Calabash Literary Festival Features Iconic Reggae Tribute

by Howard Campbell

ST. ELIZABETH, Jamaica – The Calabash Literary Festival, which takes place May 23-25 in St. Elizabeth parish, Jamaica, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Marcus Garvey, the epic album by roots-reggae legend Burning Spear.

This acoustic tribute to one of reggae’s greatest works features the Binghistra Movement, a group of Rastafarian drummers led by famed guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith, who played on Marcus Garvey.

Percussionist Jesse Golding, who has played in similar tributes at Calabash Literary Festival, is thrilled to be part of an ensemble recreating the landmark album on closing day.

“I was raised on music from the ‘70s. I got very deep into this album during a very tumultuous time in my life, it’s a deep album that means a lot,” he said.

An Epic Album: Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey contains the title song, a powerful ode to the Pan African giant. Garvey is Jamaica’s first national hero. Jordan River, Tradition and Slavery Days and Old Marcus Garvey are some of the other tracks that make the album a classic.

It was produced by Lawrence “Jack Ruby” Lindo, grandfather of rapper Sean Kingston, and distributed by Island Records. Marcus Garvey features a stellar cast of musicians including bass guitarists Aston “Familyman” Barrett and Robbie Shakespeare, keyboardists Bernard “Touter” Harvey and Tyrone Downie, drummer Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace and trumpeter Bobby Ellis.

First held in 2001, the Calabash Literary Festival is organized by Justine Henzell. Justine is the daughter of Perry Henzell of The Harder They Come fame. It has attracted a number of elite artists including Nobel Prize-winning poet Sir Derek Walcott of St. Lucia. Plus, British writer Salman Rushdie.

This year’s event also features conversations with Emmy-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, whose mother is Jamaican, and award-winning Jamaican author Marlon James.