|
|
TUCO's Extempo/Calypso Categories 2008
Extempo Champion 'Lingo' (Joseph Vautor-La Placeliere)
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: January 31, 2008
Extempo champion 'Lingo' (Joseph Vautor-La Placeliere) successfully defended his Extempo title as the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO) held their annual Extempo and Calypso finals at the Queen's Park Savannah on Thursday 31st January, 2008. Alongside the Extempo competition, other contestants competed in four categories: Political Commentary, Humorous, Social Commentary and Soca Chutney as a decent size crowd enjoyed the night of entertainment. Also performing were guests artistes 'Trinidad Rio', 'Gypsy' and 'Funny' who was typically funny with his song about winning the Lotto.
Experienced competitors Llewellyn 'Short Pants' Mac Intosh with "Why Children Lack Discipline", Phillip 'Black Sage' Murray with "Lara is Back", Mark 'Contender' John with "What This Country Needs" and Leslie-Ann 'Lady Africa' Bristow with "Panday and Warner Went on a Joyride" along with Sheldon John with "Too Much Bikini in Mas", Wendell Etienne with "Too Much Songs Praising Rum" and Hezekiah Joseph with "Chinese Invasion of T&T" faced 'Lingo' with "T&T is Still a Paradise" in the first round in their bid to dethrone the champion.
From the eight competitors, four (Llewellyn 'Short Pants' Mac Intosh, 'Lingo', Sheldon John and Hezekiah Joseph) were chosen to enter the second round. 'Lingo' squared off against 'Short Pants' under the topic of "Personal Hygiene" while Sheldon John and Hezekiah Joseph battled each other under the topic "I Could Teach You Extempo". Picong passed back and forth among the two pairs of contenders, and when the smoke cleared, it was 'Lingo' and 'Short Pants' who were chosen for the Extempo Finale.
Given the topic "Tonight This Crown is Mine" the two bards faced off onstage, being allowed six verses each. 'Short Pants' tried hard to picong 'Lingo', but 'Lingo' was in fine form as his biting wit and smooth style brought cheers, laughter and screams of approval from the audience. When 'Short Pants' announced that he had dressed up for Lingo's funeral, 'Lingo' sharply replied that he looked like a long time TV, in reference to 'Short Pants' black and white attire, drawing loud laughter from the audience. When the six verses were up, it was clear that the visually-impaired 'Lingo' was the champion again as the audience began to shout his name. For his efforts, 'Lingo' walked away with the $100,000 first prize.
In the Social Commentary category, Dexter Parsons won first place with his song "Voices From the Van", a ditty that recounted some of the things prisoners say from the prison van while outside the courthouse. Dexter took the audience into the world of a prisoner as he told of requests for food, slippers and other items as well as messages of love, hope, revenge, anger and frustration. 'Chalkdust' (Hollis Liverpool) with "St. Joan of Arts", his stinging critique of cultural patronage was third while Brian London with "A Song For We" placed second.
In the Humorous Commentary category, the 'Wizard of Iz' (Cuthbert George) took first place with his song "2 at 25" which explored the advice given to him that he should forget any over 50 lady and have with two 25 year old ladies instead. Comically outlining this advice, he concluded the song by disagreeing with the advice explaining why he will stick with his over 50 lady. 'Brother Ebony' (Fitzroy Joseph) singing "Two Round Things" came second with his song about a painful fight with his wife who tightly squeezed "two round things". 'Spicey' (Tammico Moore) came third with her humorous song "Check the Signs" in which she cautioned that there are certain signs that females and males should look out for before getting into serious relationships.
In the Political Commentary category, youth won out against experience as young Karene Asche took first prize ahead of several seasoned veterans. Singing "The Recipe", she outlined the ingredients that were needed to make a politician in T&T. Among the ingredients she listed were fake modesty, arrogance, ignorance and hypocrisy as she went on to conclude that the country needed to purge itself from these politicians, to the approval of the audience. 'Sugar Aloes' (Michael Osouna) and his theatrical imitation of UNC leader Basdeo Panday in his song "Reflections" came second while 'Allrounder' (Anthony Hendrickson) with "What Trinbago Needs" came third.
In the Soca Chutney Category, veteran Chutney singer Heeralal Rampartap trounced the field with his song "Ayee Oh" as he took first prize with a total of 236 points. In second place was Derrick Seales with "Debe Experience" while promising teenage singer Shalleika Hazell came third with her song "Carnival Time is Chutney Time".
The full results of TUCO's Extempo/Calypso Categories Finals 2008 are as follows:
Extempo Results:
Extempo Champion 2008: Joseph 'Lingo' Vautor-La Placeliere
Runner-up: Llewellyn 'Short Pants' Mac Intosh
Social Commentary Category:
Placing / Sobriquet / Name / Song
1st / Stinger / Dexter Parsons / Voices From the Van
2nd / Brian London / A Song for We
3rd / Chalkdust/ Hollis Liverpool / St. Joan of Arts
4th / Kurt Allen / Last Bad John in Kaiso
5th / Singing Francine / Francine Edwards/ De Irony
Political Commentary Category:
1st / Karene Asche / The Recipe
2nd / Sugar Aloes / Michael Osouna / Reflections
3rd / All Rounder / Anthony Hendrickson / What Trinbago Needs
4th / De Fosto / Winston Scarborough / Write It Off
5th / Michelle Henry / Ken
Humorous Category:
1st / Wizard of ID / Cuthbert George / 2 at 25
2nd / Bro Ebony / Fitzroy Joseph / Two Round Things
3rd / Spicey / Tammico Moore / D' Signs
4th / Super Lou / Stephen Lewis / High Prices
5th / Mr. Mack / Victor Mc Donald / Me Too
Soca Chutney Category:
1st / Heeralal Rampartap / Ayee Oh
2nd / Derrick Seales / Debe Expereince
3rd / Shalleika Hazell / Carnival Time is Chutney Time
4th / Lady Gypsy / Lynette Steele / Patodiah
5th / Wendy Scantlebury / Lonely Wife
Extempo and Categories Finals 2008 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=91648
|
|
