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March 2015
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The Caribbean Man – A Tribute to Black Stalin came off on February 22 at the Hyatt Regency with more than 20 entertainers gracing the stage. A project of The UWI with one of its honorary graduates, Roy Cape, the four-hour show was meant not only to honour Cape, but to raise funds to help with the medical bills of the Black Stalin, another UWI honorary graduate. And it was such an outpouring of support as friends and well-wishers turned out and entertainers of all sorts came together to sing Stalin songs and share Stalin warmth in their performances. Stalin, who was christened Leroy Calliste, is recovering from a stroke he suffered late last year. The Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation, represented by its president Agnes Cyrus (nee Lara) used the occasion to present a cheque for $100,000 to Patsy Calliste, Leroy’s wife. His grandson, Kevan Calliste (in photograph) took to the stage to render the 1991 classic, “Black Man Feeling to Party,” much to the delight of the audience. Among the performers were David Rudder, Chalkdust, Gypsy, Explainer, Valentino, Bally, Twiggy, Pink Panther, Ras Kommanda, Mungal Patasar and Pantar, Blaxx, Machel Montano, Destra, and Farmer Nappy, to name a few. The performers were supported by the Roy Cape All Stars as they belted out some of the hits from Black Stalin, a five-time National Calypso Monarch. |
It was a classic night indeed – the kind when all the finer qualities of humans were on display – as a collection of groups came together to put on a show for a treasured life.