The 21st Annual New York Grace Foods Jerk Festival was held on August 25, 2019 after being rescheduled due to dangerously hot weather (100 plus degrees). Due to the weather, New York City postponed all outdoor events including the highly anticipated Jerk Festival. Fortunately, according to Mr. Richard Lue Director of VP Records, all previously scheduled artists were available for the August 25th date. Fortunate for VP Records, not so much for me!
When I heard of the date change, I was disappointed because I was flying home from the Rototom Reggae Sunsplash in Spain on the very same day. Alas, there is no rest for the weary. I landed at 1pm, quickly changed and arrived at The Roy Wilkins Park just after 2pm to catch most of the artists. I left 86 degrees in Spain and came home to 76 degrees in in New York, it was a breezy but lovely summers day. The first act I caught was Naomi Cowan a young singer songwriter from Kingston whose famous musical parents are impresario Tommy Cowan, OD (reggae music producer, songwriter and former road manager for Bob Marley) and international reggae vocalist Dr. Carlene Davis-Cowan, OD. Naomi has a great voice and was well received by the audience.
Next up was Christopher Martin who is always a crowd favorite. He sang several hits, Mama, VIP, Don’t Love Me Later, and of course the Cheaters Prayer, the audience sang loudly to “Oh Lord don’t let me cheat on my girlfriend”. During Christopher Martin’s set, he brought on surprise guest, the wonderful vocalist Romain Virgo. I tried to return to the front of the stage to take pictures of Romain and was refused entry as were all of the photographers by a young security guard who said it was the same set. For those who may not know, at many festivals media are allowed in the pit to take photos of the artist for the first two songs. I tried to explain to this young security guard that Romain is a big artist and we should be allowed back to take pictures of him. Other photographers spoke to VP and we were allowed back. They sang their duet Leave People’s Business Alone. He was a wonderful surprise as he was not billed for the show.
The Viking and the Vi Queen of soca Bunji Garlin and wife Fay Ann Lyons brought the fire to the Park before the Reggae Fireman came on stage. The audience consisting mostly of Jamaicans were thrilled (including me a real soca junkie) when he sang Famalaaay. There were a few other flags in the crowd, Bajans (Barbados), Guyanese, Lucians and of course Trini flags were represented. Bunji said not to believe the hype that Jamaicans don’t like soca, He said the Jamaica carnival was one of the best in the Caribbean. I love to see Bunji and Fay Ann perform together they have their individual hits and songs they have recorded together. They sang Straight off the Jumbo Jet, which applied to me because I came straight from the airport. After their performance, they told me they were leaving the park to head straight to the airport to London for Notting Hill carnival.
After an eight hour hour flight, a six hour time difference and a 7-day reggae festival in Spain, jet lag was creeping up. I stayed for a few songs of the Fireman King Shango aka Capleton. As always, Capleton gave his all in his performance and indeed was blazing the fire.
The annual Grace Foods Jerkfest is a great family festival which includes many food vendors. As you walk in you are greeted by the Grace sponsors giving you coconut water and plantain chips. Walk a little further and you are given patties and you walk a little further and you are given Jamaican crackers and bun and a little further and you buy some jerk chicken and you walk a little further and you stand in line to buy roast corn.
The 21st Annual New York Grace Jerk Festival was a fantastic success. the weather was perfect, the festival goers were treated to great performances, surprise guests and great food. See you next year.
The Duchess
