There’s a ting nuh? Look how things could change in just a few years.
One time, if you wanted tuh go out and enjoy a nice quiet evening, relaxing wid a couple o’ friends, ya had choices.
Ya coulda put on ya clothes and go tuh a nice li’l place, sit down wid a few friends, listen tuh some nice light-hearted music ovah a couple o’ fruit punches, meet old acquaintances, have a good time and come back home feeling relaxed. Not now.
Sometimes when people come in from overseas and want tuh go somewhere nice just tuh hang out, or duh ask you where they could go tuh see a show or even listen tuh some quiet sweet jazz music while enjoying a cool drink in quiet surroundings, ya hair would turn gray just trying tuh think where you could take dem or tell dem tuh go.
I could be wrong but I ain’t know of any jazz clubs ’bout here nuh more. I would have tuh be totally out o’ touch, but I cahn tell nuhbody dat I know off the top o’ my head ’bout anyplace pon this island where they could go and take in a good show; unless I take dem tuh a hotel dat does have a floor show and ya doan want tuh see dem all the time neither.
Nowadays if you want tuh hang out, it is in Oistins pon a Friday night and out there does have real nuff people. I mean ya could still find a quiet corner and have a very nice time wid family and friends; but tuh me the main attraction does be the people, ’cause it does be busy and noisy wid people tripping ovah one another all the time trying tuh find someplace where evahbody could sit down together.
Well of course, if ya doan like the loud music dat does be blaring from some o’ the speakers in the shops, ya could always enjoy the oldies and the oldsters dancing ovah pon the other side by the market.
I must tell ya though, it ain’t only oldsters who does be dancing, a lot o’ young people like dat kinda music too. But fuh right now, dat is the only place we got going ’bout here if ya talking ’bout going somewhere ya could just hang out.
I was reading the Market Vendor article the other day and it was talking ’bout the good old days, and I had tuh say dat howevah good duh was and howevah hard ya try, ya cahn bring back some things dat used tuh be really good.
I talking ’bout places like the Island Inn floor shows pon a Monday night, the Waterfront Café, even out there pon Bay Street by the Government headquarters or the Flambeau Room at the old Hilton hotel or fuh the real jazz lovers, the Belair Club pon Lower Bay Street.
Now dem is good old days if ya gine talk ’bout having somewhere tuh go and sit down and enjoy a quiet night out wid a few friends.
Well, dat is dem kinda clubs but wha’ ’bout the bands?
One time Barbados had so many bands and I ain’t talking ’bout a few people just pelt together ya know. I talking ’bout quality musicians; I talking ’bout good quality singers; I talking ’bout big bands, some wid a whole line up o’ brass men; and look, well dressed too.
You think one time you could see any band go on pon anybody stage and wasn’t in some kinda matching outfits? No boy, evah man and or woman had tuh look professional, like an entertainer, and like duh belong pon the stage; not like one o’ the members o’ the audience or part o’ the crowd. Duh had tuh stand out.
Dat is why when you happen tuh see the older musicians at any show nowadays, duh does still be dressed down tuh the nines.
The older people want somewhere tuh go though, dat is why when we happen tuh get the once a year Mother’s Day show dat dat fella Desmond Weekes from the Draytons Two does put on, the whole place does be ram off from early. Duh ain’t got nuh more local shows like dat nuh more.
I was talking tuh him last year and he was telling me how hard and expensive it is tuh put on dat show; but I had tuh tell him dat he cahn stop now, he gotta keep going ’cause people look forward tuh it and duh ain’t got nuhwhere else tuh go and enjoy a good old-time sit down show.
But before I close off, leh me say dat I think CBC has landed on a good thing there wid the Q TV show. It look like people does be really looking forward tuh dat outing and does be really enjoying demselves, but ya would also notice dat it ain’t only the older folk who does be there doing the dog. When I get the chance tuh watch it, I does really enjoy it, but I think it is too short.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
