Calabash Well Lit

Excerpt from Observer column published 11 June 2018

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

When we told members of our seniors group, CCRP, that we were having a bus trip to Calabash, we had to lay on a second bus.  Such is the magic of this Caribbean Literary Festival in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, founded by Colin Channer in 2001 with the support of two stalwarts, Kwame Dawes and producer Justine Henzell.

With CCRP members Poet Cecile Jarrett and Dramatist Dr Jean Small

Linton Kwesi Johnson engages

Always fun to capture one of  my
favourite photographers, Collin Reid

Happy buck-up with Susan Pitter - now making waves in Leeds!

Four well-chosen readers started the Sunday, final day of Calabash, with excerpts from The Arrivants by Kamau Brathwaite – Isis Semaj-Hall, Winsome Hudson, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Alwyn Scott. The open mike session had great hits and a few misses – emcee Carolyn Cooper managed to control the long-winded ones with good humour and offered to post poems on her new blog.  I am looking forward to that as I would love to revisit some excellent pieces.

The grand finale of the Tribute to Don Drummond has us on our feet – the Calabash Ensemble, featuring Wayne Armond, Ibo Cooper and Steve Golding hit all the right notes with a treasury of Drummond and Bob Marley mixed in for good measure. Great going Team Calabash!