Embracing Culture: Fall Showcase blending the Caribbean together

BY: JELANI GRANT 

Connector Music hosted the Embracing Culture: Fall Showcase at the Twilight Banquet Hall in Scarborough. The night featured entertainers from various genres such as Soul, R&B, Reggae, Indian dance, Jazz, and Calypso.

Joel Davis, popularly known as Connector, organized live bands, singers, and other musicians to play to families in attendance for an all-night line up of performances, which included steel pan, a saxophonist, and drummer. There were also a number of singers who each engaged the crowd with covers of classic songs encouraging people out of their seats to dance or joining in the singing. Before the intermission performers such as Krissy, Susan G, King Cosmos, Ernie Trelfall, Loveman Kent, and Satesh provided entertainment for the people, who seemed to know at least one hit song covered.

After the break, steel pannists Giselle & Sojourner brought the crowd out of their seats, dancing to the Calypso flows they played. Singer Destiny performed an acapella duet with her sister, mixing their time on stage with Reggae and R&B music. Princess Trinidad, soul cover artist CJ Pierre, and Casper also filled the second half of the night with exciting classics spanning varied genres. Saxophonist Skel performed alone, initially, dedicating the beginning of his set to his 102-year-old father who was in the crowd. Skel brought his longtime bandmates to the stage, who he said have been performing with him for decades, and it showed in their chemistry. Just before they finished, Davis made his way onto the stage with a saxophone of his own, nearly matching up to Skel’s smooth sound. Though he admitted he’s not at the same level yet, Connector promised the crowd in two months time he would be ready.

After they held the spotlight, they would accompany Impact Band with lead singer Karen Hill during their performance, creating a remarkable melody of Calypso sound. The final performer was the man himself, Connector. Throughout the night he blended into the crowd dancing, singing and laughing, but for his performance he changed into an all blue suit, grabbing the crowd with his singing.

Since he began singing at the age of five, when his commitment to the study of music began, Connector has made a remarkable impact on Soca music in Toronto and Southern Ontario. With a comprehensive background in performance and music composition, the two-time winner of the Caribbean Music Entertainment Award for Calypso, Connector is the current Canadian Calypso Monarch. He was the 2018 Vigor Award nominee, an award given to those who selflessly give back to the community, sacrificing their own quality of life or physical comfort.  The showcases continued after an abundantly positive response to their first show in 2014. The showcase has been held regularly throughout the years with the aim of fostering, promoting and affirming the arts and culture of the diverse backgrounds that form our community.

As the face of Connector Music, Joel has hosted multiple community events, under the umbrella of the showcase throughout the years. He said he uses the showcases as a method of bringing people together despite their Caribbean, or North American, differences while giving performers a platform to show their talent. “It’s my vision, promoting togetherness amongst the different Caribbean or Canadian people. Embracing Culture is for anyone,” Connector told Toronto Caribbean.

The Canadian Calypso Monarch also holds an event called Empowering Youth, a fundraiser that allows youth interested in the arts to demonstrate their budding skills and essentially being paid for it by the money that is raised. “The more people come, the more money the kids get, and they realize their talent is worth something…after the show I did in May, more kids came to ask me when the next one will be,” he said.

Davis commits to holding these events to provide an environment for local artists, of all ages, to showcase their talents, setting an example of how anyone can provide for their community. “I just love to make people happy, I love to see a smile on somebody’s face and I just love the art,” said Connector.

He says giving the people what they want year after year is what drives him and by the sound of the crowd, who were out of their seats by the end of the night, the showcases will continue to provide a stage for various talented performers.