Entertainment Guyana
-youth Un-refined, even gross
“Entertainment Guyana” is the title of the series I did for this newspaper during the early nineties.
I attempted to explore the more popular aspects of the entertainment scene in Guyana when I did profiles of Al Seales, Mighty Canary, Calvin Whyte, the Yoruba Singers, Delma Lynch, and Queen Yasmin, among other old or current entertainments.
I had also essayed to delve into such issues as recording studios, copyright, Hector Stoute’s talent shows on radio, even the then burgeoning phenomenon of Karoke singing. But even then, some fifteen years ago, I was lamenting the low and limited scope and quality of what passed for entertainment. Mind you, the folks I featured, like Billy Wade et al, were real good singers! Alas! Today I have to repeat my concerns, my disappointments. Even though, like Ian Mc Donald, I’ll risk the ire of the young, the limited, the gross, let me reflect, then share with you today’s realities.
The Guyanese Past…
My own Guyanese past with respect to public entertainment goes back more then six decades, but I can dwell on the period, say, from 1955 to, say 1975, a neat twenty years. My Roman Catholic school had, at one time, a Piano and a great Music Teacher (Ms Farnel/Daniels). It certainly had something called “Singing” (if not “Music Education”) on its curriculum. Though we boys rued the period, singing taught us a variety of songs – and music (appreciation). From national patriotic songs to folk songs, to R.C. hymns, to the “Row-row-your boat” rounds, to Christmas carols and even some popular airs, my generation was exposed to variety! We could never be as one-dimensional as today’s hapless, unfortunate youths are.
And around the capital and in many villages you had the famous music teachers. Young people learned to play piano, violin, clarinet and to read music! Dance-bands were superb as exponents played brass and read music! The terpsichorean art was mastered by rich and poor. Classical music and operatic concerts and ballet were appreciated. I hate to put it like this, but even the needy, frankly speaking, were more “cultured”, in those days.
Yes there were the Vaudeville shows, open air LCP/Bill Rogers concert-fairs, square dance and maypole events and the visits from the best of the region’s and world’s entertainers, like the platters, Johnny Nash, Ben E. King, the Drifters,, Mahalia Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Dakota Staton, Brook Benton, Sparrow, Byron Lee etc, etc, etc but we Guyanese then – way past fifty now – were personally reasonably-developed in terms of music, singing, dance, drama (the old Guild and Drama (clubs!) and equipped to appreciate good all round (popular) entertainment. School, church and yes, home, no matter how humble, saw to that. The situation today?
So unfortunately limited…
I like my witty, double-entendre, even risqué calypso. But it must be good, well-structured, genuine, entertaining calypso. Even that art-form, like good steel-band music, is immensely challenged these days. Few bandsmen read music or scores and instruments are not easy to come by. The one man-Keyboard-synthesizer-band has replaced big bands and accomplished musicians. Music teachers are an endangered species. The result?
Well despite a few modern dance schools, a struggling National School of Dance, a few – relatively few – schools with Choirs, Pianos or steel-bands, the National Cultural Centre and New Theatre Guild venues, the performing arts and popular public entertainment are woefully limited and one-dimensional in scope and quality. The result?
Alas, today’s young know and sound only like American Hip-Hop/Jamaican dance-hall music and artistes! Especially the latter! It seems most likely that I’m heading to my grave hearing one type of Jamaican music dominating local parties and public concerts. I don’t care how universal reggae has become, you’ll not hear a pre-dominance of Guyanese music in any Jamaican fete! (Hooray for Indo-Guyanese concerts.)
Our youngsters are now bereft of the ability to appreciate light – classical music, good jazz, authentic calypso or real folk songs. Certain lyrics assault the senses, rapes the mind. Gross personalities are reduced to doing mindless gross things!
I know the reasons for this state of affairs. I know well, the causes of deterioration, the bases of social decline, but you friends, are invited to respond. Consider these issues when you do: Lazy copycat artistes, no Dinner theatres, one type of Jamaican artistes coming here, Guyanese-American-Jamaican Dee-jays, “oldies” only – and crooked limited promoters satisfying one type of “limited” audiences. Now discuss….
Until…
1 ● I agree, we must not allow the Suriname unjustified aggression to go meekly unanswered.
2 ● What? The no-noise-in –minibuses and the communication intercept laws will be toothless?
3 ● One Barbados newspaper is gloating over the Carifesta Ten non-payment scandal
4 ● I trust that there are no long-term implications and effects of the Carifesta non-payments. The same artistes, contractors, facilitators, “Regions” are to be invited to support Mashramani 2009. They should not be de-motivated.
‘Til next week!
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