Three of the best calypsoes I have heard this year will not be performed tomorrow at Skinner Park, San Fernando, when Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco) stages the Calypso Fiesta (National Calypso Monarch) semi-final.
The songs are Collaboration, sung by Sugar Aloes (Michael Osouna); Marriage Advice by Knobby of south’s Kalypso Showkase; and Trini Vibe by Malaika Ballantyne.
Aloes, a two-time national monarch and head of Kalypso Revue, told Pulse this week: “I take a rest from competition. I’m not lucky with them calypso judges. I might have to kill somebody.”
Ballantyne—who sings at the Revue—and Knobby, were not selected for tomorrow’s semi-final. Of the 40 semi-finalists selected, eight (Gypsy, Cro Cro, Singing Sandra, Luta, Chalkdust, Karene Asche, Kurt Allen, Duanne O’Connor) are former national monarchs, with Chalkdust having the most wins in the annual competition.
Chalkdust and the Mighty Sparrow, with eight titles each, have the most wins in the National Calypso Monarch competition. With the soca genre apparently having a lean season as far as good songs are concerned, authentic calypso has maintained its quality and appeal.
I have not been able to visit all the calypso tents but of the couple I have been to, I have heard some rather well-composed calypsoes, with good music as well. Coming immediately to mind is Bring Back the Rainbow, sung by young Bevon St Clair, a song that is reminiscent of the late Merchant’s type of calypso and rendered by a young man with a good voice.
On the topic of good, young calypsonians, just crowned 2016 Young Kings Monarch Helon Francis is in tomorrow’s semi-final and will sing Paradise. Not included among the 40 singers is 2016 National Calypso Queen Amrika Mutroo. I cited three calypsoes at the opening of this column, so let me add a few more good songs I have heard.
US-based Xposer, singing at Kaiso House in Port-of-Spain, has been winning multiple encores nightly for his ditty Too Old For Dat, while Duanne O’Connor of the same tent, and a former national monarch, is similarly witty with his politically-infused Modern Nursery Rhymes.
Brother Mudada wins lots of laughter singing Dog and Fries—though he risks being accused of “ethnic profiling.” Three of the better calypsoes I have also heard are Canada-based Macomere Fifi of Divas Calypso Cabaret International with Before You Gone, semi-final debutante Stacey Sobers singing One Love, and Skatie’s Back on Track.
Many times a monarch finalist but never a winner, unfortunately Skatie has been disqualified from the semi-final as Tuco claimed on Wednesday that he had not paid the registration fee to enter the competition.
He has been replaced by first reserve Joanne Foster of Kalypso Showkase. Her song is Thou Art Loosed. Though not a newcomer to the monarch competition, former Young Kings Monarch Stephen Marcelle has a good song in Shame on You and is hoping that he receives the judges’ nod this time around to go to the Queen’s Park Savannah in the Carnival Sunday Dimanche Gras final.
Calypso tents are not just about good calypsoes but also about entertaining patrons who must sit through programmes lasting over four hours, so the band, emcees and chorus groups must also be equally on point. Of those I visited, the tents have scored an A grade in each department.
For comic relief, I Love Everybody by Lord Have Mercy provides this in abundance, as does Mr Nature’s Old Age Doh Cause Dat. Whatever became of Rex West? I miss him as I miss the late Lord Fluke and Mighty Cypher.
Calypso icon Bill Trotman was also excellent at creating much humour in the calypso tent. Skatie’s seven Revue tent mates are all strong, especially Alana Sinnette (Morons & Oxymorons), Michelle Henry (Ask Yuhself) and Chalkdust (When Trini Get Vex).
Heather MacIntosh (By Other Men’s Faults), Gypsy (Too Many), Cro Cro (Advice to the Boss), Kizzie Ruiz (The Magic Magnet), Brian London (We Trinidad), Karene Asche (Bring Back de Love), Luta (Same Sex Marriages) and Singing Sandra (All For You) know the Skinner Park stage well and are each imbued with perfect articulation of song.
Good performances are expected of them as well as from the Tobago singers who have previously traversed this road like Calypso Prince, Happy and Lesley Ann Ellis. One thing’s for certain and that is the judges are going to have a very tough job to erase 29 of the semi-finalists to chose just 11 to face defending monarch Roderick “Chuck” Gordon.
The monarch for the past two years, Gordon is determined to score a hat-trick in 2016. Showtime tomorrow is noon and musical accompaniment will be by Errol Ince Music Makers.
Minister of Sport Darryl Smith heads a list of special guests for the eighth annual Carnival Sunday Football Reunion of Belmont Dynamos, Colts, Luton Town, Shamrock clubs. The lime is scheduled to begin at noon and is being held in the Queen’s Park Savannah (opposite Cadiz Road), Port-of-Spain.
Organiser Jerry Brown told Pulse: “In this our eighth year we will honour those veterans who have passed. The idea of this reunion is in celebrating the 33 football clubs from the Belmont area. It is held at Carnival to facilitate the overseas domiciled greats who religiously return home for Carnival.
Over the years we have identified and celebrated some of our former heroes amidst the football ole talk and revelry.”
Some of the specially-invited guests include Port-of-Spain Mayor, Raymond Tim Kee, David Rudder, Willard “Relator” Harris, Willie Rodrigues, Marjorie John, Seadley Joseph, Randolph Price, Neville Baptiste, Richard Nieves and Anthony Skerrit.
CALYPSO FIESTA 2016
National Calypso Monarch
(semi-finalists, in alphabetical order):
Alana Sinnette Khan—Morons & Oxymorons
Alicia Richards—Election Conduct
Brian London—We Trinidad
Devon Seale—Respect God’s Voice
Dianne Hendrickson—Lady Wonder
—Nation Building
Duanne O’Connor—Modern Nursery Rhymes
Eulith Woods—Macomere Fifi
—Before You Gone
Georgia McIntyre—The Messenger
—Just One Mile
Gilbert O’Connor—Happy—Don’t Blush
Hammond Bruce—Slick—Strange Fruits
Heather MacIntosh—By Other Men’s Faults
Helon Francis—Paradise
Henson Wright—Calypso Prince
—Baptist Donkey
Hollis Liverpool—Chalkdust
—When Trini Get Vex
Ife Alleyne—Brotherly Sisterly Love
Joanne Foster—Thou Art Loose
Joanne Rowley—Tigress—Fire and Jaws
Karen Eccles Thomas—Pull That Trigger
Karene Asche—Bring Back de Love
Kerine Williams—Fruits Aint Ripe Yet
Kizzie Ruiz—The Magic Magnet
Kurt Allen—The Last Bad John of Kaiso
—Pot of Gold
Lesley Ann Ellis—The Shoe That Were Mary’s
Marsha Clifton—Lady Adanna—Murder a Day
Michael Legerton—Protector—Port-of-Pain
Michelle Henry—Ask Yuhself
Morel Peters—Luta—Same Sex Marriages
Myron Bruce—The Incredible Myron B
—Boat Ride
Sandra Des Vignes Millington—Singing Sandra—All for You
Sean Daniel—The Psalmist—Right Here
Selvon Noel—Mr Shak—Generation Next
Stacey Sobers Abraham—Stacey Sobers
—One Love
Stephen Marcelle—Shame on You
Steve Pascall—Ras Kommanda
—She Never Write Meh
Tameka Darius—Glory Hallelujah
Tammico Moore—Spicey—D’Champion
Victoria Cooper-Rahim—Queen Victoria
—The After Shock
Vivian Lockhart—Young Poser—In Good Hands
Weston Rawlins—Cro Cro—Advice to the Boss
Winston Peters—Gypsy—Too Many