FLASHBACK: Taken in the 1940s, this photograph features Count of Monte Cristo (George Anderson), from left, MacBeth the Great (Patrick MacDonald), The Duke of Iron (Cecil Anderson), Houdini (Frederick Wilmoth Hendricks), Lord Invader (Rupert Grant), at the Renaissance Ballroom, New York City, July 1947. —Photo: William P Gottlieb Collection, Library of Congress.
That was the message from Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) president Lutalo “Bro Resistance” Masimba during the official launch of Calypso History Month at the VIP room of the Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, yesterday.
Masimba, speaking to a small gathering which included veteran bards All Rounder (Anthony Hendrickson) and Gary Cordner, said homage must be paid to the late great exponents of the genre as the music continues to move forward into a new age. Also in attendance was reigning Extempo Monarch and former culture minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters.
Calypso Month Schedule of Events
Oct 4 - Calypso on the Plaza featuring Crazy & Bally at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Invaders Bay. 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Oct 4 - Calypso Workshop,Tunapuna Library - 10 a.m.
Oct 7 - Gary Cordner Concert at Kaiso Blues Cafe, 87 Woodford St, Port of Spain. 8:30 p.m.
Oct 11 - Kaiso in yuh Pweffen at City Hall, Port of Spain. 8 p.m.
Oct 11 - Calypso on the Plaza featuring Baron & Karene Asche at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Invaders Bay. 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Oct 14 - Birds and Warriors Cultural Organisation Street Extravaganza at Lenny's Car Park, Coffee Street, San Fernando 7:30 pm.
Oct 14 - In Defense of Calypso (111) The Recession Edition at UTT Campus at NAPA. 6 p.m.
Oct 15 - Calypso and Pan on the Broadwalk at Chaguaramas Broadwalk. 3 p.m. To 6 p.m.
Oct 18 - Kaiso Tales at WACK Radio Station's conference room, Coffee Street, San Fernando. 8 p.m.
Oct 18 - Calypso on the Plaza featuring Johnny King & Spicey at Fiesta Plaza MovieTowne, Invaders Bay. 8:30 to 9:30
Oct 19 - Children's Calypso Workshop at NALIS AV Room, Port of Spain. 9 a.m. To 12 Noon.
Oct 20 - Calypso Continues: Calypsonians and their offsprings at Lord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA, Port of Spain. 8 p.m.
Oct 20 - Ninja Soca Parang Fiesta at K.B's restaurant and bar, Maloney St. Petit Bourg. 9 p.m.
Oct 20 - A Mural by the Sea book launch at Theatre 1, NAPA, Port of Spain. 6 p.m.
Oct 21 - Calypso Workshop at NALIS AV Room, Port of Spain. 10 a.m. To 12 Noon
Oct 21 - Kaiso Dredz music launch at Hotel Normandie, St Ann's. 9 p.m.
Oct 22 - A Mural by the Sea book launch at Tradewinds Hotel, San Fernando. 3:30 p.m.
Oct 22 - Bring Yuh CD and Come at Spots Entertainment Centre, Malabar, Arima. 4 p.m.
Oct 25 - Calypso on the Plaza featuring Superblue & Twiggy at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Invaders Bay. 8:30 to 9:30 pm.
Oct 27 - Kaisoca Karaoke Launch (TBD)
Oct 27 Central Bank Kaiso Event at Central Bank, Port of Spain.
Oct 29 TUCO Calypso Boat Ride, Cooler Cruise at Treasure Queen, boarding at Point Cumana, Carenage. 10 a.m. To 2 p.m.
Oct 29 Down Memory Lane Concert at San Fernando Hill, 7 p.m.
Nov 4 Extemporama at SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. 8:30 pm
Nov 5 TUCO Family Day at Paddock Area, Queen Park Savannah, Port of Spain
Nov 9 TUCO gala at Lord Kitchener's Auditorium, NAPA. 8 p.m.
Nov 19 Sandro Alive Concert at San Fernando City Hall Auditorium. 6 p.m.
Replies
odw: One of my favourite calypsos of ALL TIME -- RAGGA RAGGA!!!
Mighty Sparrow - Calypso as Mother music.
Mighty Sparrow the king of calypso Classic hits. Various Albums.
Track List: Neurois of the rich, Children stories, Panama woman, Oriental touch, I owe no opology, Since he done day, Precious, Dutch romance, Nice senorita, The village ram, Age is just a number, Water the garden, Fat man, School days, This is madness, Lying excuses, Bald head, One love One heart, Stand up and fight, Rocking soca, London bridge, Capitalism gone mad, What causing that, Sixty million french men, Afraid pussy bite me, Let the music play.
Aunty Thora’s lesson
What can educator Thora Best teach us? First, the sheer power of resilience.
Best was this month awarded the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) for National Development and Public Service, but it was not the first time she came to national prominence.
The educator has called for the use of cultural modes of expression in the classroom, such as calypso. By her account, when she was a teacher she would use calypso in the classroom to make classes exciting and relevant.
She noted there is a calypso for every occasion and they can be used to teach local and international history; figures of speech; grammar and the appropriate use of dialect. It strikes us that not only should calypso be in the teacher’s toolbox but also many other forms of local cultural expression such as pichakaree.
With a long-overdue reform of the education curriculum pending, perhaps the time has come to take a cue from Aunty Thora. Let’s enable children to learn more through the resources we have right here all around us.
http://newsday.co.tt/2017/10/02/aunty-thoras-lesson/
Happy Birthday Calypso Music!!!
Andre: The FIRST RECORDING of CALYPSO was done in 1912. So maybe that is where they got the "105 years" from (2017-1912 = 105). Raymond Quevedo (Atilla The Hun) sang his first CALYPSO publicly in 1911. And there was a CALYPSO TENT in Trinidad as early as 1903!!! The first Calypso that was sung in ENGLISH was sung in 1899. Before that CALYPSO was sung in FRENCH.
So how could CALYPSO be 105 years old?
I listened well to a conversation between my cousin Andre Taker, Uncles; Holly Betaudier and Russel Celestine back in the early 1970's in the back of TTT. Holly explained that to his knowledge and understand, the music was sung by Griot-Chantuelles in creole-patois as far-back as the era of the 1600's, so I arguably agree the history and legacy of "we music" goes farther back than just 105, not so... Just like "We Caribbean Culture" it is rich and diverse by its nature, in all it's musical forms... Caribbean Culture is by its nature, diverse. The multi-ethnic groups which are part of the region's history, hail from every part of the world. It's reflected in the languages and dialects we speak which include; English/Patois, Spanish/Payol, French/Kréyol, and Dutch/Papiamento. The music is heavily influenced by the experiences of the colonial societies which gave birth to among them; lavway, cariso, kaiso, calypso, extempo, mento, soca, rapso, chutney-soca, parang-soca, rock-steady, reggae, roots-reggae, dub, rockers, lovers-rock, raga-muffin, dancehall, shanto, cadence, beguine, bèlè , méringue, bouyon, jwé, kompa, konpa-dirèk, zouk, goombay, spouge, ragga-soca, son, guaguancó, mambo, salsa, reggaeton, bari, quimbe, tumba, ska, kaseko and many more...
Where they get that "105 years" number from? In my book (literally) that number is WRONG!!! Don't tell me that my beloved CALYPSO getting PANITIS (a case of not being able to get your dates right).
Great calendar of events. Just hope they are well attended.Especially d workshops.