Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

In a time when audiences are becoming more discerning about what shows they go to and what they spend their money on, having sold-out shows is a major achievement. Calypsonian Krisson Joseph drew two sell-out crowds to his recent show, In Defense of Calypso V: Family Matters, at the Kaiso Blues Cafe.

The audience, mainly composed of middle-aged and older patrons, raised the roof singing along to vintage and modern kaisos, grouped together in themes. Joseph said one secret to his success is “lots of personal selling of tickets, rather than just posting on various media and hoping for the best. I think patrons appreciate the approach to calypso both with respect to organisation by themes and the style of performance.”

The over 45 calypsos which Joseph presented were grouped into themes surrounding the stages of family and married life in T&T, with Joseph engaging the audience with anecdotes and stories to keep the momentum flowing, though their attention faltered a bit around the three hour mark. Joseph was accompanied on stage by Theron Shaw on guitar, Anthony “Tony Paul” Woodroffe on flute and saxophone, Von Best on percussion and Russell Durity on bass, with vocalists Nickaela James, Mya Scott and Maya Guerra. 

The first section, The Ting Start, featured Kitchener’s My Brother, Your Sister, Bomber’s Joan and James, Heather McIntosh’s Doh Bring Them, and a Courtship Medley composed of Sparrow’s Mr. Benwood Dick, Mr. Walker, Grandpa’s Advice, and Melda, Nap Hepburn’s Marriage Recipe, Brigo’s Voodoo Man, Composer’s Leave Mih Man Alone, King Fighter’s Sookie, and The Mighty Duke’s One Foot Visina. James’ solo on McIntosh’s song was powerful and had the audience roaring with approval.

Married Life was the logical progression to the courting phase, according to Joseph. This section included Sparrow’s Elain and Harry, Ebony’s My Wife, a medley of Penguin’s Sorf Man and Deputy, Black Stalin’s No Woman No, Farmer Nappy’s Hooking Meh, Stalin and Ella Andall’s Stay Giving Praises, with a heartstoppingly powerful performance by Guerra, and Go Nah Red Gyal, a Chutney Swing Mash Up by Rajin Dhanraj and Christo.

The next phase in relationships, if you’re unlucky, Joseph said, was Shame and Scandal. This was exemplified in songs like Lord Cristo’s Dumb Boy and the Parrot, Penguin’s Slipper, Zandolee’s Too Much Man Family, King Solomon’s Santa, Organiser’s Don’t Tell Ah Soul and Brigo’s Do So Ent Like So. Joseph did a good job in conveying the risqueness of the songs.

Child Rearing, another phase in marriage, was the subject of the next section of performances. Composer’s Child Training, All Rounder’s Talking Baby, Brigo’s Mama Popo, Melody’s Jonah and The Bake, Merchant’s Think About the Children, Bunji Garlin’s Raise Them, Lord Creator’s Remember and Short Pants’ Ah Pushing. 

Joseph ended the show with a segment which asked, Who is Your Family?, for people who may not get married but make a family of their own, whether of blood relatives or friends. He chose songs such as Brother Valentino’s Every Brother Is Not a Brother, a medley composed of King Swallow’s Man to Man, Lion’s Love Thy Neighbour, Almanac’s Build a Better World, and Baron’s Better World. The final few songs, which had patrons dancing out of the venue, were a slowed-down version of Famalay by Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin, Kes’ People and Nelson’s One Family. In Defense of Calypso V was a masterclass for those interested in calypso and learning about what has been produced in T&T’s musical past. Joseph’s performance also showed how calypso could be presented in a way that is fun and entertaining for all adults.