The link below leads to a photo-gallery of pictures from the recent trip of the Jamaica Field Service Project. The pictures are from last month’s trip to Treasure Beach.

http://gallery.mac.com/ericwills#100011&view=mosaic&sel=0

The program is sponsored in part by the Rotary of Jamaica – as well as by a growing list of (now over 20) participating universities from across the US and Canada. Through this program, university students, professors, and professional musicians travel to Jamaica 6 times per year. While in Jamaica, we offer music instruction in the schools and community, as well as donating musical instruments and school supplies.

We also typically set up recording studio on site – so that local musicians can record and create CD’s of their own music. The program works across the island, with upcoming trips to Treasure Beach scheduled for June and July 08.

Here’s the link to the program website:

www.jafieldservice.com

Eric Wills
Director Jamaica Field Service Project

So great to hear of all the sucess this program is seeing as it really is a terrific program. The night at the Fisherman's Bar where 12 of your students were drumming and the room was packed with folks enjoying the beat will remain in my memory for a long time. Talk about positive vibrations!!

And Oshane has been practicing non-stop on his drum!

Can't wait to see the Jamiaca Field Service Project crew back here again!

Wow, great pictures, and a great project!

Big Up to all the work done by Jamaica Field Service Project.

Eric

did i read that oshane got a drum

thats most exciting - he must have been so pleased, thank you for that generous gift to my young friend

i know what good drummers both he and his brother are....and now they will be able to get even better

i look forward to our next jam together...

bless

The joy on all the faces -- from the volunteers to the children -- tells the whole story.

Hey Twisted Sista - The next time you see Oshane, ask him to play you the CD we made together. Oshane, Roshane and I recorded a drumming CD - down at Button Bay. The CD is of traditional West African and Jamaican hand-drumming. You could probably even use the BREDS computer center to make a dub of it if you like. I think it's going to be a big hit

We are now in the process of planning for, and looking for funds and donations of musical instruments, for the music camp we will be offering at the TB Women's Center this coming July.

I'm looking forward to my next jam session down at the Fisherman's Club - and can't wait to hear how Oshane and his brother have improved.

Eric

eric

i am an african drummer - mostly west african rhythms, so i look forward to hearing that cd as i may already be familar with some of the rhythms

thank you for permission to theif a copy of my own so that i can listen at home

maybe one day we will be in tb at the same time and i will be able to jam with you and the twins, that would be sweet

Eric, Are you looking for individual donations...wone, wone coco fil baskit... or large corporate donations? If it's individual, post info so we can help. Willing to do what I can.

Sorry, I made a mistake in a previous posting. It was Roshane and not Oshane who received the drum. Oshane corrected me on this last night!

Hey Alice - Thanks so much for inquiring! While we are able to receive some corporate sponsorship, it is really through the generosity of individuals that the program is able to make donations of musical instruments and supplies to the children and schools where we work. We appreciate ANY help. At this point, we are working toward obtaining instruments for the June and July trips to Treasure Beach.

If you would like to help out in any way, you can contact me through my office email - wills@jafieldservice.com

rebecca
no worry
easy mistake to make

As a university student, and past participant in the Jamaica Field Service Project, my visit to Treasure Beach in January was literally a life changing experience. It's a real win-win situation, teaching music in the schools, and donating musical instruments. I think I got as much out of the trip as the students that I taught at the Sandy Bank School. I learned more about teaching music in Jamaica than in my entire 4 years of college.

A real highlight of my trip was our evening drumming sessions at the Fisherman's Club! I will be returning to Treasure Beach for the July trip, and am already looking forward to teaching music lessons again, to the children of Treasure Beach.

Here's a link to even more pictures from the program - including last year's Treasure Beach trips, and our trips to Portland parish as well. Some are very heartwarming...

http://gallery.mac.com/ericwills#100027&view=mosaic&sel=0

We are ALWAYS looking for musical instruments to donate. The university students who participate in the trips carry down the recorders, drums, guitars, and keyboards which we donate to the schools, and to the talented youth in the community. We use the instruments to offer ongoing music instruction in the schools and community.

If anyone has ANY old musical instruments kicking around - I will GLADLY provide you with a shipping address in the US, to our participating university students. We have colleges across the US and Canada who participate in the program.

We are making return visits to Treasure Beach in June and July, and are still in need of musical instruments for both trips.

Eric Wills
Director Jamaica Field Service Project
wills@jafieldservice.com

Those are awesome pictures, Eric. Looks like you spread the music to several places in JA on that trip.

Keep up the good work.

-Eric