CALYPSONIAN Lassell Duke, popularly known as ‘The Mighty Duke,’ has shared his take on what makes a ‘true’ calypsonian — an entertainer who is more than a singer or writer of Calypso music.

“You have Calypso writers and singers and you have the calypsonian that sees it in his own perspective, writes it and sings or performs it – that’s a calypsonian,” he said during a chat with Buzz.
Duke, a calypsonian for some 36 years now, was speaking in the context of a meeting that was held recently, during which an interim body was elected to manage the affairs of calypso and calypsonians until statutory protocols regarding the legality of the association are observed for duly appointed elections.

While the Calypsonian Association has been inactive for the past 20 years or so, Duke is now the Vice President of the Steering Committee that has started the process of getting the body resuscitated.

Once an association is in place, there are certain respected bargaining powers that will become available to those calypsonians who are still around, Duke pointed out. It will also make way for the younger generation to become fully informed about the history and other information pertinent to artistes wanting to pursue calypso.

“Most of the calypsonians have left the country; only a few of us are left, so we are trying to resuscitate it so we can teach and have a [group] of people who know about calypso,” Duke shared, adding: “Calypso is not sometimes what you hear people sing at competitions; Calypso mainly is social commentary, but it also goes with specific details and it’s about how you put it over.”

Calypso, Duke said, has played an integral role in Guyana from the days of slavery to now. “It is really the background, or I could say, the ‘father of Caribbean music’ because all the music – from Reggae, everything came from calypso. It’s the first, and it’s what the Slaves in the Caribbean used to revolt against the Slave trade. Remember they were muzzled and couldn’t say certain things, but they used music to send messages and the like.”

Meanwhile, the persons chosen for the Interim committee are Duke, Bonny Alves, Eze Baird, Kenroy Fraser, Roger Hinds, and Charmaine Blackman, with committee members being Dawn Edwards, Pearl Lewis and Lisa Bantan.

A statement from the Association following the meeting recently, referenced the inactivity of calypsonians throughout the year, and voiced their dissatisfaction of not having enough exposure during and after Mashramani.

“Of the many cultural programmes that are held, calypsonians are rarely invited to perform; even Monarchs have been left out,” the body lamented.

The Association also pointed out in the statement that calypso is not meant to be a partisan thing, even though the perception is that calypsonians are anti-government.

In fact, it argued calypsonians sang against Forbes Burnham and his government, Desmond Hoyte and his government, David Granger and his government and even Robert Corbin who was the Leader of the Opposition. Furthermore, they’ve also sang against Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, Juan Edghill, Clement Rohee and others.