Photos by Andre C.Y. Choo Quan

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It's Carnival, It's Carnival...

I was singing "de Jeep break down... so ah jump in a Maxi..." When de truth was, ah was just feelin' irie! The Jeep was doing jus fine! The Big Show (TBS) rounds up de TJJ management and staff for a round of dhal pies. Oh lawd, where have these pies been all meh life??!! I already book a flight to come back in a few weeks, i.e. when ah feel de dhal pie craving will be the strongest. Between those pies and some Lucia fish cakes, I've found the final side to my square meal.

It's Mother's day in St. Lucia today and that means that all mommies are enjoying brunch somewhere with de whole family and we jammin' up de international phone lines to see if we own mommy is well seated and treated... but that is from de bumpy back seat of TBS's 4x4, taking yet another "shortcut" to Pigeon Island to avoid the crazy traffic.

As early and as hot as the sun was, the venue already packed out. It's because while we busy socializing by the gate, acclaimed five-time Grammy Award-winning singer Dionne Warwick is already on stage. Applause like the wings of a million butterflies expresses the delight of the capacity-size crowd. Singing "That's What Friends Are For" in the evening sun, Dionne was smiling, glistening and waving from her center stage stool. She was as intimate and attentive as any performer could be be before a crowd of thousands. There's no instrumentals, the crowd is relaxed and they're singing softly, "Keep smilin', keep shinin', knowin' you can always count on me ... for sure ... that's what friends are for..." Dionne's gone... but as the coconut trees in the background sway, so too does the people as they sing to themselves and love ones. Remember, it's Mother's Day after all, and any Lucian will tell you that the day after Mother's Day is always a holiday!

Sucking down some local Piton beers while jumpin' up by de Steel Band, ah spot a sweet lime over by de Dunhill tent (which, upon close inspection turned out to be more like a night club set up). The question is, do I feel for a Dunhill Special Reserve? It does comes in a champagne colored cut corner box... a spectacular sight! Or do I want to go for the finer taste of Dunhill Essence, Top Leaf or Fine Cut? I think I will skip the cigarettes and pickup de offer of our Bajan fren Gael, who say Tent 63 have de best rum... and all they drinking is rum! So from my personal journals of "Things West Indians take for Granted," I now give you entry Number 284 - "The ability to drink endless litres of alcohol while liming comfortably on an undulating and irregular surface such as a mountain side. This activity usually involves unconsciously chippin' to distant rhythms, that (at times) may or may not include the singing, churping and/or whistling of birds."

After Dionne, The Eric Ildefonse Quintet ft. Luther Francois (real jazz business) and the Afro-Cuban band of Michel Henderson, Giraldo Piloto and Klimax (serious Latin jazz vibes) entertained the early Sunday afternoon jazz fans. The sun snuck behind the horizon while I wasn't looking and the buzz amongst the crowd signified that the R&B, soul, and neo soul singer-songwriter Angie Stone was hitting up the stage. There was soul, rhythm n blues, ballads and more with Stone performing crowd favourite's like "No More Rain" and "Everyday". Angie even took the time to pay homage to Dionne, who was enjoying the show from side stage, by bringing her to sit on stage to serenade her.

With just one more act to go before the 10 day musical fiesta was over, and the masses were bubbling as if they were waiting to see the launch of a Space Shuttle. People were screaming at the top of their lungs, completely star struck as if they were seeing Bob Marley himself, as Wyclef Jean kicked things off a hair raising 2 1/2 hour performance, singing "No Woman No Cry" on piano. The real question is, "What did Wyclef Jean NOT do?" From DJ'ing some classic dancehall selections, to playing the guitar (in regular position and from behind the back of this head), to singing from the shoulders of his personal bodyguard while traversing the wild crowd (he even ventured solo deep within the depths of screaming fans), to singing from the scaffolding and the adjacent building's balcony and even singing from the branches of a nearby tree. Yes, Wyclef climbed up a tree!

Other highlights of Wyclef's electrifying performance included his big & serious bodyguard breaking out in a folk dance, him frog-hopping over St. Lucia's Prime Minister, Stephenson King, and trading his Dolce Gabana jacket for a Chef's jacket with an employee who surfaced from the massive crowd during his performance of "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)". Wyclef's story of buying the Burger King he once worked at, where his boss told him he would never amount to anything was inspirational to the young kids he brought up on stage, the chef and energized crowd. My words can do no more than merely quantify the size of show Wyclef gave, but may never fully describe the true quality. After jumping up to popular Soca track, "Carnival Survivors (ft Machel Montano)" in a frenzy for at least a good 15 minutes, the closing fireworks were soothing baby bedtime lotions. A wonderful end to a great festival!

St. Lucia, thanks for the great MEMORIES!

Dr. Ram Dass
With love from the Friendship Inn

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