7th Annual African/Caribbean Festival of Life
July 4, 1999; Dusable Museum Sunken Garden, Chicago, IL
by Douglas "Dougifresh" Allen

On July 2-5,1999 Martin Interculture Inc. presented one of his best and premiere show piece at the 7th Annual African/Caribbean Festival of Life at the Dusable Museum Sunken Garden in Chicago Illinois. Headlining the four day event was Third World, Half Pint, Sparrow and the Dancemaster GT Taylor who broadcast from Chicago to Jamaica.

The 4 day event drew crowds from all African and Caribbean nationality for a mixture that is rarely seen in Chicago. The estimate attendance was well over 10,000 people for the four days. The festival showcased vendors from all facets of the city which includes food from the Caribbean and Africa as well as books, garments, jewelry and music. There was even a fortune and Tarot card reading available this year. And for the first time, Puerto Rico and Mexico was represented with their booth and tasty dishes.

The show was well organized as this time the promoters, engineers and equipment was finally working in synch-well at least until the generator ran out of gas well past closing of the show while Half Pint who closed the show was on stage.

Third World who has not been in Chicago since their road promoter Bobby Swire had brought them here and they were well missed. With their performance of hits and opera renditions, they displayed why they are one of the truly greatest band in this or any other world. The vocals were enchanting and captivating and everyone almost had them changing their lyrics from 96 degrees in the shade to 110 degrees as that was the temperature of the day when they performed.

Sparrow was his usual self. He immediately got everybody rocking with his calypso music and the Belizeans, Trinidadians, Jamaicans, Barbadians bad Grenadians were all waving their respective flags in the crowd. And with sparrow singing HOT HOT HOT did not help cool the crowd down as again it was unbelievably hot and sales of water was rising.

Then on Dancehall night with Local bands such as Devon Brown, Charles Cameron, Kelly Ranking, Carl Brown, warming the crowds and GT Taylor spinning the latest hits from Jamaica on Tubbis Hi Fi System which is now one of the most improved sound system in Chicago besides Tallas and Sagittarius, the crowd was more than ready for what was to happen next.

The Man Himself appeared. With a suit which he had to take off, and his famous long dreadlocks embodying his spirituality and his consciousness, Half Pint, who as I recalled got that name from his small stature which can be now changed as he is no longer small nor "Half Pint" as this Kingstonian took the stage and for that moment when he was on stage there was peace in the world. His music transformed everyone present or so it seems as he had the audience singing in the heat behind his lyrics. Half Pint, who had such hits as "Winsome" and "Greetings," which is now the acclaimed song in any dancehall or Sound Clash shows why his voice is truly a great Jamaican Heritage. And with the passing the same weekend of the Prince of Reggae, Dennis Brown, Half Pint is surely in a strong position to carry on the reigns behind Brown, Bob Marley and Garnet Silk.

Half Pint is truly a singer who has come of age and stature and with so much positivity flowing off him and idol of the youths of Jamaica which should remind them that size does not matter.