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Trench Town, home of reggae legend Bob Marley, is the home of reggae music. And the Brown family in the Arnett Garden area is, in their own way, capitalising on that legacy with the Musicians Without Borders project.

Oshane Brown, a member of the board of directors for the project, told THE STAR that Musicians Without Borders is a partnership that his family formed with musicians from Germany six years ago.

For the project, volunteers between 18 and 25 years old from Germany come to Jamaica and stay for two to six months to teach the youth in Trench Town to play different musical instruments.

“We teach the basic of all instruments, like drums, guitar, saxophone, all type of instrument. Once the volunteers are here who play the instrument, we offer it,” Brown said.

He also said that his family hopes that the project will prevent the youth from turning to crime.

“Young ones who might go astray and be influenced by the guns and stuff, we can have another alternative, which is music that they can use to help themselves and help their family members. And the lesson they get is free,” he said.

Brown said that they offer musical training every evening, starting at 3 p.m. They also provide vocal training for those who are interested, and the environment fosters cultural exchange between the youth in Trench Town and the volunteers from Germany.

ACCESS TO LESSONS

Nina Pfetzer, a volunteer with Musicians Without Borders, said that she chose to be part of the project because she wanted to give access to persons who can’t afford music lessons.

“A lot of persons cannot really afford the lesson or the instrument because they’re very expensive,” she said.

She told THE STAR that she has been enjoying teaching so far.

“My students say it’s really nice and it’s like education, and when they play regularly they get better,” she added.

And it’s not just the students who love the project, as Brown said that the community has been receptive.

“Everyone loves to see us walking around, teaching the kids dem, guiding the kids dem. Even if I’m not around helping them, there are community members around helping them because they love to see what the project has done, and what my family has done for the community,” he said

“They are really happy to see another culture blending with the community, and they learn more, they know more about Germany than what they heard before, and they are able to socialise and interact,” he said.

Eventually, Brown said his family hopes to change how Trench Town is viewed.

“Everyone know Trench Town is for music, and other great musicians come from here. Our aim is to put back that thing where it was and move from the gang vibe, which is giving a bad vibe on the community,” he said