Jakoostik USA Tour 2012

Charting New Ground

Jakoostik is presently on an adventure. Eight shows in two weeks in the USA, specifically on the East Coast with one show being in Pittsburgh and the others in New York.

Originally the plan was to travel from North Carolina to Boston travelling and doing gigs all the way, however the booking agent in California thought it better to focus on New York as that city is our true target.

So basic strategy is get into venues and perform as well as we can and connect with the audience through the awesome catalogue of Jamaican music and then sell as many CDs as possible and then get out of Dodge.

So working through Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion 100 venues were contacted over the duration of a month and from over 100 emails and phone calls 7 gigs were booked in New York. If you want to look at the venues go to our Sonicbids EPK and click on "Calendar".

The first gig is in Pittsburgh and was not gotten through Bryan Farrish but through good old fashioned linking up with a friend who loves Jamaica music and owns a restaurant called the Tonic Bar & Grill. Through a mutual Jamaican musician/friend the owner Denise Weidner Gaynor has been coming to Jamaica and loving Jamaican music and culture.

The gig in Pittsburgh was the first one we booked because we felt it was important to say to Bryan Farrish that "we are planning a tour in the USA and we have one booked, we need you to help us book the rest of the tour". That way they would know that we are serious and would be encouraged to believe that if one venue would book us then others would too.

After a lot of emails, phone calls and spreadsheets the small tour has been set. Eight gigs in 2 weeks mostly in clubs and bars with one exception of a bookstore in Staten Island called "Everything Goes Book Store & Neighbourhood Stage".

It's an exciting time for the small company footing the bill Griot Music, being the first time at making a serious attempt at penetrating the US market. A lot is at stake on one hand and on the other hand it is really just a group of three guys who have had love affairs with the guitar and Jamaican music sharing that vibe with a new audience, keeping themselves warm on the way.

It's a new day for Jamaican music and the sun will rise in Pittsburgh.