Cadence Legend Gordon Henderson has stirred debate over the direction of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), questioning the wisdom of maintaining the island’s long-standing “sunset to sunrise” concert tradition and suggesting it may be time to rethink the format of the beloved cultural event.
While speaking to the media shortly after his performance on Saturday, October 25 (night 2), he pointed to a few changes he would make to the festival if he were in the position to do so.
“First of all, I don’t think I have the authority to make any changes, but if I could, we have a tradition, we like to boast daybreak, three nights going from sunset to sunrise. I don’t think that this is a good idea,” Henderson remarked. “I mentioned on stage that we have a Carnival society, and I don’t think that we should be a Carnival society. We should have variety and diversity in our society and in our music society, so to speak.”
He continued, “We need nightlife, so people who own the clubs, restaurants, and the other forms of night entertainment…what are they going to do? So that is one of the major things that I would have done.”
Henderson added, “If we are thinking of promoting the festival as a tourism event, we cannot go three nights from sunset to sunrise.”
Another change that Henderson proposed was to stop inviting musical genres as headliners that fall outside Dominica’s prominent French-lexicon Creole tradition.
“And that was the genesis of the festival,” he noted.
“I agree we could include other forms of patois or Creole,” he said, “but if our goal is to promote French-lexicon Creole, then those other forms should be featured as special guests—not headliners—otherwise, we undermine the entire purpose.”
To illustrate, Henderson added, “if you have a citrus festival and you notice that people do not like citrus as much as before, you cannot invite apples as your headliner—as your citrus—invite them as special red apple guests.”
Henderson went on to add that he was happy to be selected to perform at this year’s WCMF.
“This year I had 45 minutes, which I respected…what I did was I brought in a team that has not had the opportunity of bringing in before,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, he strongly believes that Cadence-Lypso will survive, the same way Rockabilly has survived and will continue to survive.
Rockabilly music originated in the 1950s, and is described as an infectious blend of rock and roll and country influences, which has captivated audiences for decades.
He used Elvis Presley, for example, noting that his music doesn’t represent Rock and Roll today, but it lives on even after his death.
The World Creole Music Festival, first held in 1997, has grown into one of the Caribbean’s leading cultural events. It celebrates Creole music in all its forms—zouk, bouyon, kompa, reggae, dancehall, soca, afrobeat, and more—while promoting regional unity and artistic innovation.
Boss I love and respect you but that no-daybreak thing you talking about is a non-starter. Come on man you know better. Why would all these people come to Dca if we remove the daybreak? Man thats our / Dcans trade mark and foreigners love it!
Hey, I know you and Wadix are little too mature
to hang all night for three staright days but its ok let people have their fun boss. Leave the DAYBREAK alonone souplay.
Boss, I am happy that you and Wadix are NOT in a position to implement these fanciful and preposterous ideas that you hold on to. If we ever did take your advice, there perhaps would be no WCMF for you to perform. Culture is NOT static. Additionally, no business investments must respect contextual realities. So, think logically of the absurdities that you and Wadix keep repeating ad nauseum.
Gordon Henderson is right on point. I hope that those in positions of authority will heed his recommendations.
Thank God, they know better! You know how many years mister has been uttering this foolishness, completely removed from the real world?!
Let us be honest,let us be truthful,all of us don’t have to be a jack like Ibo and ignorant like dissident.Nobody is going to travel from the end of the earth to watch Chubby,Gordon Henderson,Halibut or Asa perform.They travell to see and hear the international bands,if we put all the Dominican bands,and only Dominican bands in the world creole music festival,the festival would fail.You cannot pay Gordon Henderson $1,000,000 to perform and pay LED ZEPPLIN the same $1,000,000.In New York you cannot even get a CD of our 10 times calypso king.BROOKLYN in New York is the heart of compa,creole,zouk all french music,never saw a CD from a Dominican band.Dominica music is great,but the truth is the truth it is all about the following(fans)Look at our calypso after carnival calypso is dead.
@LP
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Man I always knew you had a lot more commonsense, not rear sense than Poo-pou-u, Kassani and the Third-Husband combined. I notice once you remove the dark RED suit with matching glasses and shoes you make a lot of sense. I guess the old saying that age brings reasoning especially when you stay away from the Lab in Mahaut makes a lot of sense.
Well said, Godfather of Cadence Lypso
wonderful brother
teach us teacher!!!!
we selling away de best of ourselves
when will we honor Chubby and Gordon with a $1 million US like we giving Vibes who has NOTHING creole in his reggae dancehall talent.
Dat daybreak ting making de Creole Festival into a blocko sewo…for $600?
my brother I couldn’t agree with you more…….brilliant…….I could NEVER say that about Skerrit.
you are a visionary
you actually see de bigger picture
You mean they really gave the x prisoner EC$ 2 7 million ? for what ? Is that Skerrit contribution for hurricane Mellisa ?
Gordon Henderson’s remarks about inviting headliners from other genres, could also apply to Jazz ‘n Creole, in that many of the invited artistes are from other genres.