[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile some of the most popular calypso sounds may be sealed in the vinyl at corner shops in Castries or only in the memories of those who experienced the origins of Saint Lucian calypso in the 1940s, the Take Over Tent insists that the art form is still very much alive today. Every Saint Lucian scandal, social imbalance and controversial political decision has been preserved raw in the notes of calypso and even with the now colossus Dennery Segment (Kudoru), calypso remains “the voice of the people”.
However, the only calypso that I can sing from the top of my head is from the Mighty Pelay’s Christmas collection. For most of my life the popular local musical waves have always leaned more to soca and now kudoru. Internationally, the latter has become what Saint Lucia’s music is all about. On Wednesday May 23, at a press launch for the “Herbie and Friends” show—which was held last night (Friday)—the tourism minister Mr. Dominic Fedee recalled hearing some Dennery Segment music at a bar in Toronto. He was proud to the point of goose bumps, he claimed. But for me, and others my age, calypso recalls Calypso Monarch shows with our parents, a long time ago when calypso still was big.
On the other hand, on Wednesday, Cecile Charles, the manager of Take Over Tent, insisted, “Our productions have actually brought in a lot of younger persons. A lot of the performers that have come through the school system became tent members.”
Last night’s “Herbie and Friends” at the Anse la Raye Fish Fry featured calypsonians, some from the Anse la Raye Primary School. And contrary to what some may think, some popular local soca artists are heavily involved in calypso tents. Cecile Charles cited the winner of last weekend’s Soca Switch, Kisha, as a member of TOT as well as Ambi, Ricky T and Alpha.
To calypsonians, the Dennery Segment does not represent a threat. As Charles said: “Calypso is calypso. Now you have that thing about calypsonians and soca artists, like there is a big difference; there isn’t.” He explained that paramount artists such as the late Mighty Pelay, the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener never identified themselves as separate from those who sang soca. “They were musicians,” said Charles.
In turns out that many “meccas” of the Dennery Segment started out in the calypso arena, including the “Bad In Bum Bum” singers, Surbance and Mighty.
Charles said, “Yes they have grown and they are making waves which we are very proud of. What we hope doesn’t happen is that persons from outside take advantage of it and we are not able to benefit as we’re supposed to.” Charles noted that if not handled properly, Saint Lucian artists would suffer.
However, Dominic Fedee was able offer some assurance to Saint Lucian musicians: “We have said a lot as policymakers over the years about the state of the music industry and the state of the culture sector in general. And I think that we’ve paid lip service to it and we haven’t given the art form the level of support and investment that we should and we’ve failed our country over the years.”
He added that the present government will now focus more on investing in “our own festivals, our own people, our own culture”.
This year the Take Over Tent will offer Calypsos touching a little bit of everything, especially modern day romance.
