In his quest to rebrand calypso tents, hotelier Fred Chin Lee hosted three calypso tents at his Normandie Hotel in St Ann's. Kaiso House started the series on February 17, followed by Klassic Ruso and Kaiso Karavan.Last Wednesday night, the audience was small but calypso was large when Kaiso Karavan staged its show at Under the Trees, the open-air show venue of The Normandie.The show, emceed by Godfrey Pierre, began promptly at 8.30 pm with Jah Burke singing Calypso Can't Die.He was followed by Sheldon Nugget singing The Effect of Lies. Next up was the venerable Kid Callaloo with A Change of Address, encored for a very humorous song.
Dirty Curty, singing provocative political commentary The House that Jack Built and visually-impaired Asha Kamachee singing the speedy Donkey were next, followed by former national calypso monarch Kurt Allen rendering Sweet Sizzling Summer. Despite sustained applause at the end of the song, Allen was denied an encore, no doubt in an attempt to keep the show flowing.
Bro Alpha sang the cleverly written Ah Chat with Sat, preceding Eunice Peters singing Queen of the Pack.
Described as "the sexiest calypsonian in the tent," Cardinal sang a ditty titled The Issues and he was encored.As a teaser for the tent's Vintage Kaiso Night, scheduled for the following Friday, veteran bard Young Creole, bare-chested, a crocus bag wrapped around him and laden with iron shackles, did an impressive interpretation of Sparrow's Slave. He was followed by Tuco public relations officer Karega Mandela performing the rapso ditty Hold On.
De Original De Fosto Himself, opting to sing the infectious Nelson Mandela, signalled a ten-minute intermission at 10.15 pm.The programme resumed with Anthony Johnson singing Uniform, followed by Stinger (Cries of the Abused); Skhi (Bring it back); and, The Incredible Myron B doing a theatrical performance of One More Sip. Perhaps the night's most hilarious song, on the dangers of alcohol, the ditty was rewarded with a well-deserved encore.Kaiso Karavan has a very diverse cast and this was most evident when David Thompson, a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, performed Love Somebody, a Road March-type calypso.Closing off Wednesday night's programme just after 11 pm were Kenny J and Johnny King.
