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April 27, 2007

Weekend
page W-4

By: Ayeha Morris
Daily News Staff

A new magazine spotlighting Virgin Islands culture is set to hit the streets next week.  The first issue of CORE, a glossy-64-page bi-monthly publication, features legendary local musician Nicholas “Daddy” Friday on the cover and a tribute to the late arranger, composer and Jam Band frontman inside.  Friday helped shape the territory’s music and was multi-Carnival Road March winner. 

Last summer, Abigail Cyntje and Christopher George decided to get together to produce a magazine that highlighted the people, events, music, trends and issues relevant to the territory’s young adult population.

“There’s a lot of music and art happening in the territory and people don’t know about it,” George said.  “We wanted to put it on a larger scale.”

The target demographic is people ages 18 to 35.

The debut issue also features an interview with Friday’s daughter Nicole Friday and gives additional information about Jam Band.  Historic photographs of Carnival events with an accompanying story on the roots of the yearly celebration are also included.

Other highlights include profiles of M-Tina, a recording artist with Tri-Storm Entertainment; models JeT’aime Cerge and Avanna Lake; and poetry by Callaloo poets.

Future editions will focus on other Virgin Islanders making their mark in society, as well as personalities who have not received much public recognition, George said.

Funding for the magazine has been mostly out of pocket, but the founders said they hope to bring advertisers on board.

George is a 30-year-old owner of 340 Exchange, a consulting, advertising and marketing company, and general manager of Paid 4 Entertainment.  Cyntje is a network engineer at Innovative and graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.

“The Virgin Islands as a whole, British and U.S., should support whatever platform that pushes our own,” George said.  “We have enough people who are from here that are doing things of significance.  It’s time to let those people be known.”

Associate editor of CORE, Earl Daniel, said working with the magazine has opened a lot of opportunities to meet people in the community.

“They should expect nothing but the best from the Virgin Islands, whether it be here or abroad.  Anything having to do with the Virgin Islands we’re going to cover it, and if we haven’t already, we will,” Daniel said.

Eventually, the goal is to expand the magazine to the eastern Caribbean.

The magazine will be on sale for $5 a copy at Rack in Tutu Park Mall, as well as area corner stores, George said.  Subscriptions are $3 per copy for one year.

For more information visit www.coremagazine.vi

 “New publication to highlight V.I. culture”
Copyrighted by CORE Magazine 2008