A Selection of Great Calypso Through The Years Vol. One

Review

Only a superlative can describe this eclectic calypso compilation. Excellence.

Of course one can write a Ph.D. dissertation, or twenty, for all the depth embodied in these compositions. A Selection is a Who’s Who: There is Kitch, along with him is Melody, Maestro, and Shorty, Terror, Sparrow, Stalin, Sharpe, Shadow, and Rudder. It is also a What is What about the West Indies: Calypso and pan – Len Boogsie Sharpe and Felix Caesar; national identity and patriotism – Stalin and Sniper; social dysfunction and citizenship – Melody and Sparrow, and miscegenation – Dougla. All said on one compact disc – 55 minutes 55 seconds of it.

“Well put together” as Terror would say, and one would hope that Dr. Bhoe Tewarie and Professor Rex Nettleford of the University of the West Indies find this type of creativity noteworthy. Their leadership is necessary for guiding scores of the region’s best brains to explore and build on these works to bring sustained prominence and reward all around. [eCaroh/Ron]