BMG has signed a worldwide deal with Trojan Jamaica, a new frontline label focusing on newly produced, Jamaican-made music.
BMG is both co-funding the Trojan Jamaica label and has licensed the name for use from its famed Trojan Records label for the new venture.
Based in Jamaica, the label is the result of a partnership with musician/producer Zak Starkey and his partner, artist/musician/producer Sharna ‘Sshh’ Liguz.
While some of the artists overlap with the Trojan Records catalog, Trojan Jamaica is an entirely standalone frontline label.
The label’s first release is slated for Spring 2019.
Trojan Jamaica came to exist after Kingsley Cooper, curator of the Peter Tosh Museum in Kingston, saw a video of Starkey and Liguz’s musical project SSHH performing 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 with legendary and contemporary 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, Shaggy and more.
“We’re committed to presenting local artists together with international musicians who, like us, have been inspired by roots culture.”
Zak Starkey
Starkey said: “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.
“We’re committed to presenting local artists together with international musicians who, like us, have been inspired by roots culture.”
Sshh added: “It’s our aim to bring a range of new Jamaican music to the masses. 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.”
