Calypso, respect the artform

 Contrary to popular opinion , calypso is a very sophisticated artform. Some of the finest social commentary , has been written by and for calypsonians. It has also given us priceless enjoyment of music that almost immediately reduces stress and brings our unique Caribbean vitality and cultural vibrance to the fore. Perhaps we enjoy the finished product so much that we believe we are all natural calypsonians. So, we join a tent, get a microphone , create a name and we stamp ourselves : calypsonians.

We can all copy Sir. Garry and turn up our collars but it is not easy to copy ; Sparrow, Gabby, Stalin , Rose and Kitchener. We actually believe that we can sing Calypso without any appreciation for : chord, key, melody or well written lyrics. The truth is that on any given night, a calypso competition would produce a king or a queen but if that winning calypso is forgotten within a week , it really does not carry the ranking of  greatness. We reference Jean and Dinah , by Sparrow , that has the longevity of greatness.

Sparrow has one of the finest voices to be found anywhere , Gabby's vocal range is phenomenal, Kitchener's phrasing and wit are unmatched and Baron is pure syrup , Stalin's works are instructive educational and revolutionary. These standards can be poorly imitated but never successfully copied and while he often brought a smile to our faces , Shadow was a master of his craft , a genius at pure authentic rhythm. David Rudder brings a light and grace to the artform that technically surpasses ordinary effort.

Those who worry about the evolution that the artform has been going through for the past twenty five years and its fusion with reggae and other genres , need not bother themselves . Many calypsonians are born everyday in some island in the Caribbean and they remind us when we put a microphone in their hands that they are "not too young to soca." Remember , Machel Montano told us that many decades ago and he is still not too old to soca. 

We just need to respect the artform and treat it with the care it deserves. We forgot to do this with cricket and we still produced Brian Lara. We believe that although scarce at this time other masters will come. And so it will be with Calypso.  

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