Calypso Awakening from the Emory Cook Collection

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EDITOR'S PICK

Total Tracks: 21   Total Length: 67:23

eMusic Review 0

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Chris Nickson

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
Trinidad Carnival in all its glory.
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

Calypso was the sound of Carnival and Trinidad, and this glorious live recording by Emory Cook captures a Calypso tent in full swing; you feel you're part of the audience, laughing, sweating, and enjoying the elaborate wordplay of the songs. And there's some rare talent on display, with people like Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow, two of the genre's towering figures. It becomes especially interesting when they indulge in a picong, or contest, extemporizing calypsos to score off each other. It's glorious stuff, with its roots in West Africa. But that's not all. There's also some wonderful steel band playing (the other hallmark of Trinidad's Carnival), yet there's no doubt that it's the singing that's the centerpiece here. There's topical material ("Federation"), wicked humor ("Booboo Man") and more sophistication in the arrangements than you might expect, with a full band often chiming in. This is Trinidad Carnival in all its glory.

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Love it!

TerrapinFlyer

(But use 5 ratings sparingly). This is a 4.5! Very, very enjoyable. As good a calypso collection as I've ever heard. I'm no expert on calypso but to me this is as good as it gets. Sooo much good Smithsonian stuff on EMusic. Happy hunting!

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A Wonderful Collection of Early Calyspo

Antagonist

I discovered this album when I was working at a college radio station and I've loved it since. The artists on the album are among calypso's most famous. I've discerned that Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow set the scene for the Calypsonians we would have heard of (e.g. Harry Belafonte). These songs were recorded at a party of some sort under what appears to be less than ideal conditions. Thus, sound quality occasionally suffers, and crowd noise often obscures some lyrics. While the tuning of a picong seems an unnecessary addition, the picong duel -- an early back and forth, on- the-fly insult contest that reminds us of an 8 milesque rap battle of today -- is fun to hear. Also of note are songs like Boo Boo Man (made famous by Belafonte), and my all time favorite calypso Taxi Driver. This is a truly unique album which has captured an event I'd have relished seeing. This is definitely the next best thing.

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They Say All Music Guide

These 21 live and studio tracks were recorded in Trinidad and released on Emory Cook’s Cook label between 1956 and 1962. In comparison with some other calypso recordings from the mid-20th century (including a few on Smithsonian Folkways, which issued this collection), this has an advantage in that it’s a compilation, not a single-artist anthology, guaranteeing some diversity, particularly in the arrangements. As it happens, calypso notables Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow are responsible for about half the selections, even singing together on “Picong Duel.” However, you also get sides by Wrangler, King Fighter, Commander, Small Island Pride, the John Buddy Williams Band, and an unidentified steel band. The backing is occasionally minimal — just an acoustic guitar, bass, and maracas for Small Island Pride’s “Taxi Driver,” for instance, and an audio verite recording of a pan being tuned. It’s the small band sides by the likes of Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow, though, that have the most danceable charm, with their light jazz overlays. Lord Melody’s “Turn Back, Melody” even bears a distant relation to early ska music, with its rudimentary electric guitar, honking sax, and insistent beat, while the sparring between him and Mighty Sparrow on their duet of course is in the verbal tradition that has led to rap music. All told, this disc could still use some more variety, but it’s unceasingly playful, good-natured stuff, sometimes cloaking some critical lyrics about crime, income tax, colonialism, and inflation. – Richie Unterberger

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