FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Musa Barrow
28 October 2009
Serrekunda — A Gambian producer who works at State of the Mike Studio, Junior Sam said Gambian studios are well equipped and comparable to Senegalese studios.
He made this remark in an exclusive interview with this reporter. He said this while reacting to the assertions of some Gambian artists who said that Senegalese studios are more sophisticated than Gambian studios.
However, Junior Sam further said that Senegalese producers are better trained and experienced than their Gambian counterparts.
He explained that the training the Senegalese producers receive makes the difference in terms of the quality of the music produced in the two countries.
He noted that unlike their Gambian counterparts, the Senegalese producers have embarked on advance training both in the country and abroad.
Junior Sam who is also an artists also stated that in order to compare the quality of music produced in Gambia and Senegal, Gambian producers should be better trained and given the opportunity to showcase what they can.
He further remarked that his studio is one of the best studios in this country.
He said apart from audio recording, State of the mike also produces video clips.
He noted that the confidence that could be found in his studio makes it the ideal place for young and aspiring artists.
Giving a brief background about his studio, Junior Sam said state of Mike was established three years back by some Dutch Nationals.
He stated that the objective behind the establishment of the studio apart from recording was also to serve as a centre where young Gambians can be trained on the art of producing.
He said initially some young Gambians were assembled to be trained on producing. However, he said after an examination, the number was whittled down and only the very best ones were maintained.
According to him, the four best trainees who emerged from the said training currently run the state of the Mike Studio.
He said two of the trainees work at the audio department while the other two handle the video department.
In the three years existence of the studio, Junior Sam stated that his studio has had some staggering achievements.
Among the studio's achievements, he said were the production of several talented Gambian artists whose songs turned out to be absolute thrillers.
He indicated that some of those Gambian artists include Big Arms, Sir and Big Fa. He also added that his studio produced a compilation brining Gambians and Senegalese artists together.
He said the compilation titled DK-BJ1 also spread in popularity like a wild fire in a grass land.
He used the opportunity to call on all aspiring Gambian artists to come and work with his studio, noting that any artists who is ready to work hard would be embraced with open arms upon entering state of Mike Studio.
One of the founding principles of this studio is to help take Gambian music to where it never reached before, said Junior Sam.
He explained that the best way to enhance the music is to invest in the young ones and this he said is the mission of State of Mike Studio.
'We would work with every talented and young musician to enable them to realize their fill potentials,' he said.
Junior Sam who is also a self produced artist further revealed that his studio would undergo a major enhancement in December 2009.
He said the Dutch sponsors are going to bring some new equipment which he said are ultra modern and state of the art.
According to him, the enhancement of the studio would strengthen their resolve to work towards achieving the objective.
He applauded their Dutch sponsors for what he called their foresight and good intentions for the Gambian music industry.
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