I expect this week's article to create some controversy and debate, especially among calypso lovers. For some time I've had a list of the Best (and Worst) Ever Musicians, Calypsonians, Bandleaders, Entertainers, etc, compiled by cultural researcher Dr Kwame Nantambu, with assistance from Dr Hollis Liverpool (Chalkdust).
It would be instructive to note that in 1952, the Carnival Development Committee (CDC) instituted the Road March competition. In 1953, the CDC instituted the Calypso King competition whereby contestants sang only one calypso; however, from 1958, they had to sing two calypsoes. From 2003, the National Carnival Commission (NCC) reverted to contestants singing one calypso.
Dr Kwame Nantambu's list:
Best ever calypso arranger: Bertram Inniss.
Coming off the bench: Frankie Francis, Art De Coteau, Pelham Goddard.
Best ever calypso producers: Leston Paul, Rawlston Charles, Straker Granville.
Best ever robbed Dimanche Gras calypso finalist: Lord Baker (1967).
Best ever unworthy calypso monarch: Cypher (1967).
Best ever dejected calypsonian rejudging at Dimanche Gras final: Nap Hepburn.
Worst ever performances at a Dimanche Gras final: Bally's Amigo and All Rounder's Dive in 2010.
Best ever ethnically-mixed calypso monarch of all time: Dougla.
Best ever calypso at a Dimanche Gras final of all time: Federation by Sparrow.
Best ever and longest skit at a Dimanche Gras final: Denyse Plummer's Nah leaving.
Best ever tie at a Dimanche Gras final: Luta and De Lamo (1990).
Most times a semi-finalist but never a finalist at Dimanche Gras: Axeback.
Most ever Dimanche Gras finalist of all time: Chalkdust.
Most ever recipient of calypso monarch title of all time: Sparrow.
Best ever longest (unbroken) reign as calypso monarch: Duke (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971).
Best ever Dimanche Gras MCs: Mervyn Telfer, Allison Hennessey, Tommy Joseph, Phil Simmons, Dave Elcock, Wendell Constantine, Sprangalang, Sharon Pitt.
Best ever Dimanche Gras/steel band announcers: Allison Hennessey, Josanne Leonard, Alvin Daniel, Dalton Narine.
Best ever calypso MCs: Bob Gittens, Sam Ghany, Cristo, Holly Betaudier.
Best radio/television personalities: Don Proudfoot, Bob Gittens, June Gonzales, Frank Prado, Bobby Thomas, Ken Gordon, Russell Winston, Ed Fung, Trevor Mc Donald, Peter Minshall, Hazel Ward.
Best ever female radio MC of all time: Auntie Kay.
Best ever popular calypso of all time: Education by Sparrow.
Coming off the bench:?Black man feeling to party by Black Stalin; Bassman by Shadow; Hot, hot, hot, by Arrow.
Best ever Road March of all time: Jean and Dinah by Sparrow.
Best smut calypso of all time: Bang, Bang Lu Lu by Sparrow.
Best ever love calypso of all time: Rose by Sparrow.
Coming off the bench:?Theresa, Maria, Monica Doo Doo by Sparrow; and, Maria by Blakie.
Best ever calypso to dance to of all time: Only A Fool by Sparrow.
Best ever drunken calypsonians: Jaguar, Spoiler, Cristo, Dougla.
Best ever humorous calypsonians of all time: Spoiler, Funny.
Best ever humorist calypsoes of all time: Magistrate Try Himself by Spoiler; and, Farmer Brown by Funny.
Best ever wanna-be calypsonian of all time: Gillian Lucky.
Best ever political calypsoes of all time: PAYE, Leave meh damn doctor, Federation by Sparrow; Sinking Ship by Gypsy; Eric Williams Dead and De Driver Cannot Drive by Chalkdust.
Best philosophical calypsoes of all time: Who Will Guard De Guards and Progress by King Austin; Dan Is De Man In De Van, Old Man And De Donkey, Survival by Sparrow; Life Is A Stage by Bro Valentino; Never Ever Worry by Pretender; Nature's Plan Johnny King; and, Black Is Beautiful by Duke.
Best ever horn calypso of all time: Yuh Looking For Horn by Shadow.
Best ex tempo calypsonians of all time: Unknown, Pretender, Executor, Relator, Gypsy.
Coming off the bench:?Lingo, Lady Africa, Black Sage.
Best ever female name in calypso of all time: Maria.
Coming off the bench:?Rose, Audrey, Melda, Monica, Lorraine, Margie.
Best ever female calypsonian of all time: Rose.
Coming off the bench: Lady Trinidad, Singing Sandra, Denyse Plummer, Singing Francine.
Best ever matured entertainer: Machel Montano.
Best ever improved calypsonian of all time: Karene Asche.
Best ever Africa conscious calypsonian of all time: Ella Andall.
Best ever insult at a Calypso Fiesta show: Denyse Plummer–nuff said.
Best ever dressed calypsonians of all time: Spitfire, Terror, Duke.
Best ever dance/theatre personality of all time: Beryl Mc Burnie.
Best ever choreographer of all time: Aubrey Adams.
Best ever calypsoes re-criminals of all time: Hang Man's Cemetery, Gunslingers, Royal Jail by Sparrow; and, Run De Gunslingers by Caruso.
Best ever calypsonian/R&B singer: Sparrow.
Best ever calypsonian to sing in a foreign language: Sparrow.
Best ever calypsoes re: New York: Sparrow Come Back Home, Wabeen & Grogg and Labour Day In Brooklyn by Sparrow; Mas in Madison Square Garden by Kitchener; and, Lorraine by Explainer.
Best ever internationally- known calypsoes of all time: Rum And Coca Cola by Andrew Sisters (1944); and, Hot, hot, hot by Arrow.
Best ever teacher calypsonians of all time: Chalkdust and Luta.
Coming off the bench: Shortpants and Penguin.
Best ever Christmas calypso of all time: Tell Santa Claus by Nap Hepburn.
Best ever poem/calypso of all time: Ten To One Is Murder by Sparrow.
Best ever calypso composer/writer of all time: Reginald Joseph (Piggy).
Coming off the bench:?Winston Devines (Joker), Christophe Grant, Pat Castagne, Alvin Daniel, Rocky Mc Collin.
Best ever calypso re: daily life in T&T of all time: Old Lady Walk Ah Mile And Ah Half And She Tay-Lay-Lay by Kitchener.
Best ever calypso against Euro-colonialism of all time: London Bridge by Sparrow.
Best ever calypsoes on cricket: Victory Test Match by Beginner; and, Cricket Champions by Kitchener.
Best calypso on race relations: If you're not Black, White by Kitchener.
Best ever patriotic calypsoes of all time: Portrait of Trinidad by Sniper; Model Nation by Sparrow; and, Trini to de bone by David Rudder.
Best ever family calypso of all time: Boo Boo Man by Melody.
Best ever uplifting-conscious calypsoes of all time: High Mas by David Rudder; and, Missing Generation by Ella Andall.
Best ever picong calypsoes re: female (wife) of all time: Madam Dracula by Sparrow versus Belmont Jackass by Melody.
Best ever calypsoes re: visitors to T&T of all time: Ms Tourist by Kitchener; and Stranger by Shadow.
Best ever calypsoes re: Africa of all time: Dey Ent See Africa Yet by Chalkdust; How many more must die by Duke; Shaka, Shaka by Bally; Ganges & The Nile by David Rudder;
Birth Of Ghana by Kitchener; and Stay Up Zimbabwe by Bro Valentino.
Best ever Shango calypso: Bongo Man by Wrangler.
Best ever Orisha/African conscious songs of all time: Sango, Bring Down The Power, Song For The People, Rhythm of the people and Alado ye by Ella Andall.
Best ever innovative calypsonian of all time: Lord Shorty's Endless Vibrations (1971 LP that invented soca music).
Best ever trend-setting calypsonian of all time: Super Blue's Get Something And Wave.
Best ever places for Carnival fetes of all time: SWWTU, Guardian Sports Club, Paragon Club, Naparima Bowl, Civil Service Association (CSA) Hall.
Best ever price for a Carnival fete of all time: TT$1.50 to dance to Pal Joey Lewis.
Best ever ballroom dance band of all time: Ray Sylvester.
Best ever reggae calypsoes: Ras Mas and Rasta Chick by Explainer.