Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Toronto Carnival Is Losing One Of Its Originals. Roger Gibbs Sings Goodbye. By Stephen Weir When September rolls around the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Festival Management Committee (FMC) will lose one of its original members. Bajan-Canadian Calypsonian Roger Gibbs has reached the end of his formal board term.  After years of giving sage advice to Carnival, Gibbs will no longer be part of the management team and will not be involved with the 2020 Festival in an official capacity. “ It's been 14 years!” Gibbs told reporter Stephen Weir. “I was invited to join in 2005 by (the late) Charles Roach.” Gibbs grew up in a musical family and began his career in Barbados singing with Caribbean dance bands in the 1970’s. He joined as lead singer of the Sandpebbles and toured extensively throughout the Caribbean, Canada and the USA. He came to Canada in 1986, and since then Gibbs has worked non-stop within the arts industry. From 1993 until 2013 he was a performing member of COB...

Three Short Arts Items That Didn't Make It Into This Week's Caribbean Camera, But are worthy of your attention (I hope) · Calypso Mucho is a modern-day acoustic big-band revue show featuring local performers of West Indian origin, hearkening back to the 20th-century Calypso tent tradition in Trinidad. Calypso Mucho is anchored by SHAK SHAK featuring frontman Roger Gibbs and led by Dr. Chris Wilson, along with special guests Panman Pat, Monty Hama, Susan G, and Garth Blackman.  Also featured is dance and rhythm troupe John Orpheus Wednesday, August 1 8pm Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West · The Toronto Book Awards has released its long list for books in the running for the 2018 $15,000 award. On that longlist is Trinidadian Canadian David Chariandy for his book Brother. The book, which has already won the Writer’s Trust Prize, is a novel about growing up in a poor in Scarborough. The winner of the 2018 Toronto Book Awards will be announced on October 10 at the To...