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Calypso Fiesta 2009
Guest performances by Michael 'Sugar Aloes' Osouna, Marilyn Williams and
Timothy 'Baron' Watkins Jr.
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: February 14, 2009
Posted: February 21, 2009
The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) held their National Monarch semi finals at Skinner Park, San Fernando on Saturday 14th February, 2009. Thousands of Calypso enthusiasts turned up for this event, popularly known as Calypso Fiesta, to witness 38 Calypso bards vie for the 12 spots on Dimanche Gras night. With the contestants backed by the excellent Kelly Green and Harmony Band, patrons were also treated to several guests performances. Guest performers Sugar Aloes, Baron and honey voiced Marilyn Williams blended their voices to wow the Skinner Park audience with a soulful number. Other guest performers included Roy Cape All Stars, Black Stalin and Lord Nelson.
Winston 'Gypsy' Peters sings "Supply and Demand"
Gypsy got a warm welcome at Skinner Park as he delivered his song "Supply and Demand" that looked at the public's complicity in rising food prices. Gypsy sang "the more we cry, the more prices rise, and the more the rise, the more we buy" as he concluded that people create their own hardships.
Wendell Etienne sings "In The Name of True Calypso"
Much to the delight of the audience, Wendell Etienne had a stern reprimand for Cro Cro and Sugar Aloes, telling them that their conduct is not in the interest of the Kaiso art form and warning them to stop in the name of true Calypso. Kizzie Ruiz had one of the better songs of the semi finals with "Class Language" where she voiced the use of different language for the rich and for the poor in describing the same behaviors. Also getting a big reponse from the Skinner Park crowd was Joanne 'Tigress' Rowley with her song "Yuh Ent See Wajang Yet" which criticized Manning for his role in the Keith Rowley affair.
Nicole Thomas sings "Embrace Yuh Role"
Also giving a credible performance was young Nicole Thomas, hailing from Tobago, who showed that Calypso is in good hands with a powerful rendition of her song "Embrace Yuh Role". Another Tobagonian, Leslie Ann Ellis, with her song "De New Yard" took the audience on a journey back to the days of old as she looked at the transition from that period to now.
Brian London sings "A Nation's Song"
It was reigning South Monarch Brian London who seemed to get one of the biggest responses from the Fiesta crowd with his dynamic performance of "A Nation's Song" which spoke of his experiences singing Calypso for the people. In song, he conveyed to the appreciative crowd that he is going to focus on the people and deal with issues such as race, crime, hate, political divisions and the gap between rich and poor.
Errol 'Bally' Ballantyne sings "Amigo"
Another strong contender for the Dimanche Gras Show is Errol 'Bally' Ballantyne who performed his stinging political commentary in which he directed focus to Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Calder Hart:
"The Central Bank they warn you recession at the door
But no, you wouldn't lissen, you kept spending more
No no amigo no no amigo not so
If we didn't complain if we didn't fret
All now so you blinging in your brand new jet
No no amigo no no amigo not so
And I can't understand how your belt tighter than we
We does ha' to buy, you does get everything free
No no amigo no no amigo not so"
Singing Sandra sings "Ghetto of the Mind"
Ten years after she delivered the classic "Voices from the Ghetto", Singing Sandra came to the stage to deliver "Ghetto of the Mind" where she sung that despite the harsh realities and people using the ghetto as an excuse, she expressed that some people were trapped in the ghetto of the mind. Seven time Calypso Monach Hollis 'Chalkdust' Liverpool was the last performer and he was in his usual hard hitting mode as he spoke of requests from the public to sing a song about Manning and Rowley but he not in that because of the government's disregard for Calypso. Saying he not singing any song for any aristocrat, Chalkdust rhetorically asked the audience that since "Rowley and dem have they bankbook secure," why the hell he singing about them for?
Joanne 'Tigress' Rowley sings "Yuh Ent See Wajang Yet"
Out of these 38 Calypso bards the following were chosen for the finals on Dimanche Gras night: Winston 'Gypsy' Peters, Hollis 'Chalkdust' Liverpool, Carlos 'Skatie' James, Singing Sandra, Joanne 'Tigress' Rowley, Kizzie Ruiz, Brian London, Errol Ballantyne, Karene Asche, Mark 'Contender' John, Anthony 'Allrounder' Hendrickson, Weston 'Cro Cro' Rawlins, Winston 'De Fosto' Scarborough and Dexter 'Stinger' Parsons. The two reserves are Kurt Allen and Candice Robinson. The finalists will face the reigning Calypso Monarch Sugar Aloes. This year's Dimanche Gras show is dedicated in memory of the late Calypsonian Mighty Duke (Kelvin Pope).
Guest artiste Robert 'Lord Nelson' Nelson
Calypsonian in order of appearance:
Calypsonian / Sobriquet / Song
1. Sheldon Bullen / Nugget / Things We Must Raise
2. Leslie Ann Ellis / De New Yard
3. Eunice Peters / Why Lord
4. Winston Peters / Gypsy / Supply and Demand
5. Weston Rawlins / Cro Cro / Ah Feeling Shame
6. Karene Asche / Babylon
7. Devon Seale / Spirit of Calypso
8. Arnold Jordan / My Delinquent Son
9. Mark John / Contender / Yuh Cyar Buy One
10. Carlos James / Skatie / On Solid Ground
11. Vivian Lockhart / Young Poser / They Not Coming Back
12. Edwin Ayoung / Cracy / Ahead of Time
13. Roderick Gordon / Chuckie / Mud Glorious Mud
14. Winston Scarbourough / De Original De fosto / Could We Rise Again
15. Ann Marie Parks-Kojo / Twiggy / One for Obama
16. Anthony Hendrickson / Allrounder / Help Yuh Children First
17. Diane Hendrickson / Lady Wonder / Ah Love It Bad
18. Irwin Reyes Johnson / Scrunter / Change Yuh Life
19. Sean Daniel / Think Again
20. Sandra Des-Vignes Millington / Singing Sandra / Ghetto of the Mind
21. Candice Robinson / In Spite Of
22. Joanne Rowley / Tigress / Yuh Ent See Wajang Yet
23. Walter Taylor / Ordinary Fella
24. Errol Ballantyne / Bally / Amigo
25. Kurt Allen / Cutting Back
26. Kizzie Ruiz / Class Language
27. Nicole Thomas / Embrace Your Role
28. Wendell Etienne / In The Name of True Calypso
29. Dexter Parsons / The Stinger / Our Environmental Engineers
30. Francine Edwards / Singing Francine / Turn Things Around
31. Jervae Caesar / Buy Local
32. Brian London / A Nation's Song
33. Karen Eccles / Pull Them Square
34. Victor Mc Donald / Mr. Mac / Cry Babies
35. Cuthbert George / Wizard of Id / The Singing Madman
36. Francis Jackman / Flashy Dan / Clean Up Paradise
37. Shamika Denoon / Are These My Shoes
38. Dr Hollis Liverpool / Chalkdust / Ah Not In Dat
Calypso Fiesta 2009 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=138689
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