A collage of photos of Friday’s book launch at University of St. Martin.
POND ISLAND--House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) held a book launch for “Ixion and The Soufriere Suit” at University of St. Martin (USM) last Friday. This is the latest book from the late Shake Keane, a St. Vincent poet and jazz musician, that the local publisher has released.
“You need this book to understand why Shake Keane is one of the very best writers, musicians and creative minds to come out of this region,” said guest speaker Fabian Adekunle Badejo.
Badejo had questioned why Keane is not better known in the Caribbean, both among the public and literary scholars. He said that while Keane had gained musical fame in Europe by playing with the likes of Lord Kitchener and the Joe Harriott Quintet, receiving rave reviews in the mid-20th century, his few published literary works had remained largely inaccessible during his lifetime and even more so after his death in 1997 at the age of 70.
Badejo said renewed interest in the poet had followed the publication of “The Angel Horn”, Keane’s authoritative collection that HNP released in 2005. The book launched at the St. Martin Book Fair that same year, and Keane’s widow, Dr. Margaret Bynoe, was a special guest of the festival.
“Ixion and The Soufriere Suite makes Shake Keane much more accessible than he has been up to now,” said Badejo.
According to Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, who hosted the launch, the new book is an anthology of two collections originally published in 1952 and 1979, respectively.
There were several performances at the book launch, including from Clara Reyes, Aishira “Shishi” Cicilia and Lasana Sekou.
“Ixion and The Soufriere Suite” is available at Arnia’s Bookstore on the corner of Zagersgut Road and Bush Road, as well as Gaymes Book Centre in Kingstown, St. Vincent.
