Impressions: Images From Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival

Words by Jesse Serwer, Photos by Martei Korley—

The World Creole Music Festival is an international showcase for the homegrown music genres of the Creole-speaking world, and one of the most unique music festivals in the Caribbean. The annual fest brings together zouk bands from Guadeloupe, compas singers from Haiti, and Dominica’s own kadans and bouyon stars, along with a handful of performers from the broader Caribbean, including, of course, Jamaica. Acts from French Africa and Louisiana’s Cajun country have also performed.

In our first photo feature from this year’s WCMF, we put the focus on Dominican music and culture. Now, we’re shining a light on the international acts who played the fest’s (remarkably well-lit) stage at the National Cricket Stadium in Roseau, including Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley (above). Scroll through for the highlights.

DiSIP is one of the top new acts on the Haitian compas scene. Gazzman Couleur, former lead vocalist for Nu-Look, is the group’s charismatic frontman. He dedicated his opening-night set to deceased Dominican music legend Jeff Joseph, the “Black Icon” referenced on his T-shirt.

Gazzman mixes it up with the crowd, on the festival’s opening night

Gazzman and the crowd couldn’t get enough of each other.

France-based Martinican zouk star Thierry Marthély performs on the festival’s opening night.

Marthély, brother of Jean-Philippe Marthély of zouk legends Kassav, gets his point across

A vocalist from the Marthély camp

Tarrus Riley performed just about all of his hits in a hour-long set, but the high point may just have been his cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”

Legendary Jamaican sax man Dean Fraser is Tarrus Riley’s bandleader and the producer responsible for first putting Riley on the map. Live, Fraser is the Clarence Clemons to Tarrus’ Springsteen, stealing the show at times.

Tarrus Riley and Dean Fraser repping Jeff Joseph

Mitchum “Khan” Chin holds down Tarrus Riley on guitar

Edwin Yearwood and Khiomal Nurse of Krosfyah. The Bajan soca band’s set was easily the festival’s most athletic.

In addition to Krosfyah originals, the group also covered recent soca hits like Kerwin Dubois’ “Bacchanalist”

Roberto Martino, frontman for Haitian kompas band T-Vice, catches a groove

T-Vice are truly giants in the world of Creole music.

The sound at the outdoor National Stadium wasn’t always pitch-perfect, but the lighting was truly out of this world.

Closing-night performer Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley made his first-ever Dominica appearance at this year’s WCMF.

Marley opened his set, notably, with his Skrillex collaboration “Make It Bun Dem”

Illuminated in red, gold and green

Keyboardist Phillip “Winter” James, keeping things in sync

Damian Marley’s flag man, Donovan, ensuring the Lion of Judah is held in high regard

Since Capleton first introduced the phenomenon in the ’90s, flag wavers have become a necessary ingredient in many Rasta entertainers’ stage shows.

Damian Marley’s bassist, Shiah Coore. Some might recognize him as the son of Third World guitar hero Cat Coore.

Marley’s latest single, “Affairs of the Heart,” was a big hit at the WCMF

Soaking up some good Dominican vibes

Damian Marley, ending his WCMF set on a high note.