WCMF 2011: Hotter and Stronger!

Since it was created in 1997, the World Creole Music Festival has prided itself as being the most indigenous of music festivals in the Eastern Caribbean, dedicated to delivering first-class performances both of the artistes on show and the spectator experience, and hope to be even more exciting, fresher, hotter and stronger when it is held between Friday 28 and Sunday 30th October, 2011 at the Windsor Park Stadium in Roseau, Dominica’s capital city.
Now in its 15th year, the WCMF has captivated audiences year after year with its unique brand of quality entertainment while highlighting the various sub-genres of Creole Music including Dominica’s Cadence-lypso and Bouyon, Zouk from the French Antilles, Haitian Compas, as well as Zydecco from Louisiana and Afro-zouk from the African continent, and a wider appeal of regional and international music genres like reggae, salsa and soca/calypso.  The core value of the WCMF is however to preserve the authenticity of Creole music and exposing young and upcoming acts to a world stage even while giving patrons their taste of other popular forms.
The WCMF has the distinct advantage of having many of the top acts and performers of Creole music electrify audiences over these past 15 years. The long and distinguished list of artists and performers include the legendary Zouk band, Kassav; Haitian Compas pioneers Tabou Combo and Magnum Band, President Sweet Mickey, Zenglen, Buckman Experience, Carimi, T-Vice, Top Vice, among many other Haitian Compas groups; Dominica’s Lady of Song Ophelia; Exile One; Jeff Joseph and his     Grammacks/New Generation, the sensational Michelle Henderson, Bouyon pioneers WCK along with other exponents of the Bouyon beat; Taxi Kweyole, Zouk Machine, Franky Vincent, Tanya St Val, the late Patrick St. Eloi, Chiktay and Skah Shah; Buckwheat Zydecco of Lousiana; African Soukouss and afro-zouk stars like Sakis,  the late Oliver Ngoma, and Loketo and Diablo Dibala. In addition to Soca and Calypso stars like Machel Montano, Roy Cape and his band, Sherwin Winchester, Square One, Krosfyah, Byron Lee & the Drongoniares and the red hot Burning Flames; reggae and dancehall acts like the Wailers, Aswad, Elephant Man, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, Morgan Heritage, Jah Cure, Steel Pulse and Luciano; and international superstar, Haitian Wycliff Jean.
Over these 15 years the WCMF has seen many innovations and unique production and promotional techniques that have helped to engender a unique festival brand in Dominica, making it one of the most sought after events in the Caribbean. The sound quality, the festival atmosphere, the familiar faces of patrons from around the region, the sweet taste of various Creole Cuisines
and the free spirited and care-free local festival goers make for a magical event each year at the end of October in Dominica.
This year, the festival will roll out one of the most balanced and unique line-ups highlighting a blend of veteran and iconic performers including Jeff Joe of Grammacks fame; the iconic voices of Jean-Philippe Marthely and Jocelyne Beroard of Kassav fame; reggae ambassadors, Third World; Ali Campbell, the legendary voice of UB-40; Dominica’s Swinging Stars of more than 50 years; Midnight Groovers of the venerable Chubby Mark; plus the younger generation of Creole stars like Carimi and Harmonik of Haiti, WCK and Triple Kay of Dominica and Kolo Barst of Martinique; the love connections of reggae superstar Gyptian; zouk love singers Fanny, Jocelyne Labylle and Alex Catrin of the French Antilles and the husband and wife team of Bunji and Fay-Ann. That’s the magic of the WCMF 2011, hotter and stronger.
The magic continues after 15 years of infectious music and the pulsating rhythms of Creole and popular world music in The Nature Island.