By Raffique Shah March 09, 2019 Having written last week that I did not see the successors to Sparrow and other icons in the pantheon of great calypsonians of Trinidad and Tobago, hence of the world, I think I must be man enough to apologise to the London family, three of whom won the four … Continue reading Salute the London clan
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe March 06, 2017 Last Wednesday, Max Prime’s “We Jammin’ Still” was declared the Road March of the year. Over the two days of Carnival, it was played over 556 times as opposed Machel Montano’s “Your Time Now” that was played 77 times. On January 11, Joanne Briggs declared: “Ultimate Rejects” … Continue reading An Anarchist Anthem
By Raffique Shah February 24, 2017 I had planned to write on the resurgence of Calypso Rose since last year, when, having read about her successes in France, I decided to check YouTube to get proof of the pudding, in a manner of speaking. I have grown wary of boasts by many bards, more so … Continue reading Hail the Queen
Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe delivered this lecture on June 27, 2014 in New York for National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe June 28, 2014 When Brother Aggery Dechinea, associate director of grievances and legal services, asked me to address you on the impact of Caribbean Culture on North America, I really had … Continue reading The Impact of Caribbean Culture on North America
HORROR By Alexander Bruzual and Janelle De Souza February 25, 2013 – newsday.co.tt In one horrifying moment yesterday morning, the lives of a 28-year-old mother and her two young daughters were tragically ended when they were hit by a motor vehicle which was reportedly driven by a member of the TT Police Service (TTPS). At … Continue reading Horror in Sea Lots, Protests, Reporter Fired
By Raffique Shah February 25, 2012 ON Ash Wednesday, two articles in the Express perked me up. In the first, Planning and Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie, interviewed in the Grand Stand, told reporter Anna Ramdass that soca star Machel Montano “should be leading the charge in selling Trinidad and Tobago internationally”. Vowing to pursue … Continue reading Marketing our music
Best Ever Musicians, Calypsonians, Bandleaders, Entertainers, etc By Dr. Kwame Nantambu With assistance from Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool September 13, 2010 Updated: October 18, 2010 For the purpose of this treatise, calypso is defined as (1) “expression of thought, deed and/or musical melodies wherein the calypsonian depicts/analyzes the multi-faceted problems of society in poetic form” … Continue reading Nantambu’s “Old Time Days” List
By Raffique Shah November 15, 2009 Trinidad and Tobago News Blog www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog IT’S most columnists’ nightmare, having to return to a topic he or she will have dealt with recently. It gets worse when the target is a politician, matters not what side of the divide he or she is on. They never look into … Continue reading At that price we expect nothing but the best…
by Raffique Shah Sunday, February 3rd 2008 THE newly appointed Minister of Culture, Marlene McDonald, assured the nation last Thursday that “all systems are in place” for this year’s Carnival. Her optimism came amidst a cacophony of protests, some from calypsonians, others from the pan fraternity, over the standard of judging at various competitions. This … Continue reading Pan music as a tool in fighting crime
TriniSoca.com Reporters September 12, 2007 Creator of such Calypso gems as “Progress”, “In Time to Come”, “Somebody”, “Steelband Woman”, “Saltfish”, “This World Don’t Like Nothing Black”, “Phillip My Dear”, “Take Me Back Africa”, “Too Young to Soca” “In Time to Come”, “Save our Domestics”, Winsford ‘Joker’ Devine is undoubtedly one of the greatest songwriters of … Continue reading Winsford ‘Joker’ Devine Speaks