The Power of Music

Night III WCMF 2024

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You can read my last post here.

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Gramps Morgan live in Dominica

Night Three of WCMF was simply magical. Amidst the mesmerizing musical prowess of the performances and the warmth of good company, sheer joy emerged. It was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve had in a while.

Midnight Groovers

Midnight Groovers took me all the way back to my childhood, to those days when they would come to my village for the feast of St. Ann. It was always a vibe. My mother would often tell me not to sing those songs, but she couldn’t stop reggae. Songs like Passe Nou Ka Passe, Coco Ceck, and Talon Haute always put a smile on my face. They celebrate our mother tongue and culture. From beginning to end, Midnight Groovers felt like joy and smelled of nostalgia.

Midnight Groovers performing

Gramps Morgan and Friends

Gramps Morgan and Friends effortlessly reminded me of the power of music.

Luciano reminded me of the many Reggae songs my father serenaded us with back in the days.

Luciano performing

When Duane Stephenson sang From My Little Cottage in Negril and August Town, I was transported back to my teenage years. These were songs I played on repeat from the first CD my older brother made me. It felt like a warm hug and a hot cup of bush tea. I’ll keep this memory with me for as long as I can.

Duane Stephenson performing

As Gramps shifted into country music and invited Louis York on stage, I was reminded of the many Sunday afternoons spent hearing country music on the radio. The diversity on stage was nothing short of amazing. When he brought his sons on stage, it was like an assurance that music is safe in the hands of the next generation of Morgans.

I had been looking forward to hearing People Like You live. It’s a song I fell in love with the first time I heard it, though for years, I avoided listening to it. It was the last song my aunt enjoyed at her surprise birthday party in August 2020. She kept asking the DJ to replay it. Three days later, she was gone. Whenever I heard People Like You, it reminded me of her.

But that night, I was ready to hear it again, tired of running from those feelings. I let them surge through me. Watching Gramps deal with his own grief on stage reminded me of how cathartic music is. It transcends time and space. And if that’s not noteworthy, I don’t know what is.

Signal Band

Signal Band has held a special place in my heart since I first heard Ani Ba Yo Love. What most people don’t know is that their music has been my remedy for homesickness. Whenever I missed home, I would put on something from Signal Band.

When Angels in the Sky played and Shelly asked the audience to turn on our lights as we remembered those who are no longer with us, it felt like a spiritual experience.

I lost count of the times I got chills and goosebumps that night. Watching artists like Gramps, Luciano, Jemere, Chubby, and Shelly connect with the Creator and their audience was a testament to the spirituality of music.

So, to the people who say music is evil and that the World Creole Music Festival is for sinners—I ask, how can music be evil when God created it?

World Creole Music Festival is three nights of pulsating rhythms held in the Nature Isle of Dominica as part of our Independence celebrations.

You might want to add it to your calendars for next year.

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Thank you for journeying with me. I truly appreciate you being here.

I pray that all is well,

A.

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