By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Beres Hammond - file

Today, we close off our interview series with Beres Hammond, ahead of his 'Moment' concert at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday, December 30, with his thoughts on music production.

Beres Hammond has long had his hand in producing, Half Pint, Jah Cure and Patriot among the many artistes who have songs on his Harmony House imprint. He tells THE STAR that "me did always have the ear for it. I don't know if you would call it producer. Me just know I could sort out the sounds".

"Me see it, like colour. You know this one blend," he said. He says that maybe it is the art that was competing with music in his life up until when he was well into his teens coming through. "That (art) no come out of me up to today," he said.

"Me always have that interest in young singers," Hammond said. "Me love the challenge of listening to you and turn and twist your voice, make you sing some things you never know you could sing."

"Is pure young singers come round me. As soon as them grow some feathers I figure them can fly. So my thing set," Hammond said, smiling.

In the larger of two studios at his Harmony House production house, there is a baby grand and a set-up for live drums. "Back when I started in the business that is what I was used to recording with, that live feel. And I tink that some of our music is seriously in need of that. That is what gives music the soul," Hammond said.

In addition to the sound, there are more people in the studio, interacting in speech and music.

"That's how you end up with new ideas, new sounds, because it is not one man, it is people sharing," he said.

With the approach of fewer people actually making the rhythms, has come the strategy of several performers singing or deejaying over one rhythm and, naturally, there is a departure from the situation where a song was distinctive from the first notes of the music. "That is what I look forward to, people groove to it even before the singer start sing," Hammond said.

"We need to get back to the days of songs. Me appreciate the distance the music has come and the mainstream appreciation it a get, but me still think we need to add some more," he said.

"We want good minds to come back into music," he said.

Technological talent

Hammond also pointed to the heavy use of technology, as he said "what me a hear is technological talent. Me want the youth them to sing and let me hear. I don't want to have to read the label to know it is you. What I am hearing is a lot of machines".

"Me nah criticise anyone. Me a talk as a concerned citizen of this business for a long time."

As much as he would love to see one rhythm to one song, Hammond says: "I am not looking for a dramatic turnaround. There are those producers out there who do come and create a legacy. I would love if they got a one rhythm and knew it was for that song there."

And he points out that many performers are being left out, because their songs are not on a rhythm with many other persons. "Too much good tune out a road not getting play," Hammond said, because they do not fit into the 'juggling'.