Ten years after turning a love of partying into a serious venture, Baje International boasts the hottest summer fetes, sold-out bands and in 2006, the first ever appearance of a local band onto the Trinidad Carnival stage. I sat down with three of the friends who manage the band — Richard Haynes, Val Bridgeman and Corey Knight (missing were Jason Cozier and Tundé Mottley) — as they shared the details on the Baje beginnings, challenges and goals.

Following the letter of Murphy’s LawWith a love of partying and their friendship as a bond, nine friends decided to throw a summer fete at the Pepperpot in 1996. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong in one night,” Richard says about the first Baje fete. Among the “numerous things” that the friends now chuckle about, one was a sound system missing in action till 1 a.m., with close to 2,000 people on the outside. But it wasn’t a complete failure. “What encouraged us was we had a lot of people coming out for our first thing and the other thing is that the guys that were serious about entertainment stayed in it,” Richard says. (The second fete four months later came off without a hitch).

Working 9 to 5 (in the morning)
Baje, the band, was formed in 1999, when the niece of veteran bandleader, Marcia Chandler, approached the group with the idea. Despite their youth and the detractors, the band sold out its 750 costumes in no time and even added an additional section. The experience was both challenging and hands-on with the friends working on costumes until dawn. “It wasn’t like working until 5 at the time. It was a nice lime with dominoes, food, drinks,” Corey says. To date, since all the members have full-time jobs, sacrificing sleep in the process of ensuring a smooth-running and successful season is described as a way of life. 

Nourished by the family….
The band credits its core support as playing a tremendous role in its growth, especially that of Rupee, with his famous ‘Baje International call’, and Peter Coppin, who promotes the band and deejays at events. And of course, the over 1,000 strong of the “Baje family,” from the young to those 75 years old, who guide the band and keep it going from year to year, are considered to be a real blessing.  

...But starved by the business big-wigs
Richard says, “We’ve been to every major corporate entity in Barbados, the response ranges from absolutely no response…” “To absolutely not,” quips Corey. While the “nontraditional” brands that supported them have been successful, they say the lack of involvement by the more conservative entities is restricting the growth of Crop Over.  

What do cultural exhibits, sugar cane and yachts have in common?
Out of necessity rather than strategy, Baje has always been on the move with fetes held at the Barbados Museum, Heritage Park and the Yacht Club to name a few. Corey identifies this as an ongoing challenge that the band must grapple with once again this year. But no matter the location, they say the Baje family comes out in support and creates a vibe.