HAPPY NOTES WITH SERIOUS UNDERTONES

Powerful Kaiso Monarchs of the world, what a feast for Cropover – John King, Grynner, The General, Baron, Crazy, RPB, Gabby in concert. I listened to the maestro, the grandfather of them all, The Mighty Sparrow and mused, what if we had compulsorily retired Gryner and Sparrow at 60. The Kaiso Kings, calypsonians, the title is bestowed on the social and political warrior, the fifth estate of the realm, the guardian of the democracy, the people’s voice. These are not mere entertainers, that is for Soca kings concerned with career, money and adulation. No the Kaiso King is battle-scarred but feared by the politician for he educates, sways the political breeze to or from political parties and attacks social issues. He or she is a nationalist, political scientist and a warrior owed a debt of gratitude from citizens for they rank with generals and military heroes. They are revered long after the soca king wanes. Names like Cro Cro – Can Tek a Five years More, Sparrow – Education; Singing Sandra with Dying with My Dignity; Gypsy – Captain this Ship is Sinking, Black Stalin sang about Caribbean Unity and Chalkdust – ‘Can’ Rhyme’. Sugar Aloes captures the struggle and the calling of the calypsonian in his song with its wonderful line When I Remember. He says the true calypsonian always has a storyline to blaze dem in calypso. He don’ mind the jam and wine, but commentary must stay in calypso. Calypso warriors have taken down governments, constrained excesses and mobilised the thoughts of the people across the region to focus on social, economic and political issues. In Barbados the fifth estate giants were Sir Don, Invader, Mighty Dragon, Gabby, RPB, John King, Gryner, Adonijah, Bumba, Adrian Clarke, Serenader, Kid Site, and these are only a few. These are the big horses of calypso their power rising in 1980 until 2007 blazing with commentary, setting the country alight. Sadly as Barbados marches through its most difficult period with so much Material to go around, some of the throughbreds are quiet, just a few remain. Brasstacks yesterday mirrored some of my thoughts this season. Barbados has been abandoned by her sons and daughters opening themselves to the charge usually made against politicians of putting ‘wuh yuh could get’(Kid Site) at the expense of the nation. Future generations looking at this our darkest moment will be forgiven for assuming it was a time of Spontaneous celebration when we were so enjoying our lives that we not want to ‘leave the party’, so good it was that you ‘may have to fire me’. They may be surprised that a second Jack song failed to thrill like the first, but on closer examination they will find the truth of the failure of Barbados calypso came from Colin Spencer who showed us how they were all in bed together a true Classic.