The ‘write’ stuff

IVAN Berry, organiser of the recent C2W Songwriting Camp in Negril, says the eight-day event was a huge success.

The St Kitts-born, Canada-reared entrepreneur told Splash by e-mail that the September 7-14 camp met its objectives, which included writing a song for rhythm and blues star Jennifer Hudson.

"We had 12 of the world's greatest songwriters and producers including Max Gousse (senior vice-president of artiste and repertoire for Island/Def Jam) and Shawn 'Tubby' Holiday (senior VP of A&R for RCA Records) all in attendance. We wrote and recorded over 20 songs and there is no doubt in my mind that a few of these songs are ready for that Jennifer Hudson album," Berry said.

It was the seventh staging of the C2W camp by Berry, who has been involved in the music industry for over 30 years.

The Negril symposium was held at Rockhouse Hotel. It was C2W's first camp in Jamaica.

Among the songwriters who impressed Berry was Jamaican singer Etana.

"She did an amazing job; she wrote her heart out. I saw magic when she wrote with Rob Wells and Shazelle (Trinidadian artistes/songwriters)," Berry said.

Looking ahead, Berry says for the next three weeks Hudson and her management will listen to songs from the camp and hopefully select a few of them for her next album.

"Once that process is completed, the songs go back into the pile where all the music publishers involved will pitch them to various artistes, television shows, films and advertising," he said.

(from Jamaica Observer)