Amazing efforts of athleticism, the thirst for higher education, the quest for economic success all come into play for participants at the annual Penn Relays, the University of Pennsylvania-sponsored track-and-field meet for college, Olympic-caliber and high school athletes, that’s become an anticipated destination for scholastic competitors from the Caribbean.
Yes, tens of thousands came to watch Kirani James, the London Olympics 400-meter gold medalist from Grenada; Bahamas’ Chris Brown, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller (members of the winning men’s 4×400-meter relay at the London Olympics); and a host of Jamaican Olympians — gold medalists Nesta Carter Shelly-Ann Fraser — competed during the meet held April 25, 26 and 27.
But the Jamaican high school athletes, who first arrived in 1964 as members of a tiny contingent, have become a prolific force at the university’s Franklin Field. With 26 high schools teams participating this year, Jamaica made up the lions share of Caribbean competitors, from Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Barbados, the U.S, Virgin Islands, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Also this year, four Jamaican colleges took part, including Utech, which became the first Jamaican winner of the highly competitive championship college men’s 4×100-meter relay.
In addition to the scores of visiting competitors, hundreds of Caribbean-Americans, such as Kayla Hunt and Tahjanaya Dorival of Elizabeth, N.J.’s St. Benedictine Academy squad, enthusiastically took part. Hunt, who has roots in Barbados and Creole-speaking Dorival and who is of Haitian heritage, won first place in the small schools division of the girl’s 4×400-meter relay. Her teammates were Zhane Lee and Ramira Mayse.
And the effort of high school contestants does not go unnoticed by college and university coaches, who give many needy athletes the opportunity to get higher education through their participation in sports.
All this Caribbean participation has spawned the 19-year-old Team Jamaica Bickle hospitality effort to aid visiting Caribbean athletes and the influx of Caribbean companies as Penn Relays’ sponsors.
Vincent HoSang, chairman of New York-based Caribbean Food Delights, is a prime example of TJB’s commitment to get Caribbean athletes Caribbean food during their stay. For years, HoSang has personally trucked food from New York to Philadelphia to sate athletes’ appetites for home-cooked island cuisine.
And Jamaica-based GraceKennedy has taken a major role at the relays, becoming a major sponsor — by placing Grace Foods ads in the event program, having signage around the track, getting its company banner attached to live, web-streamed coverage of the meet and key races with Jamaican competitors.
There was also the big Grace Foods exhibition tent outside the stadium. The meet announcer periodically urged the stadium throng to stop by the tent for a sample of Grace Coconut Water — ending with the catchphrase (delivered in the best Jamaican accent he could muster), “Nuff (plenty) hydration!”
Mas band benefit
The New Generations masquerade band is holding its food-filled “Curry Que Fundraiser” on May 25 to benefit the group’s New Generation Dancers and Kiddies band, which will be bringing its choreographed energy and youth-powered mas group to the 2013 Labor Day festivities in Brooklyn this year.
The mouth-watering menu includes curry chicken, curry crab, curry shrimp, roti, an ital meal and beverages. The fund-raiser will be held at the New Generation mas camp at 845 Albany Ave. (at Linden Blvd.), starting at 2 p.m. and running well into the evening.
For information, call (347) 475-6023, (917) 573-4129 or send email to newgeneration417@gmail.com.
Haitian Heritage Month events
The May observance of Haitian Heritage Month will be celebrated with a pair of events — the Haitian Flag Day Celebration on May 19 and the Haitian Day Parade and Haitian Spring Fest 2013 on May 26.
The Ayiti Dous organization is presenting the May 19 event, marking the 1803 creation of the nation’s first flag. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nostrand Ave., between Clarendon Road and Avenue D. For information, send email to ayitidous@gmail.com.
The May 26 parade, which runs south on Nostrand Ave. (from Linden Blvd. to Foster Ave.) precedes the HaitianSpringFest, an event of food, music and other entertainment, held on Nostrand Ave. (from Foster Ave. to Farragut Road) until 7 p.m.
Visit www.Haitianparade.com for information. The New York Police Department asks spectators to refrain from bringing backpacks, which will be screened for security purposes.
Oliver Chapman’s latest album
Singer/songwriter Oliver Chapman as in New York last week, spreading the word about his latest musical creation,– the album “A Life of Words & Music.”
Following a seven-year hiatus, Chapman, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago, launched the new album in a kickoff event in Manhattan on May 16 at the popular Negril Village restaurant at 70 W. 3rd St in Greenwich Village.
Rennie Bishop of New York’s WWRL (1600 AM) and Von Martin of WPFW (89.3 FM) in Washington D.C. were among the broadcasters and journalists helping spread about “A Life of Words & Music,” a long-awaited release from Chapman, the former leader of the defunct Wildfire vocal ensemble, which started out as the group SPARKS.
What the creative source of the music on the album? “The Caribbean influence,” said Chapman told Bishop, agreeing that the soca, chutney, compas, Zouk and other Caribbean sounds factor into his creative process.
Produced by Samuel Archer, the album features 11 original Chapman tunes, one song written by Archer, and a cover of the classic Winsford DeVine song “Progress.”
The album features Chapman on lead and background vocals; Archer as producer, arranger, keyboardist, rhythm arranger and background vocalist; soca star Designer (Keith Prescott) on background vocals; Etienne Charles on horns and live overdubs; and James Mironchick as the producer, arranger, keyboards, rhythm arrangements on “Dance Party.”
For more on Chapman and his new album, visit www.oliverchapmanmusic.net.. Also visit www.ochapman.com. To hear the Rennie Bishop and Von Martin interviews with Chapman, visit https://soundcloud.com/oliverchapmansounds.
Bronx’s Jah Jerry organization gives for education
Started just last year, the Jah Jerry Inc., the Bronx-based nonprofit educational organization named for the late Jamaican music guitarist Jerome (Jah Jerry) Haynes of The Skatalites, is celebrated Haynes by holding its first benefit.
The goal of the foundation, founded by Haynes’ son James, is to promote education and provide scholarships for young people in Jamaica and the U.S, and its April 27 Fundraiser Dinner Dance was a big step towards that objective.
A sizable, enthusiastic crowd of supporters attended the event, held at the Country Kitchen Restaurant in Pelham Manor in Westchester County. The new organization donated desktop computers to two schools and awarded a scholarship to a college student.
For information on the Jah Jerry organization, call (917) 747-8053.
Councilmember’s Haitian Flag Day tribute
Brooklyn Councilmember Mathieu Eugene presented a Haitian Flag Day event on May 18, calling on Haitian to unite and pay respect to their ancestors.
Held at Erasmus Hall High School on Flatbush, Brooklyn, the event featured an awards presentation, cultural performances and at art exhibition on the history of Haiti’s flags.
