Since recovering from the coma he suffered in New York in August last year, the Mighty Sparrow has been flooded with torrents of accolades and acclaim at home and abroad. The latest of these tributes—Sparrow: A Special Someone—will be held Tuesday night at SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, at 8 pm.
The show is being staged by David Bereaux & Friends, and will feature Sparrow and a cast of Sparrow fanatics, including Nigel “Temples” Galt. A veteran contestant in Queen’s Park Oval’s annual calypso competition, Galt was inspired by his brother, fellow Sparrow fanatic Randall “Swami” Galt, to hold the show.
He explains, “In a nutshell, my brother Swami decided it was high time that someone pay a special tribute to Sparrow other than what is the norm. He approached me with the idea and then spoke with David Bereaux and from there the concept was born.
“The idea was for a bunch of us ‘amateurs’ who, apart from our love for calypso, have a great admiration and respect for Sparrow, to do something significant and tangible, thus Sparrow, A Special Someone.
“On Tuesday night we would all sing a few hits; only Sparrow music, and then have him sing a few songs at the end of the show. David contacted Sparrow and once we got his blessing we decided to go forward and for the past two months we have planned the show.”
Aside from Bereaux and his band, the rest of the cast includes Queen’s Park and Kaiso House calypsonian Wayne “Doppy” Dopson, Gary “De Dozie” Almandoz, Chris Garcia, Black Sage and the Galt brothers. They will all be performing various songs from different decades with an emphasis on “real, authentic calypso.”
Nigel Galt added: “Even though half of us are amateur performers, with the exception of Chris, David, Black Sage and Doppy, we have all been very successful at various amateur competitions over the years.
Wayne and myself have won the QPCC monarch title on nine occasions each, Gary three times, and Swami once. I also managed three corporate clash victories (BWIA, RBC and QPCC) and Wayne went on to sing in the tent whilst I retired.”
Nigel said: “The atmosphere is for fun and enjoyment with a lot of love and respect going out to our beloved Sparrow.
There will also be unlimited drinks and food on sale, with secured parking at the rear of SWWTU Hall for those who are concerned about parking on the Wrightson Road stretch.
Tickets are priced at $150 and are available from Swami (678-73230; David (389-2373); Tilly (382-4018); Nigel (317-6537 or 295-3976); and, also at QPCC, Crosby's, St James; Cleves, Port-of-Spain; and, Trade Winds Hotel, San Fernando.
Culinary awards
Perhaps the most significant event this decade in the field of tourism and the culinary arts, the Gala Awards, to recognise excellence in tourism, will be held tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain, at 6 pm.
Hosted by the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants & Tourism Association (THRTA), the dinner, awards and dance event will preceded by a champagne cocktail hour.
The THRTA believes service is key to this industry’s success.
After all, it is because of outstanding service that visitors choose to stay longer, tell their friends, visit us again and locals feel like there is no better place to live.
This week THRTA president Andrew Welch said that outstanding hospitality is best described as any random act of kindness that goes above and beyond the expected to meet the needs of an individual. He added: “We hope to elevate our industry by recognising true excellence in tourism.
“While the spotlight will be on the winners, patrons attending will also have a delectable treat as T&T’s top chefs will be influencing a special menu with the support of all ingredients from HADCO Limited.”
Guests will be welcomed by a very special Champagne Cocktail hour featuring canapes by chef Debra Sardinha-Metivier, head chef at DSM Creative Cuisine and former National Culinary Team captain.
The dinner menu has been crafted by chef Joe Brown, Jaffa at the Oval; Chef Khalid Mohammed, Chaud Restaurant; chef Raymond Joseph, head chef Courtyard by Marriott and former National Culinary Team captain; and, the Hyatt Regency Trinidad team led by chef Fernando Franco.
Live entertainment will be by Denyse Plummer and Louis & The Lynx. The evening’s keynote speaker will be distinguished Bahamas tourism luminary Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace. Vanderpool-Wallace is a 1975 graduate of Harvard University (BA, cum laude) and a 1980 graduate of the University of Miami (MBA) from which he graduated at the top of his class.
He has won a number of awards including being named at the 50th Anniversary of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation as one of the 50 most influential people in Caribbean Tourism in the past 50 years; being selected by Fast Company magazine as one of the Fast 50 global champions of innovation as well as awards for Lifetime Achievement from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) and from the Association of Travel Marketing Executives International (ATME).
Trinidad Hotels Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) Award categories:
· Hotelier of the Year Award
· Outstanding Industry Employee Award
· Business Excellence Award – Direct Tourism Services
· Business Excellence Award – Tourism Supporting Services
· Lifetime Achievement Award
Saving the Rosary
Holy Rosary Church of Henry Street is hosting a tea party and fashion show, entitled Soiree d’Elegance 2 on September 28, at Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s, from 3 pm to 7 pm. In addition to the tea and fashion show, there will be entertainment by the likes of H2O Phlo, Spontaneous Sounds, an instrumental group composed of youths from the parish, members of Massy Trinidad All Stars and more.
Three fashion houses will be on display, including Dexter Jennings of Concept Studios, Shurnel Oliviere of Shurnel and Shaun Griffith Perez Designs.
Concept Studios, situated at 32 Pointe-a-Pierre Road, San Fernando, is the jewel in Jennings’ crown. He has been in the design business for the past 20 years, and is recognised for his work in Carnival, queen shows and is franchise holder of Ms Mature T&T and Ms Emancipation Cultural Pageant.
Shurnel Designs, situated at La Rue, Jerningham Avenue, Belmont, spans a period of over four decades, having commanded runways in New York, St Vincent, St Maarteen and the Guadeloupe Fashion Week.
Shaun Griffith Perez received the Award Excellence Fashion Innovation, from Karib Nations Inc in Washington. He has shown his collection in Jamaica, Bahamas and on runways up the islands.
The proceeds of this fund-raiser is to assist with the restoration works of the church. This old and beautiful church which has been a part of our religious and social heritage is now in urgent need of restoration. Its architecture symbolises magnificence and grandeur. This church is one of the architectural jewels to be preserved and restored to its former glory. It is the legacy of Abbe Francis de Ridder who in 1829 purchased the land the church and schools now stand on. He started a school and an organisation with the aim of human liberation.
The Rosary restoration is estimated at $15 million, therefore the parish is obligated to assist in the venture, hence this project. The parishioners along with parish priest Fr Clyde Harvey are asking the public to assist by purchasing tickets for the tea party and fashion show.
For more information contact Paul Massiah (789-8540) or Dianese Coker (764-9703).
