In part two of Legends of Carnival, Nasser Khan takes a broad look at the steelpan and calypso art forms and some of their major pioneers and exponents. These art forms make up the triumvirate of the major components of T&T’s world-famous Carnival. The first part of this series last week featured the legends of mas, those who had captured the larger share of the Band of the Year titles from the 1950s-1980s and laid the foundations for those to follow.
Steelpan
The steelpan evolved from the rudimentary stages of skin drums from the 1830s to 1884 when a ban on all drum beating was imposed during the Carnival celebrations at the time. That ban led to the creativity of the Carnival celebrants looking to the bamboo with its hollow sounds as the alternative…dried bamboo of various thickness, when cut to different lengths and struck (beaten), produced different sounds.
Bands of players of the bamboo instrument that now produced the legal alternative to the skin drums were called Tamboo Bamboo bands. The first report of such a band taking part in Carnival was in 1891. Tamboo Bamboo bands became a part of the Carnival celebrations and flourished until the 1930s when a new instrument emerged on the scene, that of the steelpan, the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the 20th century.
The steelpan emerged in the 1930’s from the determination of the disenfranchised in communities such as Laventille, to continue their musical and traditional habits of expression through music. To that end discarded materials such as milk cans, paint cans, garbage can covers, car hub caps, pots, old brake drums, and biscuit tins were being used.
The biscuit tin is said to be the first true steelpan which was hung around the neck, upside down. It is believed in many quarters that Andrew Beddoe, an accomplished Orisha drummer and one of the best biscuit pan players in John John, Andrew "Pan" De La Bastide, Winston “Spree” Simon, Victor “Totie” Wilson and Emmanuel “Fish Eye” Ollivierrie, were among those who created the sparks that led to the transition from the tamboo bamboo to the “ping pong” and the steelpan. Recommended reading: http://www.pantrinbago.co.tt/;http://www.trinbagopan.com/steelpan/ and the free download of the book on our Heroes, Pioneers and Role Models (Culture and the Arts, pages 38 to 79) at http://www.safaripublications.com/firstcitizenstt/heroesprofilestt/
Of interest, the East Indians who had brought their own indigenous drumming traditions (the tassa as we know it today) to accompany their celebrations were restricted (to a lot lesser extent) in their drumming which created a cultural empathy between the Africans and Indians from which emerged a cross-cultural association.
Many have contributed to the development of and innovations related to the pan since the pioneering efforts of those like Beddoe, Simon, De La Bastide, Wilson and Ollivierrie. Their strides and decades of hard work and dedication to the artform paved the way for the later pan pioneers, arrangers and tuners to follow. Among the notable names, all of whom have contributed to no small way are, in no particular order: Hugh Borde, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Ranjit “Jit” Samaroo, Pat Bishop, Rudolph Charles, George “Sonny” Goddard, Neville Jules, Ellie Mannette, Bertram “Bertie” Marshall, Denzil “Dimes” Fernandez, Anthony “Tony” Williams, Oscar Pile…
Of course any feature on pioneering pan players must include similarly the steelbands, Alexander Ragtime Band, All Stars, Taspo, Invaders, Tokyo, North Stars, Desperadoes, Casablanca, Renegades, Silver Stars, Starlift, Tripoli, Dixieland, Cavaliers, Harmonites. CALYPSO
The roots of calypso come from the period of African slavery through the slaves, who, not being allowed to speak to each other for the most part, communicated through song. Errol Hill, Carnival historian, suggests that West African Tribal songs were the foundations which led to the calypso’s evolution while The Roaring Lion (Rafael De Leon) asserted in his book that calypso descended from the music of the medieval French troubadours. Hollis Liverpool states that calypso had its roots in the West African custom of griot court singing. The griots usually sang songs of praise and derision and were storytellers. It is believed that these songs were introduced during the period of French settlement.
Gros Jean, an African slave, is said to have been the first calypsonian, named “Mait Caiso” (Master of Caiso) by the Diego Martin estate owner Begorrat in the late 18th century. In the early days, the songs were sung in patois, in the extempo format and contained colourful and aggressive language as well as messages to the community.
The calypso art form has spawned sub genres such as soca, power soca, groovy soca, rapso, chutney soca and ragga soca.
The list of calypsonians who have left an indelible mark in this area of Carnival include Norman Le Blanc, Frederick “Houdini” Wilmoth, Raymond “Atilla the Hun” Quevedo, Walter Douglas, Ebbert “Lord Beginner” Moore, Phillip “Lord Executor” Garcia, Rupert “Lord Invader” Grant, Norman “King Radio” Span, Thelma Layne, Raphael “Roaring Lion” De Leon, Kade “Lord Bryner” Simon, Aldwyn “Lord Kitchener” Roberts, Slinger “Mighty Sparrow” Francisco, McCartha “Calypso Rose” Lewis, Garfield “Lord Shorty/Ras Shorty I” Blackman, Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung, Sundar Popo, Calton “Blakie” Joseph, Alric “Lord Pretender” Farrell, Andrew “Brother Superior” Marcano, Fitzroy “Lord Melody” Alexander, Lancelot Layne, Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool…
Lionel Belasco was one of the pioneers in the recording of T&T music while foreigners like The Andrew Sisters and Harry Belafonte helped to give the calypso art form international exposure.
Recommended reading include http://www.tucott.com/ and The Roots of Calypso, Volumes 1 & 2.
NOTE: My apologies for any errors or omissions.