Written and published in CariVele Magazine for their special issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of Trinidad & Tobago's independence “I am not afraid to sacrifice for my fellow man Prepare me now to dance this dance, spirit hold my hand… I could make de grade, I could make de grade, I eh ‘fraid…!” – Spirit Dancer Ella …
Category: music
Barter, or life has loveliness to sell…
One of my ongoing projects is digitising the Marionettes' almost 50-year historical archive. It's a project I seldom have adequate time for, but the Universe has cleared the way and I've been going through some decades' old footage. Much of it brings bittersweet memories. So many songs, events and performances brought me so much joy …
“How can I keep from singing?” (All hail #MusicMonday)
Well first of all I'm annoyed I deleted the Marionettes version of us singing a beautiful arrangement of this classic (Quaker? Christian?) hymn. We sang it a few years ago, and it was almost an anthem for our likkle bu' tallawah Trini community choir. The words and the beautiful arrangements helped steady restless or grieving spirits, …
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Take 5: Beethoven’s fifth, and the triumph of imagination
Allegro con brio Andante con moto (7:28) Scherzo (17:25) Allegro (22:48) I refuse to be stripped of it. I refuse to have it reduced to anything less epic than it is (or can and should be). Everybody knows Beethoven's fifth symphony, or at least those arresting opening notes. They've infiltrated popular culture almost to have …
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A happy independence…? My beloved T&T
I don't know what to feel. I love my country. Not just because I was born and raised here, or love the natural environment; the playfulness and creativity of our people (sometimes I wonder if we don't actually have a higher than average talent quotient per capita, despite all); and the simple pleasure of …
Heather Headley: a star with her feet on the ground | Caribbean Beat
Originally written for and published in Caribbean Beat magazine in 2012. The full interview transcript is published here, and at Discover Trinidad & Tobago. In 2000, news spread about a Trinidad-born actress making waves on Broadway. Her command of her emotions made you sure that her onstage tears must come from some fresh real-world trauma. The truth was very …
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Heather Headley: One of Trinidad’s Brightest Stars
This interview was done for and published in full on Discover Trinidad & Tobago, and formed the basis of another article in Caribbean Beat magazine. It took a while, but I finally caught up with Heather Headley for a proper interview in late January 2012, just a few weeks before Whitney Houston’s passing. We talked about her memories of …
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Break a leg to the RENT and West Side Story folks!
Tried to tag you all in a regular ole status, but was rudely rebuffed by Facebook for too many tags... So now I shall just write a little more to justify the note. 😉 All that to say, in bocca al lupo guys! West Side Story and RENT are two of my favourite musicals ever …
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Caroline Taylor 