Calypso writer, Ian Jackson, inspired by the late Mighty Akar’s spirituality

Describing his death as a shock, prolific calypso writer, Ian Jackson, has said that the spirituality displayed by the late George “Mighty Akar” Jervier in his music during the latter part of his life was what was most impactful and inspiring for him.

Jervier was found dead at his home in Soufriere over the weekend.

Jackson, seemingly, still trying to come to terms with the sad news, told media that the late calypsonian was always energetic and seemed full of life, even just before his death.

“I mean, I was shocked because the day before (he died) I met him and he was as usual, with his basket selling stuff. Now and then I would buy stuff from him but that day I did not want anything, not realizing that that was the last time I was going to see him,” Jackson recounted.

“So when I reached home and I got this information on calypso chat, I was spell bound. It just shows you how fickle and how brittle our life is and we really have to ask ourselves questions not only when we are old but also when we are young,” he said.

He added, “People always talk about his energy that is why it is a real sudden and shocking thing because he used to be energetic on stage and even with his basket and selling stuff.  The energy he exhibited as a guy, an elder… he never came up as somebody who was sick or laboring with some illness or whatever and it must have been something sudden…”

Jackson took the opportunity to extend condolences to the family and friends of the late calypsonian and to the musicians who have worked with the fallen artist over the years.

“The blessing I can take from his music is that even at the end of his career, before he died, basically he seemed to have given over his life to Christ which is very, very important and you could see the trend of his messages and so on talking about God and that we should not revel too much in the things of this world and so on. So his positive message … was very, very important to me as a Christian myself,” Jackson said.

“There is a time in life when we spend our time making music for people’s feet but sometimes we have to ask ourselves a question especially as mature as Mighty Acre was, that you have to start making music for the heart…. His music will really live on,” he added, describing Mighty Acre as extremely persistent since he participated in many calypso competitions and never missed an opportunity to record music, both in creole and “kaiso.”

Akar participated in several calypso competitions over the years reaching the quarterfinal on one occasion. He was perhaps best known as a calypsonian but he wrote and recorded a number of cadence-lypso songs.

The Dominica Calypso Association and other musicians have been expressing their condolences over the last few days.

On its Facebook page, the association wrote, “The Dominica Calypso Association would like to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and the fans of the ever-popular George “Mighty Akar” Jervier, who left us suddenly for the great unknown.”

“We, the calypso fraternity, is much saddened by his passing but console ourselves with the thought that someone so special can never be forgotten. His music will last in our hearts forever,” the association said.

Below is the video of one Jervier’s spiritual cadence-lypso compositions, Papa Bondie.