What A Night!

Denis Bowman, a leading, Brooklyn-based Vincentian calypsonian, electrified the inaugural St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cultural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Nazareth Regional High School in Brooklyn on Saturday, April 19.

The event – hosted by the Brooklyn-based Dynamite Cultural Organization (DCO), home of the Dynamite Calypso Tent of New York, the lone Vincentian calypso tent in North America – inducted pre-eminent Caribbean calypso and soca arranger Dr. Frankie McIntosh for his role in the performing arts.

The other inductees were Veronica John and Roy “The Dragon” Ralph (both posthumously) for culinary and visual arts, respectively; the Spiritual Baptist Religion in the heritage and legacy category; and historian Dr. Adrian Fraser for literary arts.

Bowman – a perennial finalist in the Calypso Monarch Competition in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for Vincy Mas, the national carnival, and member of the Dynamites Calypso Tent – ripped patrons with “Afro Caribbean” “Instructions“ and “Wine Come Up“ from his vast repertoire.

Bowman is renowned for mesmerizing calypso aficionados and the party crowd wherever he performs.

He is also known for this special tribute song to the late Ulric Jones, Jr., popularly known as “Soca Jones,“ a prominent Vincentian entertainment promoter in Brooklyn and co-founder and former vice chairman of the massive Vincy Day USA picnic that is held annually on the third Saturday in August, at Heckscher State Park in East Islip, Long Island.

“It’s a song he would have loved very much,“ Bowman, who penned, sang, and created a video on “True Champion – Tribute to Soca Jones,“ to the tune of one of the hits of Trinidad and Tobago’s calypso icon, Baron, told Caribbean Life. 

“The hook allows a perfect play on Soca (Jones) himself, and he loved working along with Caribbean artistes,“ added Bowman, a former lead vocalist with the defunct Vincentian bands Energy, Blaksand, and X-tract.

“Soca Jones was a people’s man; he was continuously involved in all Vincy activities – be it sporting, cultural, or educational; in all aspects of Vincy life, both at home and in the Diaspora; and he was definitely an ambassador for SVG (St. Vincent and the Grenadines),“ continued Bowman, who won the 1997 Vincy Soca Monarch title with “Voom, Voom.“

“Soca (Jones) was an individual whose contributions were felt and appreciated and would leave a massive void to fill,“ he said. “Given his indomitable spirit, he would not be easy to replace. And, for many years to come, that void, created by his absence, will surely be felt.”

In introducing “True Champion – Tribute to Soca Jones,“ Bowman described the entertainment promoter as “a true patriot,“ adding: “I personally would like to thank you for all the kind words of encouragement that you’ve offered me.”

For the lyrics, Bowman sings partially: “Soca Jones, you’re a true Vincy champion/We love the way how you embrace the Soca Land/Rain or sun, you are always representing/In many ways, you are more than a Soca King/

“Such a champion, you are the real Soca Man,“ he sings. “Always willing and ready to lend a hand/You have touched many lives in our nation/All ah Vincy thank you for your contribution/Soca, you love your people/You love St. Vincent and the Grenadines with all your heart/And like Fya Empress say, ‘You’re a true, true Vincy.‘”

East 95th Street and Church Avenue, considered the hub of Vincentian entertainment in Brooklyn, was frequented by Jones. In earlier years, he served as Master of Ceremonies in the pre-Labor Day Vincy Carnival jam.

Bowman was ecstatic about his performance Saturday night.

“I enjoyed my performance,“ he told Caribbean Life. “And it’s always a pleasure doing this for any organization out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Among other performers Saturday night were Garifuna drummers.