BERLIN (CelebrityAccess) BMG announced the launch of Trojan Jamaica, a new frontline label working directly with BMG to issue Jamaican-made music.
Trojan Jamaica is a partnership between musician/producer Zak Starkey and his partner, artist/musician/producer Sharna “Sshh” Liguz.
Based in Jamaica, the label will reflect the island’s musical history as well as American soul and blues, according to a statement. BMG is co-funding the Trojan Jamaica label and has licensed the name for use from its Trojan Records label.
Trojan Jamaica is a standalone frontline label. The label’s first release is slated for the spring.
The genesis of Trojan Jamaica came when Kingsley Cooper, curator of the Peter Tosh Museum in Kingston, saw a video of Starkey and Liguz’s musical project SSHH performing of ‘Get Up Stand Up’ and invited them to perform at the opening ceremony of the museum in October 2016. Their performance in turn led to another invitation the following year to the second annual Peter Tosh tribute concert.
Starkey and Liguz later opened a recording studio in Ocho Rios and began working artists including Toots & The Maytals, Freddie McGregor, Big Youth, Sly & Robbie, U-Roy, Mykal Rose, Ziggy Marley, Andrew Tosh, Tanya Stephens, Jesse Royal, Ce’Cile, Rygin King, Santigold, and Shaggy.
“We felt so warmly welcomed and at home in the musical community, that we stayed and recorded all the music that has become Trojan Jamaica,” Starkey said. “We’re committed to presenting local artists together with international musicians who, like us, have been inspired by roots culture.”
“It’s our aim to bring a range of new Jamaican music to the masses,” Sshh added. “An evolution of roots, rock and reggae, combining contemporary artists with a number of Jamaica’s musical pioneers. It’s an absolute honor to be working with such incredible people.”
“We are delighted to partner with Zak and Sharna on this exciting new musical endeavor,” BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect the new sounds of reggae’s homeland.”
