Meet ‘The Book Master’

Phyllis Cumberbatch is an independent, multi-talented woman.

She is best known, however, as a calypso judge and for her love of African clothing.

She is the seventh of 11 children born to Albert and Sybil Cumberbatch of Maraval. What she remembers most favourably of her childhood is the times she enjoyed playing in the hills behind her home.

She attended Boissiere RC Primary School and later St George’s College in Barataria and after leaving school, was introduced to the International Reading Club by Vince De Freitas. She soon began doing door-to-door sales for the organisation. During her stint with the club, Phyllis travelled to Tobago where she eventually lived and sold books for about one year. During that period, she met Ella Andall at the “Cowboy Jack” club where Andall was performing. They became friends and have been ever since.

After leaving the International Reading Club she worked selling insurance with ALGICO. But being the restless, energetic woman that she is, Phyllis made another major change to her life and migrated to the United States — New York to be exact — where she lived for 11 years. She did not go to NY alone however. She accompanied Lord Shorty and the Vibrations International, who were going on a tour of the US and Canada, of which Andall was the main act.

“Initially it was very difficult for me, especially having to deal with the weather but I found it exciting.” Phyllis remarked, “There were so many opportunities in terms of education, and jobs and there were so many things to do and see — Broadway plays, shows, fashion, concerts, ... I actually fitted in quite easily.”

While residing in NY, she pursed a degree in Business Management. Eventually, she left her job and began going to school full-time. To support herself during this time, she sold clothes out of her apartment to West Indian customers.

Her modelling career began when she was approached by Tobagonian designer Ruby Hinds, who lived in the same building. “Ruby saw that I had a flair for fashion and asked if I could model some of her clothes.” As a model, she was trained to walk and apply make-up. Her focus was on fashion shows and tea parties but later branched off into runway shows where she had the opportunity to meet calypsonians such as Duke and Nelson, who came to perform. To expand her portfolio, she went into fashion marketing.

In 1987, Phyllis returned to Trinidad, divorced, and it was then she got her first taste of Trini Carnival. “I played with Harts... and I never turned back,” she said. “I have always loved our culture. Even when I moved to New York I visited clubs where calypsonians performed.” In 1989 she began attending The Mas Camp Pub to enjoy calypso and pan. “I went to all the calypso shows every Wednesday night. There was such a rich blend of culture there with a mature audience who enjoyed local culture. It was also one of the safest places to be.”

One day, Phyllis’ friend Norma Clarke, a calypso and Carnival mas judge, suggested she (Phyllis), judge calypso and so she began in 1999 and has been doing so for the last seven years.

Phyllis started out judging at the Junior Calypso Competition but soon progressed to the Seniors. She was a bit apprehensive at first since many of those to be judged were her friends. She also knew that, at that time, calypsonians were very competitive and did not trust judges — she did not want to lose her friends. To help her be a more qualified judge, Phyllis went to Merle Albino-de Coteau, director of Music Maker Music School, for music lessons. She learned the rudiments of music theory in an attempt to understand music more fully. “It made me appreciate what they (calypsonians) were doing — the sacrifices they made, the arranging of their songs, the effort that is put into producing music,” she told Newsday. “It made me feel more competent as a calypso judge and I still have a great relationship with most of my calypsonian friends.”

As indicated before, Phyllis is also known for wearing African attire. She began wearing and selling African clothes while she was in Brooklyn. She found it very fashionable even though it was not popular in Trinidad at that time. When she returned to Trinidad, she continued to wear them and people began to inquire after her clothes so she started to sell African wear — mainly for Emancipation Day or special occasions. Most of her African clothes come from Ghana and Nigeria, supplied by friends who visit Trinidad for Emancipation. Every year, she has classes at “The Book Master,” conducted by Norma Clarke, for people who are interested in the art of African head wraps and using fabrics to wrap the body.

Phyllis currently is the owner of The Book Master which specialises in nursing books. Since the other well-established book stores were already selling a variety of school books, Phyllis decided not to compete. She wanted to be different so she selected a niche — nursing — and supplied books to many nursing students. “I don’t just sell books to them” Phyllis emphasised, “I offer a service. If there were any particular books they needed that I didn’t have in stock, I would source it and deliver it to them. Those who couldn’t afford the books, I offered to give them on terms.” The Book Master is located on 37 Frederick Street and has now expanded to language aids, teacher resource materials, literacy teaching aids, African greeting cards and more.

She still judges calypso competitions, still plays mas, and has never remarried. When asked if she has any significant male friend, she responed coyly, “But of course!.”