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MUSICIANS
| CALYPSONIANS Collective memory seems to have kept little trace of the musicians who accompanied the singers. We can, though, mention Lionel Belasco and Gerald Clark, arrangers and composers who directed the music of numerous recordings at the beginning of the century. But the popular heroes remain the calypsonians. |
 Atilla the Hun. |
Atilla
the Hun (1892-1962), real name Raymond Quevedo cannot
be omitted. He sang during the first half of the 20th century, and
with the Roaring Lion introduced the calypso drama, a short story
sung and acted out. His texts reveal great political awareness, and
his commitment materialised in 1951 when, elected to the Legislative
Committee, he succeeded in putting an end to the censuring of calypsos
[ ]. |
Lord
Invader, or Rupert Grant, is well known for his spicy
Rum and Coca-Cola (1943), one of his calypsos that was plagiarised
with huge profit by Amsterdam and the Andrew Sisters. Justice will
prove him right. He was one of the first calysonians to meet with
international success and he travelled quite a lot [ ]. |
 Lord Invader, 1953. |
 Lord Kitchener. |
Lord
Kitchener (1923-2000), whose affectionate nickname
the Grand Master, reveals the extent of his popularity, emerged
from the Young Brigade, a small group of young calypsonians who
came to the front during the 2Nd World War. After an exile in England,
he specialised brilliantly in a particular style of calypso, the
Pan Kaiso, which aimed particularly at providing steelbands with
Panorama pieces [ ].
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| Mighty
Sparrow (1935), considered by some as the greatest calypsonian
of all times, his magnificent voice and his vigour placing him on
the highest level. Crowned on numerous occasions with the prestigious
title of Calypso Monarch, notably in 1956 for his still extraordinarily
famous Yankees gone, one of the numerous calypsos criticising the
American presence in Trinidad during the War []. |
 Mighty Sparrow. |
| PANNISTS |
 Ellie Mannette en 1972. |
Ellie Mannette (1926), musician and tuner from the generation of the pioneers, from the steelband Invader. He is especially known for his contribution to the perfecting of the instrument, notably his ingenious configuration of the tenors in Spider Web. Now residing in the United States, he figures among the finest tuners. |
| Bertie Marshall (1936) was the leader of Highlander, one of the best groups of his time. But it is as a tuner that he is famous; creator of the double tenor, he was also at the origin of harmonic tuning, which consisted of the tuning not only of the basic note, but also of the partials, which completely changed the timbre of the instrument, giving it its present ringing tone. |  Bertie Marshall en 1980. |
 Jit Samaroo. |
Jit
Samaroo (1950) is the arranger of the Renegades, the
steelband with which he won 9 Panoramas and toured world-wide. Of
Indian descent, he came to the fore with his small family group, Samaroo
Jets, as well as as a soloist, during competitions. He is the only
Indian pannist to have achieved this degree of recognition []. |
| Len
Boogsie Sharp (1953), self-taught musician is without
a doubt the greatest star of the steelband movement at the present
time. As arranger, he shot Phase II to the highest ranks in competitions
by composing his own calypsos. Yet it is as jazz soloist that he is
most impressive: a virtuoso, capable of playing any type of steelband,
he is incontestably a master of improvisation []. |
 Len Boogsie Sharp en 1988. |