Carnival Trinidad Style

Carnival Dancer

             Description: In this article the author describes a magnificent event called "carnival", where many people come together and enjoy Trinidadian music and culture for a whole week. Its known to be quite extravagant and colorful. From people covered in leaves to children playing steel drums. Everywhere you turn is another door to amazement.

Carnival Devil

Evaluation:  Unfortunately the author of the article was not listed but the piece tells the first hand experience from Debbie Ward. They're people dressed as blue devils and performing rain dance all around the area. Aside from that wine merchants begin to sell goods to all the visitors. According to Debbie it was a very wild event. Carnival is a reoccurring event and grows to something else entirely every year.
MLA: "CARIBBEAN: Dirty dancing Trinidad style." Travel Trade Gazette UK & Ireland (Apr. 2011): 49. Print. 
APA: CARIBBEAN: Dirty dancing Trinidad style. (2011, April 15). Travel Trade Gazette U  K & Ireland, 49.

David Rudder

David Rudder

Description: The following video features an entire Calypso orchestra playing music by David Rudder. Rudder is known as quite renown in calypso music. This shows the instruments behind this unique music. You see adults, teens, and children playing their heart out to the crowd. They're not only performing but they're also enjoying their own tunes. It seems as though their music is a calling of universal jubilation.

         Evaluation: Instead of just hearing the music, one is able to see the music being made in this video. The facial and body expressions of the musicians give great energy to the piece. One does not only hear the music, they feel as though they are there. The atmosphere of the event also shows a great gathering of people across a certain region. 

Citation: David Rudder Calypso Music - Sonata Steel Orchestra

by WST

Kenny Cooper - The Mighty Bomber A Musical Career in Trinidad (West Indies)

Kenny Cooper alongside his wife Cynthia

Description: The following article tells of how the author had met Kenny Cooper (The Mighty Bomber) a musical genius of Calypso music. He started creating music at a very young age in Trinidad. One of his earliest songs was about his neighbor who used to cook. “Cheadow” became the hit of the town. Afterwards Cooper began to cook too and stopped studying calypso for a while. Sooner or later he began making songs around his home. He had changed his name from “defender” to “bomber”, and the rest was history. The Bomber was one of the greatest performers in calypso.

Evaluation: The story of Kenny Cooper is one to be told for ages. It is filled with childhood laughter and a long struggle. From cooking to singing, Cooper had made great strides to reach fame even if he didn’t ask for it. His persistence of singing had led to catchy tunes to an abundance of listeners. His songs related to everyone from his days for he wrote about personal experiences. Cooper was truly a “The Bomber” for his music hit with a force.

APA: Meyer, Andreas. "Kenny Cooper - The Mighty Bomber A Musical Career in Trinidad (West Indies)." Popular Music  18.2: 277-290. Web.

MLA: Meyer, Andreas. "Kenny Cooper - The Mighty Bomber A Musical Career in Trinidad

     (West Indies)." Popular Music 18.2 (1999): 277-290. JSTOR. Web. 8 Dec.

     2011. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/853606>.

     

Peter Ram - Woman By My Side

Description: The video to the right features music by Peter Ram who truly captures the feeling of Soca a form of Trinidadian music. His song creates the over all feeling of love which is connected to all for its universal. The video also shows the beauty of his native island. Peter also takes a chance to talk about different events such as festival time. 

Evaluation: After watching the following video the artist Peter Ram makes many points clear. He is a man who has strong pride for his home land. Throughout the video the scenes of his island show that hes intrigued by the beauty of its nature. Speaking of beauty, Ram also describes his love of the island woman. Hence, Woman By My Side.

Citation: "Woman By My Side", Peter Ram

Home Made Calypso

Description: Within this video, two minstrels play calypso music in a easy to follow manner. They take the basics of the sub-division of reggae and break it simplistically. By playing along the beach they truly capture the atmosphere of the music. The description of the island makes it seem as though its a utopia. in other words, the music is very soothing to the soul. The calmness of the their strumming also shows they have skill in their craft.

Evaluation: By watching this video it gives one the chance to step aside from mainstream calypso artists. It gives insight to viewer on the number of musicians in Trinidad. There could be a minstrel strumming away to their own rhythm on every corner.


Citation: Calypso Song, philywilyuk 

King Of Calypso

Description: The following interview focuses on the King of Calypso, Mighty Sparrow. He had grown from the bottom of the crop and became the cream over time. His interview mainly focuses on what inspired his music and his take on calypso. African-ism had strongly influenced his songs. He was also on the European charts for twenty seven weeks. Sparrow believes true music comes from the real essence of the song, as he says "portraying the character". His negative views towards tyrants had helped him write one of his best songs "Wanted Dead or Alive". Part one of this interview ends on his opinions to his song. Feel free to watch more parts from grjoseph .

Evaultion: After watching the interview I can say that Mighty Sparrow is quite an interesting musician. He has strong views and a relentless attitude. His music is followed by long term success and as of today he is still renown as the King of Calypso. As for the name Mighty Sparrow though not mentioned in his interview, was given by his peers. They always questioned why he would move like a sparrow on stage. Then his name stuck.


Citation: Interview with Mighty Sparrow. Pt 1, grjoseph .

Beetlejuice - "Jump In The Line"; Calypso In Movies

Description: The video shown below  is from the classic film, Beetlejuice. It features Harry Belafonte's hit "Jump In The Line". At the time the song was becoming quite catchy in the states. As shown in the video there is also a witch doctor which is strongly influenced in calypso music. As for the artist Belafonte, he made huge success with his album calypso, note he had sold over one million copies.


Evaluation: In the end this video makes one realize how calypso had become mainstream at the time of the movie. Any one who likes humor and catchy rhythms would really enjoy the video. Not only does it entertain it allows one to capture the freedom within calypso. The song itself makes one want to literally "Jump In The Line" as its written. It expresses the overall feeling of mass jubilation, no wonder it became a hit. 


Citation: "Beetlejuice" by Tim Burton, "Jump In The Line" by Harry Belafonte