From: The Express
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/featured-news/Calypso__Blueprint__steals_the_show-138173119.htmlCalypso 'Blueprint' steals the show
By Wayne Bowman wayne.bowman@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Jan 26, 2012 at 10:59 PM ECT
Story Updated: Jan 26, 2012 at 10:59 PM ECT
Calypsonian Mistah Shak stole the show on Tuesday when the Kaiso House Calypso Tent opened its 2012 season at the Queen's Park Savannah. Singing, "Blueprint" Mistah Shak had patrons cheering at the end of each verse and chorus and earned two encores.
The calypso is a protest against the judges that adjudicate the National Calypso Monarch competition from the preliminaries to the final and how they continue to keep the art from moving forward because they refuse to allow creative freedom. Mistah Shak sang that unless one did the same things as older calypsonians such as Cro Cro, Chalkdust or Sugar Aloes the judges did not approve of one's calypso.
Lines such as, if you had a pan song in your head, you had to go in the cemetery and raise Lord Kitchener from the dead for the judges to take you on had the audience calling for more. Mistah Shak also sang that in past years calypsonians such as Lord Shorty, Shadow and David Rudder were criticised for singing what some people said was not calypso. The audience roared in approval when Mistah Shak sang that the sure way to win the title was to be unoriginal.
Defending National Calypso Monarch, Karene Asche signalled she will not be easily dethroned when she sang, "Dougla Dhal", which like Mistah Shak's offering earned her two encores and cheers throughout her rendition. The song states that racism has no place in this nation and Karene sings she is fed-up of people always bringing up race.
"All ah hearing is race….Meh whole country turn asunder……We need an identity…..All Indo racist could go back India and Afro centric send dem Africa…..The blood we bleed must be for one T and T…..We mix up in truth, one big callaloo," were some of the lines in the calypso that had even calypsonians, Singing Sandra and Sheldon Reid dancing in the aisles during Asche's excellent performance.
Lead vocalist with the band, Dil-e-Nadan, Derek Seales also received much adulation from the patrons for his performance of, "The Clash". Seales sang that he one night witnessed an argument between calypso and soca in which each was saying that the other was no good.
Seales sang that soca told calypso that it does not have a future, has already lived out its time and the calypso tents are all empty because all calypso does is ostricise people while soca makes them dance. Calypso responded saying soca has been riding on calypso's rhythm ever since and is an imposter that is only about wave and bam bam, no substance. Seales brought the song home singing each is a great art form that is all Trinbagonian and our identity.
Reigning TUCO North Zone Calypso Monarch, Duane O'Connor created a stir with his performance of, "The Hunt Is On" a tribute of sorts to crime buster, Ian Alleyne of the show Crime Watch on CCN TV6. Dressed as Alleyne, white shades and all, O'Connor sang that although he was impressed with how Alleyne was solving so many crimes and brining criminals to justice, he felt he
had an agenda up his sleeve and really wanted Commissioner of Police, Dwayne Gibbs' job.
Then there was Marvelous Marva who performed, "Hot Ice Does Melt" about Public Services Association president, Watson Duke's unimpressive performance after his many promises to win the election that gave him leadership. Decked in a man's three piece suit she had people waving their hands as she sang that she thought that after all the bragging and boasting she would have seen David slay Goliath, but instead Duke melted like hot ice on a shelf. "George Weekes and Reinzi must be turning in they grave," sang Marva to earn two encores.
Black Sage was in fine form when he performed, "Counterfeit Society", in which he sang that Trinbago loves corruption and bobol. The audience really came alive when Black Sage sang the hook line that the reason there is so much racket and counterfeiting in the country is because, "Forged is the first word in we National Anthem. It have more racket here than in table tennis because forged is the first word in we Anthem."
There was also some humour presented with Brown Boy delivering one of the wittiest songs of the night. He sang, "Ah Change Meh Colour". This was the story of an attorney that had a special talent for getting even his clearly guilty clients off by his way of addressing the court. The audience called for an encore having been sent into peals of laughter when Brown Boy sang about a man arrested for raping a woman and the attorney argued that the woman hired the man to paint her house and he forgot to bring a paintbrush so he just, "Took a lil brush from she." Believe us, the verses got better, but can't be printed here.
Another calypso that must be mentioned was that of Sharlan Bailey who sang, "The Answer". This song stated that crime is fighting the people of Trinbago and we are losing the battle because we continue to look to the wrong people for help. He sang that snakes should not be the ones looking for snakes and it should be the people taking control. Bailey also sang that when a man in he thinks to himself that he could have been free earning a simple living selling soft drinks or such. He may decide to do that when released, but when released the plans change and he resorts to crime.
There were also performances by Shadow, Kassman, Brother Musa, Aisha, Dee Diamond, Bunny B and Brother Valentino. Rikki Jai made a return to the calypso stage with a tear jerking song, "Love Family Life", about how his father worked hard at several jobs throughout his lifetime just to ensure that his family was provided for and stayed together.
