So, you think you’ve had a bad day?
Caribbean Life, Sept. 18-24, 2020 25
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Right now, you’re living
your best life.
That’s all. It’s not complicated:
you roll with
whatever happens, and try
not to worry; your path is
before you, and you’re lightfooted
enough to react
swiftly if needed. Flexible,
that’s the way to be because,
as in “The Awkward Black
Man,” a collection of stories
by Walter Mosley, plans
can go south in a minute.
Sampson Diehl was finally
dropping some weight and he
looked great. The bad news
was that he had cancer. But
he also had money, a soonto
be-ex wife, a girlfriend,
and a private nurse. In “The
Good News Is,” that’s a lot
for one man to lose.
When Alyce walked out of
his life, Albert Roundhouse
hoped that someday, she
might come back. Nobody‘d
ever take her place, though
he met other women as he
traveled the world and lived
off the kindness of others and
the money he could beg –
and then he saw Frankie, and
in “Almost Alyce,” Frankie
could’ve been Alyce’s sister,
maybe, nearly, except
for that little job she hired
Albert to do…
When his wife, Marguerite,
cheated on him, Jared
took her back because, well,
he loved her. But then the
spark went out of their marriage
and she ruined his
dreams. In “Starting Over,”
Jared didn’t understand why
Marguerite did what she did,
until a co-worker said something
that struck him right
in the heart.
On the afternoon that
Chase Martin ran away from
school, he was sure the police
were looking for him. Instead
of cops, though, Chase was
found in the woods by a
homeless man who seemed
to be troubled. When the
man turned out to be a thief,
Chase lost everything but in
“Otis,” he gained something,
too.
Six months after his brother,
Seth, died, a strange man
visited Roger with a message
from beyond. Roger and
Seth were never close, not
even as kids, but in “Reply
to a Dead Man,” Seth had
plenty to say.
Imagine, if you will, a
man with a heavy sigh on
his lips, shaking his head
ruefully as though he can’t
quite believe what’s happening.
That’s the idea of what
to expect in “The Awkward
Black Man.”
The stories inside this
book are like a rained-out
Saturday afternoon event.
They’re like a bad car battery
when you just bought
four tires. Like inkstains on
a brand-new shirt: irksome,
not life-or-death, but leaving
you wondering what
you did to deserve this. But
here: though these tales
might remind you of a busted
shoelace on your favorite
kicks, you’re going to love
every one of them because
author Walter Mosley is the
kind of storyteller that makes
his characters’ worst days
into something you can recognize
and relate to.
Been there. Done that.
Lived, too. Gonna be okay.
Fans of Mosley don’t need
to be told twice to go find this
book. Just go. If you’re new
to Mosley but you love short
stories, though, “The Awkward
Black Man” might be
the best book for your life
right now.
“The Awkward Black
Man: Stories” by Walter
Mosley
c.2020, Grove Press
$26.00 / higher in
Canada 336 pages
Author Walter Mosley. Marcia Wilson
Casym Steel Orchestra is ‘Flying High’ with global ceremony
By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn-based Casym Steel Orchestra is reputed
to be one of North America’s leading steel orchestras.
And in keeping with that reputation, the celebrated
music outfit has participated in the first-ever global
flag raising ceremony to commemorate Steelband
Month in Trinidad and Tobago, dubbed “Flying
High.”
“Casym Steel Orchestra has affixed its brand to
the innovative project in the ‘Land of the Steelpan,’”
Sean Nero, chief executive officer of the Trinidad and
Tobago-based Steelpan Authority, told Caribbean Life
on Tuesday, disclosing that Afropan Steelband from
Canada is the other steelband from North America
taking part in the invitation-only event.
Conceptualised by the Steelpan Authority, Nero
said “Flying High” is an exhibition of artwork (logos)
of steel bands, emblazoned on flags.
He said these banners will “dance in the wind”
above Port-of-Spain, the Trinidad capital, on the
Brian Lara Promenade, between St. Vincent and
Edward Streets, from Aug. 17 to Sept. 24, 2020.
Other participating global steel orchestras are:
London – Mangrove Steelband and Phase One Steel
Orchestra; Japan – Sonics Tokyo; and Trinidad and
Tobago – Golden Hands, Royal Pan Illusion; Scrunters
Pan Groove; Hill Toppers Steelpan Academy; T&T
Defence Force; Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille;
Uni Stars; and Southern Marines Steelband
Foundation.
“Flying High is an illustration of true cultural
pride,” Nero said. “Traditionally, steel band flags
go into storage on Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and
Tobago. Naturally, this will occur at a different timeline,
based on the orchestras geographical location,
of course.
“Here comes the Steelpan Authority with an original
concept to illustrate how beautiful pieces of
artwork do not need to stay locked in storage,” he
added.
Nero said that, originally, this project “commemorates
observances from Emancipation (the call of
our ancestors) to independence (the story of selfgovernance).
“It is instructive to note that, couched in between
those two dates, is Steelpan Month,” he said. “But
Team Steelpan Authority applied for and successfully
obtained a 24-day extension. Flying High will
run until Republic Day (Sept. 24) in Trinidad and
Tobago.”
August 2020 marked the 28th anniversary since
the steelpan was declared the National Musical
Instrument of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Nero noted that the decision to heighten the profile
of the musical instrument was made by the Government
of the late Prime Minister Patrick Manning on
Aug. 30, 1992.
In his Independence Day message, Manning
declared that the steelpan would become the national
musical instrument of the twin island republic.
To mark the occasion, Chaconia Medals (Gold)
were bestowed on Renegades and Desperadoes Steel
Orchestras for excellence in culture.
“It seems fated, that more than two-and-a-half
decades later, steelbands have set a new course, utilising
the ‘Flying High’ platform, where the steelband
world comes together without striking a musical
note,” Nero said.
For the Steelpan Authority, he said hoisting of
these flags to coincide with Steelpan Month represents
three pillars: “Salute the legends who paved the
way (too many of them unsung heroes); recognises
the tremendous work being done by those in the
present space and thirdly; (and) symbolise as a source
of strength should those in the future be in need of
such, in addition to it being a guiding light in the
event any of them lose their way.”