Studio Vibes: Real vibes in Seaview Gardens

A stroll on Wenchman Road on to Snapper pathway in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew, should take you to A Jus Di Vibes Music recording studio well, almost. There's a bit of climbing left to do. A voice from inside the house tells THE WEEKEND STAR team to take the right turn up and climb a flight of concrete stairs.

But after arriving at the top of the stairway (and on to a roof), the thought of whether one should continue one's towards the studio door may cross one's mind.

Okeino O'Gilvie, known to the music fraternity as Fresh Rymes, producer-owner of the residential recording facility is welcoming and gives the assurance that the numerous steel bars sticking out from the roof, making it challenging for an unfamiliar visitor to walk in, are unlikly to cause harm.

SONGS PRODUCED

Then one enters the place where singles like Wine for Me by Dexta Daps and Delilah by Gully Bop featuring M Gee, that were recorded. Fresh Rymes tells us about some of the other artistes A Jus Di Vibes Music has worked with.

"Doubt mi ever produce a violent or any gun tune before. We always like to work on conscious music or dancehall productions for the female audience," Fresh Rymes said.

By this time, his assistant, Jevonne 'Gahlxi' Green, who is responsible for all the engineering, remains focused on a current project as he splits the focus between a 15-inch Apple laptop and an Imperial flat screen displayed on the wall.

"We've recognised the influence music has, it being a universal language. So we are careful with what we put out, especially because the youth of tomorrow listen it and tek it literally, or tek the words serious," Fresh Rymes added.

It is not uncommon for a random artiste to drop in at A Jus Di Vibes with an idea or the hunger to record, but Fresh Rymes is cautious. He takes the time to offer advice before placing anyone into the voice room.

"It stressful. Every day, there's a song, a rhythm or something new to do, but a di inner-city, so you know the financial part kinda weak, so the pressure high.

"Some artistes and producers nuh business because them only say music dem a do, and dem a nuh guidance counsellor fi nuhbody pickney. As producers, we a try fix that as best as we can by working with young youths," Rymes said.

A Jus Di Vibes Music now experiences a steady stream of potential entertainers who come from in and around Seaview Gardens since the official start in 2015.

"Mi feel good fi know seh we come from Seaview Gardens and able to make productions here, a community that is a factory fi nuff big artistes in the industry," he said.

Fresh Rymes and Gahlxi say that it is normal to see artistes from the community, and it is not hard to link with them for new tunes, but the market is filled with producers.

"We have been able to gain respect from deejays outside from working with persons like Dexta Daps," Gahlxi said.

"Products created here nuh leave from here. Call it seh is a Seaview production, that is, we nuh use other studio because we can ensure the quality good, so these artiste can seh A Jus Di Vibes."

The duo is currently working on productions with Bugle and Laden.