists of mainstream radio in Europe.
Considered one of reggae’s brightest new stars, Chronixx has not been performing or releasing songs with regularity for a number of years. Koffee, who’s signed with Promised Land Data, which had a distribution take care of RCA that ended two years in the past, has been lacking in motion.
Additional, the brand new dancehall stars rising out of Jamaica not produce ‘message music’ and have deserted the Garvey-centric beliefs and black consciousness of their older counterparts.
“I play roots, tradition, outdated 90s dancehall, reggae, and even the youthful era like Shenseaa, ’trigger she sings the radio model and the uncooked model. I do know what the track is saying, it goes in opposition to my core beliefs, however it’s okay, if I’m going out, I prefer it, however fashionable dancehall isn’t radio-friendly,” Mystic Tammy famous.
The station’s listenership is a mixture of Jamaicans, Surinamese, Africans and native Dutch. A considerable variety of Surinamese individuals migrated to the Netherlands, notably to Amsterdam, looking for higher alternatives. Suriname, a northern South American nation, was a Dutch colony from the seventeenth century till it gained independence in 1975.
“Reggae music continues to be large in Europe; with the best artiste, it may be mainstream,” she stated.
Mystic Tammy believes that there’s nonetheless hope for ‘message music’, particularly with the emergence of sturdy feminine singers.
“There are nonetheless artistes on the market who’re bringing the best frequency, Queen Omega, Samora, Micah Shemaiah. I push the queens, Samora is large. She has been flowing, it’s vital that we as ladies within the musical enterprise help one another. I like to advertise my sisters. Who else is doing that?” she stated.
Mystic Tammy stated reggae aficionados are loving the Roots and Tradition tour that includes Jah Mason, Lutan Fyah and Zhayna. The reveals, that are happening through the winter, have been doing effectively, pulling sizable audiences and wowing them with nice performances in indoor venues in Germany, The Netherlands and France. The tour ends on March 31.
“What I see is that the individuals are excited to see the mix of Lutan and Jah Mason. They’re all the time unhappy when the present ends, it’s been a very long time since they noticed Lutan in order that they’re excited to see him once more, Jah Mason as effectively, and they’re impressed by seeing an important feminine reggae act like Zhayna, we’d like extra females,” she stated.
