In February, recognised in Jamaica as Reggae Month, singjay/producer Tom “Panic” Jones celebrated a milestone of his personal. He and fellow musicians marked the primary anniversary of Tuesday Service, a preferred weekly session at his venue, a brand new inventive hub, in Kingston referred to as The Compound. The first Anniversary present was held on the Ranny Williams Leisure Middle in Kingston.
What began as a personal house for Panic to file music, grew right into a hangout for artists and musicians to specific and expose their creativity. For a lot of the final yr, resident band Dub Squad would jam with acts who handed by way of, however the final three months has seen Kabaka Pyramid’s Bebble Rockers Band and Lila Ike’s Phrase Band dropping in.
“All di musicians you possibly can consider, from at the moment, yesterday an’ tomorrow, they arrive right here. Individuals come to listen to reside, genuine reggae…I name it coordinated chaos,” stated Panic.
A few of reggae’s greatest names have contributed to The Compound’s rise. Artistes resembling Jesse Royal, Jemere Morgan, Ras I, Valiant, Maxi Priest, Turbulence, Luciano, Tanya Stephens, and Capleton and plenty of many extra have handed by way of and accomplished impromptu performances. Even Fugees Star Wyclef Jean, visited the Compound in 2024 for the manufacturing of a brand new album by Panic.
A number of of them have additionally utilised different options at The Compound, together with three recording studios and a rehearsal room. Panic says his goal is to make use of the multi-faceted advanced, “to broaden musical minds.”
That’s been his goal since formally coming into the music enterprise throughout the Nineteen Nineties, shortly after migrating to america. The Kingston-born Panic is a co-founder of John Store Information, a New York-based firm that produced and distributed albums and songs by Sizzla, Yami Bolo, Mega Banton, Sammy Dread and Tanto Metro and Devonte.
The label’s productions had a superb run within the tri-state space and Jamaica, however that successfully resulted in 2006 when Panic was imprisoned for nearly 14 years on Federal expenses.
He resumed his recording profession after returning to Jamaica, releasing songs like Chase Yuh Goals and Natty Trodding By way of The Earth. Panic has additionally launched an album, 8 29 I Launch, impressed by the day his incarceration ended.
April will see the discharge of White Sand Seashore, a collaboration with Lila Ike. It’s produced by guitarist Nambi Robinson, son of trombonist Nambo Robinson.
As he tries to determine himself as an artiste, Panic is simply as decided to make The Compound successful.
“It haffi develop, issues can solely get higher,” he stated.
