What, I asked myself, might a Part IV of “Sing de Chorus” look and sound like if the dramatist decided to write one? What quality material would he have to draw on? Would any such production be what a recent Express story about an upcoming concert called “an ode to …
Read More »Voice completes Soca Monarch hattrick; can emulate Rudder in Sunday’s calypso final
Aaron “Voice” St Louis can become the first Trinidad and Tobago artiste in 32 years to hold calypso and soca titles in the same season, after he beat the International Soca Monarch field for his third consecutive title last night. Voice’s song “Year for Love” held off Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart’s …
Read More »Chasing Greatness868 (Video): David Rudder on Bahia Girl, Uzi diplomacy and High Mas
What is the pathway to greatness in Trinidad and Tobago? Musical icon David Rudder shares the secret of Bahia Girl, the aftershocks of the 1990 attempted coup, High Mas and what music says about our lives today. More from Wired868 TV6ME: Michael Johnson and Anton Corneal on How to …
Read More »Are reports of Carnival’s demise exaggerated? Stakeholders await govt post-mortem
Forty days and 40 nights. And counting… NCC has had its say. Communications is largely silent. Tourism has been silenced. Community Development, Culture and the Arts has had nothing to say. But the volume of kangkatang in this year’s Carnival, it seems to me, makes a proper post-mortem imperative. And …
Read More »Letter to the Editor: Carnival, Panorama and ketching the spirit
“You don’t have to be an expert to realize that Panorama pieces are saturated with arrangers’ attempts to evoke certain emotions in the listening audience, which, in turn, are designed to elicit particular responses… “Successfully executed and then terminated with a flourish, these figures often have the effect of making …
Read More »STREET VIBE: Ag CoP, TTPS put hands in the air for Carnival; Lord, put a hand!
“… In the fight against a few semi-literate street criminals, the police have thrown their hands in the air as acknowledged by the Ag CoP… One wonders if the season has anything to do with his hands going up in the air. “But as we celebrate next week’s festivities, I guarantee …
Read More »Bard women; fickle goddesses: Best considers dynamics of Calypso and her women
It is 2016. Do you know where Jean and Dinah are? And why? It says a lot for the Mighty Sparrow that sexagenarians and teenagers alike—and all the age-groups in between—often answer that question in the affirmative. Round de corner posing; bet yuh life is something dey selling… In Calypso …
Read More »A swansong for Birdsong? Best laments for evicted pan side and national instrument
“Oh gorm,” David Rudder bawl out like Sprangalang. “Shot call!” The feckless, gutless, witless lot who are not “in charge” waited, it seemed, for an edict from the top. It never came. True to form, Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly passed the buck. She had heard, said one report, that …
Read More »PHRASER’S STYLE: The Ballad of Fitzroy Coleman
Fitzroy Coleman fingers dancing on the fret. And when you think that he through, he aint start nothing yet… “Calypso Music”, David Rudder While Rudder’s lyrics are now a clichéd reference to the jazz/calypso guitar great, it is Fitzroy Haynes Coleman’s saviour from obscurity in the land he was born …
Read More »Some of Marisa’s critics would make Trump blush; Shaka joins gymnastics debate
I see, in Trinidad and Tobago, the discrimination against foreign-born athletes is alive and kicking. Full disclosure: I was born in the UK and represented T&T with all of my pride. I also have more than a passing interest in gymnastics. So I have followed the personalities, issues and discussion …
Read More »Rudder pummels Chaka for Newsday accolade
US soul singer and 10-time grammy award winner, Chaka Khan, gifted calypsonian and former Calypso Monarch and Road March champion, David Rudder, and reigning Road March, Soca Monarch and Groovy Soca victor, Machel Montano, performed for locals at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Saturday night. We know what you’re thinking. …
Read More »BBM armed and dangerous
Wild BBM rumours failed to sink calypso legend, David Rudder, but it left the Ash Wednesday cooldown severely wounded as patrons shied away from Maracas after reading alerts of a fictitious shooting spree at the popular beach. In the Middle East, Blackberry Messenger was credited for helping topple two dictators; …
Read More »