By Wade Kojo Williams, Sr.
I listened to the ULP Women’s Show tonight (Thursday night) and had to sake my head hearing many callers setting up themselves for disappointment and to “cuss out” the judges after the results in the Calypso Finals are announced.
The callers are forgetting that, so far, most of us only heard ONE calypso from most of the Calypsonians. On Friday Night in the Semis, the competitors will each sing one calypso. But in the Finals they will each sing two calypsos.
Having only heard only one calypso from each of these bards, we should not be pronouncing who will win.
Based on the one calypso I have heard from most of them, I have Tajoe, Sunny Banks, FyaEmpress, Bro Ebony and Shanell/Ipa in the top five spots. Had Fyahman been selected for the Semis, based on the one calypso – “Ratatouille” — he would have been out there too.
I have about 20 of them recorded via RealPlayer and play them over and over. I have already memorised Tajoe, Bro Ebony, FyaEmpress’.
So why I do not have the people’s favourite (Bro Ebony) to be a clear winner based on the one song? Well for starters, Bro Ebony’s Calypso (lyrically) is a classic. The melody and rhythm are soft. He will have to do something to the melody before he goes to the Big Yard.
Tajoe’s calypso is very topical and current. It comes at a time when the nation is being called upon to do something about domestic violence against women. Tajoe’s is well written (soft in a few spots) but the melody and rhythm is far superior and sounds more like authentic calypso than does Bro Ebony’s.
Don’t count out Sunny Banks and FyaEmpress, their offerings are very good. Sunny Banks’ “Violence Against Men” may not go down with the large female crowd on Finals night. But remember the judges judge on Originality, Melody, Lyrics and Presentation. Not on crowd response.
So there you have it. And that is just one man’s opinion.
Aryo nah tell me stop inna Canada an keep mi mouth outa aryo business!! LOL
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