Vintage Kaiso charms Normandie audience
Posted: Sunday, February 22, 2004

By Terry Joseph

AMIDST the frenzy of a road march race, Wednesday night's Calypso Dreams soundtrack presentation Under the Trees at Hotel Normandie was more than merely refreshing.

The show followed on the heels of the film's Tuesday premiere at MovieTowne and featured several of the calypsonians elaborating on the verse-and-chorus format used in Calypso Dreams to help tell the history of the art.

First up was the duo Regeneration Now, setting the tone for the evening with their rendition of Fearless' "The Five Rules of Calypso", followed by Beginner's "Louise", The Mighty Duke, that evening in Jamaica Orange suit, explained "What is Calypso" and then did the laugh-a-minute "Visina".

Power was up next with "Yuh Wasting Yuh Time" and "Culture", then it was the time for the man David Rudder described as the art's "rude boy", as Warlord Blakie delivered "Steelband Clash" and "Hold the Pussy", complete with trademark dance and chuckle.

Brother Mudada rendered "Sing for the Lord" and "The Mecca", the latter one of the most celebrated calypso tributes to pan, making way for The Mighty Sparrow, his bag that night containing "Sell the Pussy", "A Model Nation" and "May May".

The resident band Under the Trees, The Core, had been specially enhanced by Lord Superior (co-producer of Calypso Dreams) and featured three guitars.

Apart from bandleader Tony Voisin, Supie and Relator supplied additional strings, the latter on cuatro and doubling as show-host, with Gerald "Slam" Charles on upright bass.

After the break Brigo was up with "Mama Po Po" and "Walking in the Dark", Brother Akil delivered the still powerful "Raise Yuh Head, Mr. African" and Crazy continued to charm the crowd with "What is Calypso" and "In Time to Come", predicting Calypso Dreams will spread the message of the art throughout the world.

Now it was time for Conqueror to do the timeless "Webster's Dictionary" and the lilting "Money they Love", his exit ushering to the stage the Mighty Striker for "Grandfather's Clock" and his take on "Ole Time Religion".

Relator encapsulated the theme of the evening with "Bring Them Back" before provoking Superior into a rousing extempo war. Supie in his turn led off with "This Same Calypso" and "Trinidad Carnival" before hitting back at Relator and ending the evening with friendly jibes at each other.

For those who opted to show up Under the Trees, the universal conclusion was time well spent. The show doubled as a curtain-raiser for a planned post-Carnival Calypso Dreams nationwide tour to be headlined by Superior and Relator.

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