A pioneer in show promotions, Spektakula Promotions founder Claude Martineau, 68, died on Sunday at 2 pm, after ailing for some time. Martineau and his brother Frank were responsible for giving calypso a new face and prestige status back in the '80s, along with directors Bunny Cumberbatch and Earl Patterson. Subsequently Lennox Toussaint joined the team.
Claude's foray into the promotion of calypso music act actually dates back to the early 1970s, when he opened National Music Supply on Queen Street, Port-of-Spain, a one-stop music store, which, with the likes of Rhyner's on Prince Street, focussed on retailing calypso records. Assuming possession of the building which housed William Munro's Kingdom of the Wizards in the mid-'70s, Claude and his team established Calypso Spektakula, a venture which raised the bar as far as calypso tents were concerned, complete with state of the art backstage facilities, sound and lighting, a huge stage and an indoor facility with a capacity in excess of 2,400 seats.
From its Henry Street locale, the Forum served as the launching pad for the careers of several of this country's premier bards, including Chalkdust, Watchman, Drupatee Ramgoonai and Roy Cape All Stars, with top regional bards like Swallow, Arrow and Winston Soso, also making their name. Machel Montano also performed at this tent.
A visionary and astute businessman, Claude, with Spektakula Promotions, set the pace as an events producer from the late '70s.
Among some of the prominent artistes headlining Spektakula concerts were Roberta Flack, Shalamar, LTD featuring Jeffrey Osborne, KC & The Sunshine Band, Steel Pulse, Third World, Cheryl Lynn, Kool & The Gang, and, in February 1978, Michael Jackson and the Jacksons. The funeral service for Claude Martineau takes place tomorrow at 11 am, at St Finbar's RC Church, Four Roads, Diego Martin. There will be a private interment afterwards.
