True, True Kaisonian
“Calypso (Kaiso) music has never stood still” Valton Matthews writes in his introductory remarks for In Concert…Raw Kaiso I. “But through it all” he contends having observed that from its roots it has taken various styles “one thing has never changed: the respect and affection Trinbagonians feel for ‘the true, true kaisonian’, the man or woman who sets brilliant, meaningful lyrics to what ever musical style happens to be popular at the moment”. “Even today,” Matthews continues, ” when the social functions of calypso have changed so much that the music needs different names like soca, rapso, Jump-Up, Dancehall soca, chutney soca, Ragga and more, there is still an enthusiastic audience in Trinidad & Tobago for classic kaiso”.
That view was confirmed in 1994 when Lord Blakie, Black Prince, and Zandolie appeared in a concert produced by Rudder, Robin and Robert Foster. The audience response “was phenomenal” as demonstrated in this recording.
The Master of Ceremonies is Dennis “Spranalang” Hall. Following is the cast of musicians.
Saxophone: Frankie Francis, Leo Stephenson
Keyboards: Calliston Pantor
Drums & Percussion: Barry Howard, Winston Matthew’s
Bass: Albert Bushe Jr
Guitar: Tony Voisin
Background Vocals: David Rudder, Winston “Gypsy’ Peters, Mystic Prowler
David Rudder’s Appreciation
David Rudder describes the Raw Kaiso concert as “a musical story of three men, two of whom I grew up on in the early Sixties in Trinidad: The Mighty Zandolie and Lord Blakie; two original ‘rude bwoys.’ Blakie, the street-smart, urban warlord, and Zando, aptly described as ‘phallic to the bone’, the country gigolo. The third man, Black Prince, with whom I became acquainted a few years ago at the Spektakula Forum Calypso Tent, is the wandering troubadour, the blues singer. He is a piece of the other two in the sense that he captures the grassroots soul of both of urban and country Trinidad.
Calypso is an art form filled with diverse characters. In this collection we present three men who belong to a time of few inhibitions, no ‘political correctness’, just raw feelings, vivid paintings of our life and times, off-the cuff love-it-or-leave-it stuff. In other words… Raw to the bone. David Rudder
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