‘Jamaica Garrison Christmas’ enters the Grammy race

A few days ahead of next Wednesday's closing date, Sean 'Contractor' Edwards of Contractor Music Group has submitted his Jamaica Garrison Christmas album for Grammy consideration.

The Grammy Awards, which recognise achievements in the music industry, are presented by The Recording Academy, which announced in July that those who intended to submit their music and works for consideration at the 2023 Grammys should do so by August 31, at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Edwards, a producer with skills in music marketing, has been around several top names in the industry internationally and has tasted Grammy success, but not as a producer. He feels that there is much to gain from submitting an album, even if it isn't selected among the final five.

"Ever since Morgan Heritage hired me to do marketing work for their album Strictly Roots and it won a Grammy, I've been bitten by the Grammy bug," Edwards told THE WEEKEND STAR. "When I started to executively produce my own compilation albums, we made submissions to the Grammys. But unfortunately, the first set of albums did not meet the guidelines for Best Reggae Album. But... we have to remember that even Stephen Marley did an album that was not accepted because they said it was too much hip hop."

However, last year, his album Reggae Vaccine was accepted for the category but did not make the coveted shortlist.

Edwards added, "I also did marketing work last year for Positive Vibration, Gramps Morgan's album and that was nominated. So we decided to enter this Jamaica Garrison Christmas album which is my compilation dancehall album. We entered it because it gives us a presence and it puts us in the conversation, and if you do the right marketing, even if it doesn't get nominated, it will increase your streams."

Edwards is urging the reggae and dancehall fraternity to sign up, pay the annual fee and become voting members of The Recording Academy.

"We as Jamaicans in the reggae industry need to do a lot more and encourage our own votes. We see where SOJA won last year; obviously, they did their homework. They had a good album and they did their marketing," he stated.

Among the artistes featured on Jamaica Garrison Christmas are Gyptian, Charly Black and Jahvillani.

The 2023 Grammy Awards will be held at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on February 5.