Calypso in Anguilla

CALYPSO IN ANGUILLA THRU THE YEARS


Calypso is a music that’s virtually synonymous with the Caribbean Islands. With the rise of soca and other genres of music, there appeared to be a declined, but many artist including our local calypsonians have contributed to the rebirth.
But, far from breath-taking, its last, Calypso is vibrant and very much alive especially at Carnival time.

This synopsis would allow you to grasp with enthusiasm, the evolution and advancement of the Calypso artform on Anguilla over the years at the senior level.

Calypso as we know it provides the opportunity for the expression of thoughts or real life experiences on issues, or events happening around us. That expression is enhanced with Music, poetry and dance, allowing for the performance to take on a life on its own and at the same time providing that means for the audience to see, feel or react to the message in the song.

From 1974 to present, Anguilla has produced calypsonians of energy, dedication and commitment to the artform. Despite the disappearance from the stage of the vintage performers and past monarchs such as, Pulfaro, Slinger, Mr. .Leo, Mighty Rock, Corn-Flakes to name a few, there was the emergence of a new breed of young determined consistent performers and competitors, who adopted and embraced the artform and took it to a standard that can be compared to any other region.

At this juncture much commendation must be given to the Colonial City Club (CCC) who was responsible for nurturing and bringing to the forefront many of our calypso stalwarts. This institution formed in 1980, produced the likes of Splinter, Returner, Mighty Rock, Hotshot, Pontiques, De-man, and Ziggy to make mention of a few.
The objective of Colonial City Club was to push the local calypsonians talent forward in many ways, through showcasing of calypsonians moonlight excursion fund raisers and staging calypso competitions at The Christarama Festival, paved the way for recordings and afforded Dr. Splinter to represent Anguilla in the OECS Calypso competition in Dominica. He place 5th, which was considered highly commendable, and captured the crown in French St. Martin in an all St. .Martin/SXM/AXA Calypso Competition.

In the midst of the competitors, we have always seen saw what I termed as “Calypso Family Link”. Whereby, many brothers enter the arena and with vigor competed against each other in a cultural and friendly atmosphere.
The Calypso Family Links include the following;

The Hodge’s Link (Stoney Ground)
Pulfaro, Vanblues and Shermatt

The Hodge’s Link (East End)
Hotshot, Ziggy and Flash

The Bryan’s Link (Cauls Bottom)

Splinter, Returner, Thunder, Kemanda (young brother), Blazer (Paul Bryan) and cousin Repeater

The Lloyd’s Link (Blowing Point)

Springer, Gossip, Marshman

There was another short lived link in the Saunders Family that comprised of Lord Anything (Deceased) and his nephew Lord Bread and Butter, Dale? Lord Anything made an invaluable contribution to the art form locally during his short stint of life and was always a serious contender and his renditions and performance will forever remain with us. It was opined by many that he won the crown on at least one occasion. May his soul rest in Peace.
I must at this stage bring to the fore, the musicians who decorated the lyrics and arrangements of our calypsonians over the years. In the early years there were many bands that played their role, and two outstanding bands that comes to mind, are North Sound and Ultradytes. As bands rise and faded, The Musical Brothers took up the challenge to provide sweet rhythmic accompaniment for several years. This was done with the exclusion of wind instruments.
As time passed, the need arose to give the music a lift from the norm, and the emergence and assistance of Mitch Geisner and Dumpa Martin, came the Platinum Band to create the version of music using the brass section, which afforded calypsonians an option. Most calypsonians still not too keen on the change process, stayed within the Musical brothers Band camp by a huge majority.

Now it is evident that there is a two band system in place. The Calypso sub-committee of 1997 which comprised Leroy “Brother Lee” Richardson and myself was taking a serious look at developing a scenario with the two band system, and after several hitches at events and the input of other calypso enthusiast, brought around the controversial change to an ALL Star band from preliminary stage to the Finals.
This change was to effect the advancement of the art form overall and from what was becoming costly and ineffective.
Ineffective in many ways, reasons been, Calypsonians were competing on two different levels, which would posed a disadvantage to the calypsonians and eliminate the hitches on shows, whereby the bands will have to changeover, whilst using one sound system.

Like most things in life, there was much debate on the change, but many of the critics after reviewing and examination of the process had change of hearts. There was always a vision within the Calypso organizing committee and we saw advantages that would compliment the change. The introduction of Music Sheets, so our calypsonians can for the first time is able to compete locally and regionally in any competition.

I have heard many controversial debates regarding Calypso in Anguilla over they years. Many aspects include the Adjudication (“De Judges Thief”) but with the total advancement and change process the time had come for another change. A move to introduce elimination, due to the increase in registrants and the duration of the Semifinals show, A Quarter Finals was introduced despite the pessimistic remarks by many on June15th 2001. Again the evolution process was high and working. The quarterfinals brought in extra funds and it was successful.


Calypso on Anguilla had advanced greatly thru the years and this growth with the support of the calypsonians, I feel strongly commenced in 1997. Calypsonians were now moving towards higher performance and achievements. There was the gradual exodus from the Band house recordings on TDK cassettes to a more modern studio facility. Where their material are arranged, recorded and produced on Compact Disc. This afforded them the chance to received fair air play on radio, which has ultimately moved to the modern technology.

With the standard of the artform on the rise and need to further develop the artist, JeLeCour Production, a non profit cultural entity, which was formed out of the Calypso Sub-Committee, was now the producers of the Calypso events. The initiative was taken after looking at the development process, to solicit renowned personnel to facilitate calypso development workshops. These necessary workshops looked at areas of Composing, Overall performance on Stage, Judging Criteria and Selection process and Copyrights. It is known that most of the active performers are not engaged in their own compositions, the workshop somehow geared them in this direction and how to do this along the criteria guidelines.

I must inject at this time, that over the years I have noticed that there had not been a broad interest on behalf of the female calypsonians to enter into the Monarch Show. Despite the poor showing, Anguillians and others can recall the coronation of a female calypsonian (Lady Messenger) who defeated (Hotshot) the male incumbent in 2002. She went on to make calypso history that year in capturing the Female Monarch show and the Leeward Islands Calypso Monarch show. In 2006 Queen B another female contender took the title of Anguilla Calypso Monarch. She is a consistent contender.

I must write about the repeated Monarch of Anguilla over the years. It seems to be quite a feat for many and hope of all. There were two- peats, three-peat, four-peat and even five-peat.
Mr. Leo started the peating with his historic 3 peat 1976 – 1978. Splinter looked at the peat as a feat and did a 5 peat 1982 – 1986. Repeater joins the peats when he did it in 1989 and 1990. Splinter after some absence from the competition, came back and been a little older and facing more competition, he did a 2 peat in 1995 and 1996. Springer never did a peat despite his efforts; he always lost to the competition, including his brother Gossip in 1999... But Springer came back with in 2000 and bang them all on stage. Would you care to mention the outstanding performances and level of Calypsonians and their songs that took them to a different peat – the local Calypso Monarch and the Leeward Island Calypso Monarch held in AXA. I think it was three or four of them?

I would conclude by noting some personal views in regards to calypso future development on Anguilla.
The future of the Anguilla Calypso crop lies in the development of the younger or junior calypsonians. The talent of the youth continues to have and remain untapped. I think the time has come, when a different approach should be adapted to the Junior Calypsonians and the junior Calypso competition, where it can be changed into a national School Calypso Competition. Training of the young calypsonians should start in school and there should be a coordinated and unwavering effort to further horn the talents of those who have left school.
The desired result is that there could be a transition into the senior calypso realm that would guarantee major improvements in standards.
The creation of the Anguilla Calypso Association is to a large extent a great direct achievement in the development of Calypso on Anguilla. This landmark actually helps brings the organization and management of calypso. I hope that calypsonians would be able to transform this breakthrough into a positive position of strength.
Calypsonians, as much as calypso at times is seen as a hobby, a sport or just a time to render two songs on stage, it is indeed part of our culture and is therefore an artistic feature in the cultural development of our country. I strongly urge you to use the basic yardsticks of the Criteria to compose, render and perform your calypso. Only in this way will our Anguilla Calypso become and remain comparable to the quality product that comes out of the Mecca of Calypso – Trinidad and Tobago.



JD