Machel Montano’s appearance in the national calypso monarch competition and his subsequent victory leaves much to the imagination. The question is whether it is a defining moment in calypso. Will Montano, a king in the fetes and an established soca Road March winner inspire a calypso revival with soca singers vying for calypso monarch crowns?
Calypso enthusiasts are weighing in.
“Judging by how I felt about Machel’s performances in Dimanche Gras, it will make changes,” said Daniel “Trinidad Rio” Brown known for his humorous calypsoes like Travelling Man, No Drawers and Free Show Kaiso King.
“I love the song Soca is Calypso because of what it says. It’s a simple calypso melody with a powerful story. Who don’t understand don’t want to understand. It was performed with all sincerity and no acting. Machel wasn’t just competing for a trophy in the savannah on Dimanche Gras. It was a whole schooling educating students about kaiso and that is what will make a difference. That was bigger than the competition,” said Rio.
Rio said that performance defined a 22-year-old misconception of soca and calypso.
“Ever since I know soca and kaiso it was the same thing, and then Soca Monarch came and it divided. Machel came and settled that problem. The generation listening to Kitchener and Pretender sang about what the music represented. They’re gone and now Machel represents the younger ones who didn’t know the music before the competition divided it. They will take that information and feeling about the soca and calypso music from Machel.”
Rio’s brother, calypsonian and musician Neville “Bunny B” Brown couldn’t contain his excitement.
“My calypsonian in the finals was Kurt Allen, but that performance by Machel for what it represented and what it addressed was a boss. I am not a Machel fan, but I like what he did and how he brought those youths on stage. They’ll never forget they were on a kaiso stage.
“The kaiso melody is not what the purists would want. It’s a lavway melody, a mixed musical influence, but Machel addressed a lingering problem. He bridged a dangerous gap with those youth who only know soca.”
Bunny B said Montano addressed a problem only he could address because of his popularity and background in calypso and soca.
“Nobody could totally hate the song because it included everyone. I am a purist, and I don’t like the melody of the song but he made it work. In one song, Machel addressed about 30 years of ambiguities about what soca and calypso are.”
When he took a music production class in Laventille a few years ago, Bunny B said younger singers all said calypso was dying.
“And look what happened. The Soca Monarch competition died and calypso went on.”
The former calypso monarch finalist said to look to others who once performed in calypso tents to return to their roots.
“Iwer George and Patrice Roberts were originally kaisonians and they could slide back any time. We’ll see what happens now. I’m waiting with bated breath. If Soca Monarch doesn’t come back next year, you’ll see soca singers
