‘Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land’ educates, entertains

As Reggae Month continues, many are tuning in to the classics that built the foundation for a genre. The roots of reggae that have branched ever outward to have a strong hold on the world of music are celebrated, as are the stories of their first planting. Those stories are not just inspiring, but are the subject of the short documentary series Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land, which was recently screened at the Bob Marley Museum and The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

The series explores five stories of success for reggae and the creation of a community in the cold of Canada. The short films are 15 to 18 minutes each and are chockful of information despite their truncated runtime. The films focus on artistes Leroy Sibbles of The Heptones, Dancehall Godfather Johnny Osbourne, Nana McLean and ska duo Roy & Yvonne and Jerry Brown and Summer Records, a pioneer recording studio for reggae artistes in Canada.

The shorts themselves are nothing short of transfixing. They weave together tales of trials that each of its subjects had to endure, from the uninviting atmosphere of a society prejudiced towards blacks to the struggle for air time on Canadian radio stations. The environment couldn’t have been less conducive to reggae music, yet through perseverance, each story shows the pathway to a legacy that’s revered to this day.

The anthology docuseries was first showcased to a crowd of invitees from the media, as well as members of the public who huddled together in the Bob Marley Museum theatre room. The event was free of cost, with donations encouraged. After the films were shown, a Q&A was hosted by the event organiser and filmmaker Donisha Prendergast, the film’s directors Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan, the director of photography Keenan Lynch, and the film’s editor Jadon JB Williams.

The short films were presented by the National Film Board of Canada, but Mathieson credits the cinematic quality of the film to their producer, Lea Marin. “She, from the beginning, saw the value in showcasing these stories and making sure we had the right budget and the right crew.”

The insistence on production value went a long way toward making shorts that would do the stories justice. “Far too long, these stories would only be a blip in the newspaper or a new clip. We really wanted to celebrate them in a cinematic form,” continued Mathieson.

Archival imagery

With a stipulated time of under 18 minutes per short, the film’s editor was tasked with trimming down more than 10 hours of footage. “It was really about finding the heart of what each person was talking about and trying to find a way to show these different personalities,” said Williams about his process.

To ground the pieces, the filmmakers made use of archival imagery to bring moments of history to life. Many events referenced by the subjects of the docuseries were inadequately documented, leaving the filmmakers to recreate important moments. “A big challenge was the lack of archive, and that was why we leaned into the recreations,” said Flanagan. One scene in particular incorporated the display of a revivalist church in the 1960s. “We had about 5 days of shooting, and trying to find a revivalist church in Toronto in the winter was a challenge,” shared Lynch.

Despite the difficulty, the result was a moving one for Williams, the films’ editor. “When I saw the footage of the church, a little tear came to my eye,” shared Williams.

The second leg of the Sounds & Pressure tour came to The University of the West Indies Neville Hall lecture theatre, hosted by Dr Lisa Tomlinson, head of the Department of Literatures in English, and Dr David Gosse, head of the Department of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. The staging was sponsored by the Canadian High Commission, with opening remarks by the Canadian High Commissioner in Jamaica, Mark Berman, followed by a Q&A with both the directors, Dr Tomlinson, Dr Gosse, and one of the subjects of the documentary, Leroy Sibbles himself.

Speaking on his inclusion in the series, Sibbles shared that he was honoured to have the film shown on campus. “I felt totally honoured to be at the famous and important UWI in the Neville Hall theatre showing documentary video of me and others’ early contribution to reggae music in Canada. Thanks to the Canadian producers’ production team and all local individuals who helped to make this happen.”

The production is available for streaming on the National Film Board of Canada website; however, it is currently region-locked for those looking to view the film in Jamaica. The filmmakers are currently undergoing efforts to increase the availability of the series for Jamaicans living in Jamaica, but for the moment, members of the diaspora can revel in the high-quality stories of reggae pioneers straight from the source.

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies. Email feedback to entertainment@gleanerjm.com.