Bai Kamara Jr.
It would be redundant to describe Bai Kamara Jr. as a very talented musician because all of the artists I feature on 4fame are very talented. A better word to describe Bai Kamara Jr. is gifted. When you listen to his music you will understand exactly what I mean. Bai Kamara Jr. makes music that evokes powerful feelings of social consciousness and raw emotion. Masterfully skilled both vocally and musically, Bai has created classic songs like my favorite “URBAN GIPSY.” It is only a matter of time before the whole world will recognize the gift of Bai Kamara Jr.’s music. I consider myself very lucky to have the privilege of presenting an artist with such a talent for creating music that is so powerfully intelligent.
Ladies and gentlemen I present Bai Kamara Jr……
1. Your first name is very interesting, does it have a meaning?
My first name, Bai, in my tribe means chief.
2. You were born in Sierra Leone and lived there till the age of fifteen. What was life like growing up in Sierra Leone?
Growing up in Sierra Leone was a constant adventure, spending most of my days outdoors, seaside, climbing trees. As Freetown is a peninsula it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. It was very safe.
3. What was the transition like, moving from an Africa to the United Kingdom? Did you ever have any problems adjusting to a European culture?
I didn't have problems adjusting to a European culture cause I spent some of my summer holidays in the UK while I grow up as a kid. But of course it was a different thing when you have to study there, then it was not so easy to adjust as the seasons are different and because I had a different lifestyle in Africa. I used to spend a lot of time outdoors and to spend time with my uncle who lived close to a fishing village.
4. Do you still have any family in Sierra Leone? Have you been back to visit your home land since you left?
Yes I still have relatives in SL. My parents still live there and my cousins, and a lot of family. I've recently been in SL in 2007 with Unicef.
5. When you moved to England, you were introduced to a whole new sound of music. What English artists influenced you when you were growing up?
The Police/Sting,Sade and Steel Pulse.
During the 80tees there were a lot of very good English bands.
6. You had the opportunity to start your music career early in life but you chose to concentrate on school instead. Do you feel that you made the right decision to focus on school instead of music at that time, why?
I felt I made the right decision because it is always good to have a good academic base. Also at the time I loved music but I hadn't made up my mind if I was going to do music professionally.
7. You are very politically and socially active. Do you feel that you have an obligation as a musician and as a person to raise awareness about injustices around the world?
First and foremost as a citizen of he world I do feel obligated to raise awareness about injustices around the world and in my case, music is perfect platform.
8. Do you write and produce all of you music? Do you think it is better to have a single person write and produce an entire album or do you think it is better to have a diversity of producers and writers on an album?
Yes I write and produce all of my music. I think it is great to have a diversity of writers but as far as production is concerned I prefer to have an overall producer or 2 producers working together to have a concept. Because if you have 5 or 6 producers working on different tracks the album becomes more of a compilation.
9. Besides the acoustic guitar, do you play any other instruments?
No I don't play any other instruments.
10. ‘Living Room/Intrinsic Equilibrium,’ was your first album and it was an acoustic album. The album has 12 very good songs, how would you describe the mood and feeling of your first album?
The mood and feeling of my first album is one intimacy, simplicity and nakedness.
11. When you tour, are you a solo act or do you tour with a band?
Touring solo or with the band mostly depends on the budget and on which venues i'll be playing.
12. The second album is titled “Urban Gipsy,” is there a meaning behind that title?
The meaning behind the title comes from my experiences of living in different parts of the city.
13. How long did it take for you to complete the second album?
It took me about a year to complete the the initial recording and another year the add to the finishing touches.
14. Are you currently only touring in Europe? If so, are there any plans to do performances in other countries like the United States?
Currently I only tour in Europe. There are no plans yet to tour in the US. But for the next album hopefully I can do a tour in the US with the help of contacts.
15. You write and produce music for other bands. Do you find it more difficult to write music for others as oppose to making music for yourself?
When I write and produce music for other bands, I do not find it more difficult as oppose to writing for myself, it's fun and challenging.
16. Your next album is tentatively titled “Disposable Society,” which is due out in 2009 or 2010. How is that album coming along and what is the meaning behind “Disposable Society?”
The title is definite since 2006 and the album will come out in the beginning of February 2010.
Disposable Society talks about the age of consumerism and people living beyond their means. This album is specially dedicated to the people of SL and to social, economical, ecological and the world politics in general.
The recordings are going well because I have been developing the concept 4 years before I started recording.
17. Would you consider your self a perfectionist because I read a quote that somebody asked you, “what is your best song?” and you replied “I haven’t written it yet!” Do you listen to your completed albums and critique your music or do you accept your songs for what they are?
I do listen and critique my albums but I also move on and make sure that the shortfall of do not appear on the next projects.
I believe one is as good as the next works they write or produce.
18. When you create a song, what is the process? Do you base your music on your real life experiences?
Every song is born differently. For ex, I'll have a melody even before the music starts and then I ll try to put words on the melody. In other case I have a piece of music and I'll put the melody on it.
I base my music mostly on real life experiences whether their mine or other people's experiences.
19. Are there any artists out now that you would love to collaborate with and if so, why?
I'd love collaborate with artist like K'naan, Michael Franti, Cesaria Evora, ...because appreciate and love their artistry and authenticity.
20. You are a big supporter of UNICEF, for people that may want to get involved in helping out others; can you tell people where to go to get information about various organizations?
It is always best to see where are the local headquarter, branches of those organizations because they always need volunteers.
21. Are there any final words that you would like to leave for the people of the world?
“Peace always and keep celebrating life”.