Calypso Calaloo

Various Artists - International - Caribbean & Cuba | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 8, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder Records
• ASIN: B0000002TN
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,737 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #73 in Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba > Trinidad
  • #92 in Music > Indie Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba

Track Listings

1. Trinidad Carnival

2. La Impresion

3. Buddy Abraham

4. African War Call

5. Lis Camille

6. Petrol

7. Yaraba Shango

8. Uncle Jo' Gimme Mo'!

9. The Lajobless

10. Legnum Vital

11. Back to My West India Home

12. Rum and Coca-Cola

13. Last Train to San Fernando

14. Walter Winchell

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, for the most part, January 22, 2003

By 

Per Nordgren (Stockholm, Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Calypso Calaloo (Audio CD)

This was my introduction to prewar calypso, together with the book by the same name, now regretfully out of print. I have since bought several collections, the ones from Rounder records and a few others. But this is still my favorite, even if it is a bit uneven. Some of the instrumantals are of quite low fidelity and therefore less enjoyable, but the the good ones are some of the greatest examples of prewar calypso availiable on CD!

"Yaraba Shango" by The Growling Tiger and "The Lajobless" by The Lord Executor are two wonderful examples of dramatic minor-key storytelling songs. The recording of Lionel Belasco's piano solo "Trinidad Carnival" is a modern-day transcription of a unique piano roll. It's fun to listen to The Lort Invader's version of the song he claims was stolen from him, Rum and coca cola, even if the performance of the song here is a bit ragged. My favorite part of that recording is the introduction: "that song which has the world upset, Rum and Coca Cola - in the way it was intended to be sung". In other words: not like the Andrews Sisters did it. Other good ones: "Lis Camille" and "Uncle Jo' Gimme Mo'" by the underrated (in some quarters) Wilmouth Houdini, and a couple of others.

I would rate this CD a 5 for these tracks alone, but some of the instrumentals are not quite on that level.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars calypso callaloo, October 20, 2001

By 

Clarendon West "trini-man" (Miami, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Calypso Calaloo (Audio CD)

truly gives you a feel for what early calypso was like. the steelband piece by Invaders is great.It gives you a true carnival feeling.