Sweet songs, sour calypso (?)
Frankly Speaking
Yes, I’m taking one of those necessary days off from consideration of our four major, national front-page miseries – murders, narcotics-crimes, traffic accidents and fires.
On this therapeutic day off, let’s consider the musical phenomenon we describe as oldies.
Since I was being trained as a teacher in the mid-sixties, I was intrigued by some people’s love for “oldies” – and what the oldies do. But today’s piece was inspired by Hector Stoute’s revival of his oldies production last Sunday night at the National Cultural Centre.
“Oldies” of course, are those songs, especially love songs, ballads, popular hits of the generation or two that went before any current one. This period’s oldies would therefore be the tunes of the sixties, seventies and eighties. Two points to be noted is that (one), music from the 30s, 40s and 50s might not be oldies to today’s generation as they did not sing along or dance to them. They just were not around to appreciate the lustre and beauty of that era’s music. Secondly, there can be a fine distinction between oldies and just “Yester-pops”-in the Guyanese context, specifically. But I’ll leave that discussion for another time.
Our Oldies, Their Oldies
Since my 1960’s in Teachers College I was intrigued at the craze my dancing/sporting peers developed for oldies of the late 50s, early sixties. They sang and danced to the early Ska and new Reggae and, lovingly, our own early Guyanese hits.
A decade or so later, as younger folks enjoyed the latest popular tunes; they too harked back to the earlier dance tunes of ten, twenty years past. And I always would reflect, as I do still, that the memories of events, places, relationships, circumstances, evoked by those same oldies, would be different for me at 45, to the recent reminiscences of the younger fans at 25. Our generations’ experiences (of time and place) would be and were so different. Yet both groups loved the music and moods, the lyrics and messages of the same “old songs”. Why? Because basic emotions, expectations, conflicts, disappointments and joy really never change! And even if many of those tunes were upbeat Caribbean rhythms, they were all “sweet songs”.
Hector’s Sunday night show
Which brings me to this Sunday evening’s Oldies are Goldies presentation, revived after an eight-year break.
There were very, very much for us Oldies fans to savour and enjoy. Levity and outright humour were in good supply, especially where I decided to sit. (I’ll return to those ladies below.)
Promoter Producer, Presenter Stoute assembled an accomplished ensemble – both veteran and relatively new. I’m no professional critic, so below are just my descriptions of my personal appreciation.
I loved the talent – and range – of the two karaoke champions Mr Ambrose and Ms Holder. Ambrose, like the other newcomers would be a star in other countries. The songs of Sarah Vaughn, Frank Sinatra, Otis Redding, Roger Whittaker, et al, were boldly – most times completely-attempted by young and old. I now appreciate Cellink Champ Malika Boyd’s range but, for me Nancy Osbourne blew them away! (Okay, that’s my preference!). And guess what? My friend Sean Bhola won’t believe that I never knew he was that good on the piano keyboards. Your treatment of “Will you still love me tomorrow” was professionally great – and musically pleasing too.
Throw in Cecil Bovell’s trumpet work, “young” Roger Dyal’s sax; the waltzes and the clean comedy pieces and “Oldies are Goldies” had to be a hit for those present.
Mr Stoute, if he is thinking of annually, should book the venue for February, August or December, when the Guyanese “Oldies” Diaspora returns for their nostalgia.
The Ladies behind me…
I promised them I’d mention them; those ladies who sat behind me at the concert. They accepted, tacitly, MC Stoute’s inter-active method and cheerfully heckled him (pleasantly).
Because I agreed with them that Mr Stoute overdid the bit having his 11-year old daughter share the stage, I liked their query when daddy missed emceeing two performances: “Wheh yuh fatha, Destiny? ‘e fall asleep? Girl, you should be in bed for school tomorrow morning”. Then they were normally critical of their peers on stage: “She breasts en ready fuh de stage”. “She overdress.” “Hector, fix yourself old boy!” But they – like me – just loved the circle of love and Michael Smith’s steel-pan work. (The latter is truly a maestro of the pans.) Kudos to Hector! The “Senior citizens” of stage and promotions.
Calypso comeback?
Okay, I agree not to knock our local calypsonians and their calypsos for a long time after today. As I told them at the Culture Ministry’s consultation last Saturday afternoon, “Calypso is in trouble and travail even in Trinidad and Tobago”. The truth is that, the art from, even in its home, is under stress from its impure cousin soca; the tents are struggling and the real “small Islands” are actually returning to “original” calypso, threatening Trinidad’s dominance.
It’s only that the situation is far worse here. But I won’t repeat my calypso lamentations today. I’ll, rather, report on the positives. Goaded by the very Ministry of Culture they tend to denigrate, the calypsonians have decided to do their darndest to organize themselves into an actual, formal, legal association!
I have my doubts right now about the genuine representation, but even their effort is worth applauding. And the Culture Ministry, despite my cynicism, has offered cautious assistance. In turn the calypsonians, composers, musicians and arrangers have all renewed pledges to improve their beleaguered art form.
I’ll respectfully withhold my myriad criticisms for many weeks.
Ponder…
*1) I see Prime News (TV) is trying to assist me with information about the massive government building being constructed at the handicapped-snail’s pace at High and Princes Streets in GT.
*2) Sometimes I can’t trust my own fading senses. What!? A prominent surgeon accused of abduction? Why Bail?
*3) Bless the Brazilians evena s we ensure they respect our laws. Those folks might just help us with the road and the HYDROpower, as they’ll really be helping themselves!
*4) Identify and name three major long-term elections fund-raising events organized by a political party.
‘Til Next Week!
Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com