Calypso Breakaway

Amazon.com
Born out of the postslavery kalinda songs of stick-fighting competitions, Calypso has evolved into today's techno-tinted soca, with several major shifts along the way. These 20 songs are representative of an extremely musically sophisticated period in the evolution, with references from swing jazz and Cuba in abundance. They are transcribed from vintage recordings, and there is plenty of humor, wisdom, and wit inherent in the Calypsonians' lyrics to relate to the human condition in any age. Calypso has always documented politics, weather, and news stories (intermixed with racy double-entendres), and these tunes are no exception, save being from a slower, more naive period of history. Although the instrumentation has changed over the years, much of this classic music swings hard and will stand the test of time long after the overly synthesized treatments of today's "road songs" have been forgotten. Many of these artists performed in cabarets and nightclubs in New York and London at the time, and several went on to great international acclaim. Calypso Breakaway is both a great introduction and a priceless, carefully mastered record for the aficionado, despite uninformative liner notes. --Derek Rath

Tracks:

Don't Le' Me Mother Know - Keskidee Trio
Ma Maria - King Radio
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Felix And His Krazy Kats
An Excursion To Grenada - The Growler
Tina - The Lion
Seven Skeletons Found In the Yard - Lord Executor
Little Gal, Mother Is Calling You - Al Philip Lere Syncopators
Maraval Girls - The Tiger
Anacaona - Lord Begineer
Dynamite - Atilla The Hun
Caro At Point Cumana - Lord Invader
Violets-Venezuelan Waltz - Lionel Belasco's Orchestra
Guests of Rudy Vallee - The Lion And Atilla The Hun
How I Speny My Time At The Hospital - Lord Executor
Old Men Come Back Again - King Radio
Johnnie Take My Wife - Wilmouth Houdini And His Caribbean Orchestra
The More They Try To Do Me Bad - The Caresser
Love Thy Neighbor - The Lion
Tropical Heat-Paseo - Codall's Top Hatters Orchestra
The Whe Whe Banker Wedding - The Tiger

Amazon.com

Born out of the postslavery kalinda songs of stick-fighting competitions, Calypso has evolved into today's techno-tinted soca, with several major shifts along the way. These 20 songs are representative of an extremely musically sophisticated period in the evolution, with references from swing jazz and Cuba in abundance. They are transcribed from vintage recordings, and there is plenty of humor, wisdom, and wit inherent in the Calypsonians' lyrics to relate to the human condition in any age. Calypso has always documented politics, weather, and news stories (intermixed with racy double-entendres), and these tunes are no exception, save being from a slower, more naive period of history. Although the instrumentation has changed over the years, much of this classic music swings hard and will stand the test of time long after the overly synthesized treatments of today's "road songs" have been forgotten. Many of these artists performed in cabarets and nightclubs in New York and London at the time, and several went on to great international acclaim. Calypso Breakaway is both a great introduction and a priceless, carefully mastered record for the aficionado, despite uninformative liner notes. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews:

Some of the most soulful music I've ever heard.......2005-11-02

The calypso music of the 1930s and 40s was a music of a different era. It creates images of a Jamacia that is long gone, a legendary and lost time. Anyone interested in the Calypso music of the 30s and 40s should start with this compilation. It has all the big players of the genre, such as Lord Beginner, Atilla the Hun, and Lion (who contributes my favorite track on the entire compilation "Love Thy Neighbor"). The music itself is unique and accesible at the same time, making for an incredibly fresh listening. The truth remains that this was a seminal period in music history, and this is an excellent portrait of the musical genre. A great introduction to the genre (some company needs to produce a box set of this stuff).

Go back to another era.......2002-09-21

Picture you are in the 1930's. A seaplane takes off in the water in a harbor as you watch the sun go down. Vintage saling ships and merchant steam boats bob in the water. The warm evening breeze blows palm leaves and the smell of afro-carribean cooking mingles with flowering bouganvilla and hibiscus. You are sitting in a restaurant as ceiling fans stir cigar smoke and the background sounds of a calypso band play for your enjoyment. Tourism hasn't exploited this island yet and you realize just how far away from home you actually are.

These recordings will take you to this time and place.

pleasing to diverse musical tastes.......2000-06-30

We play this CD in a restaurant where I work. We usually play a lot of jazz, some Latin music, and now old style Calypso. This music reminds me of thirties style jazz artists, but with island style. The lyrics are fun, the music is gently rythmic and playful...think of a quieter version of "Day-O" in the movie Beetle Juice.--Makes you wanna shimmy.

Rock Music:

Rock Music

rock music

Recommended Music:

Selected Ekseption [Import]

Mozart: Flute Concerto No. 1; Bassoon Concerto; R. Strauss: Oboe Concerto

Lullaby for Apocalypse

Mr Tambourine Man [Import]

Lookin' for Love [SACD] [Import]

Me Deixa Sonhar [Import]

Never Change [Clean]

Don't Lose Your Cool

Featuring Paul Gonsalves