Guyanese Musicians taking Folk music to Ireland

Guyanese creatives continue to take the nation’s name to the world stage. The most recent of these trailblazers are the award-winning duo ‘Gavin and Chucky’. Group members Gavin Mendonca and Marlon ‘Chucky’ Adams, both notable names and ambitious artists in their own right, have embarked on a musical journey aimed at showing a different side to Guyanese music, with the slogan “Folk Up De Place.”

Now, the duo face the biggest opportunity of their careers – they have been proudly announced as Official Showcase Performers at ‘Your Roots Are Showing’ – Ireland’s Folk Music Conference scheduled for January 15-19, 2025, in Killarney, Ireland.

‘Your Roots Are Showing’ is an impressive conference that gathers folk/world music professionals from around the globe for networking opportunities, workshops, seminars, showcase performances, and jamming sessions. From musicians to festival directors, labels to radio hosts, it’s the ultimate place for artists to showcase their musical products to key figures in the international World Music industry.

Who are Gavin and Chucky?
The dynamic duo formed in 2015 when they first met at the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival. Since then, they have worked to perfect their unique blend of Creole Rock sounds.

Gavin grew up in what he describes as a “very loving family” in Georgetown. He attended Bishops High School and later studied Computer Science at the University of Guyana, graduating with an Associate Degree in Chemistry. “I grew up as an active member of the St. Stanislaus College Scout Group, which instilled sturdy values and taught me many life skills,” he shared.

Marlon ‘Chucky’ Adams grew up in Buxton and has been an integral part of the community as the leader of the Buxton Fusion Drumming School. There, Chucky teaches youth in Buxton and surrounding areas the history of drumming in Guyana and the art form passed down directly from their African ancestors. “My family runs an African Spiritual Church in Buxton, a special place where the entire community gathers to celebrate life and happiness,” he explained.

Musical Roots
Chucky has been playing the djembe drum since childhood, growing up in a spiritual church and taking part in Kweh Kweh sessions. He is truly a master of the five ‘hands’ or drum patterns popular in Guyana and the region.

Gavin got into music later in life, acquiring his first guitar in 2010 after starting university. He quickly taught himself to play, joined a punk rock band, and later started playing bass with the local heavy metal band ‘Feed The Flames’. “Being in a rock band in Guyana forced me to develop skills such as organizing shows, marketing and promoting events, recording and engineering music, and live sound,” Gavin explained.

The duo motivate each other as well. As Gavin shared, “Chucky helped inspire me to maintain identity through music, and together we started to blend our unique influences to produce something that has never been heard before in Guyana – the way we fuse folk songs, traditional rhythms and textures, with punk rock and more contemporary approaches to music.”

‘Folk it Up’
After developing their chemistry as musicians, Gavin and Chucky naturally conceived the idea of ‘Folk it Up’. Their goal was to learn and perform as many folk songs as possible, contributing to the preservation of Guyanese folk music.

In 2019, the duo began meeting at The Courtyard Mall on Robb Street every Friday at noon to jam for hours, entertaining passersby. They decided to record their work, partnering with Kross Kolor Records to release ‘Folk it Up Vol. 1’ – a collection of Guyanese folk songs. Its success led to ‘Folk it Up Vol. 2’ in 2022 and ‘Vol. 3’, recorded live in the Iwokrama Rainforest in 2023, adding a layer of rainforest conservation to their work.

What makes their music unique is the fusion of African rhythms and Guyanese folk music with punk rock. “It has never been done before, and we are the only duo who can do it,” Gavin explained. “We authentically represent the Guyanese voice and way of life in our music, while also creating such a ruckus that anyone would feel compelled to move their hips or at least tap their feet when they hear Chucky’s drum and my guitar.”

Standing Out on the Global Stage
Gavin and Chucky’s appeal to international audiences is evident through songs like ‘City By De Tides’, ‘The Great Rebellion’, and their first collaborative composition, ‘Everything Gon Be Alright’. Gavin believes that Guyanese uniqueness truly stands out in the international arena. “As Guyanese musicians in an international market, we are easier to stand out than one might believe. By remaining authentic in our presentation and delivery of our music, we are able to captivate a very special niche audience of people around the world who truly appreciate learning about new cultures and hearing new sounds.”

To date, the pair has showcased their music at the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival, the Guyana Folk Festival in New York, and the Bridgetown International Arts Festival 2023 in Barbados. They’ve also participated in virtual festivals during the pandemic, including Folk Alliance International Online and Bankra Caribbean Culture Fest Online.

The duo has collaborated with Burchmore Simon at Kross Kolor Records to produce their “Folk It Up” album series and with filmmaker Azikiwe ‘Ziggy’ Denheart for recording virtual concerts in the North Rupununi. Gavin has also represented the duo at international events such as Folk Alliance International in the US, Dubai Expo, American Music Abroad Colombia, Ethno USA, Ethno Sweden, and the Guyana Folk Festival in London.

As Gavin and Chucky prepare for ‘Your Roots Are Showing’ in Ireland, they are determined to showcase true Guyanese culture to the world. However, the journey isn’t without challenges. The duo is currently working to raise funds for the trip, gaining support from various Guyanese corporations, but they still have a long way to go before reaching Ireland.

With their unique blend of traditional Guyanese rhythms and contemporary rock, Gavin and Chucky are not just musicians; they are cultural ambassadors, ready to share the rich tapestry of Guyanese music with the world.