Kaiso renaissance

IN A CARNIVAL in which there were grumbles about the dearth of high-voltage power soca songs, it was kaiso that rose to the occasion.

Machel Montano may have taken the Calypso Monarch crown early Monday morning when the dust settled on Dimanche Gras, but it was the art form itself that was the winner.

Mr Montano’s presence in Sunday’s showcase of excellence, alongside that of Mical Teja, served as an injection of adrenaline into long-ailing calypso. It was an injection not in the midsection but, rather, the very heart and soul.

But if Carnival 2024 is remembered for anything, it will be for DNA, the song that defined the season.

With it, it was hoped the name Mical Teja would have been burnished alongside that of David Rudder as having scored a rare sweep of the Young King, Calypso Monarch and Road March titles.

Mr Montano’s surprise competition entry, and then further inclusion by the Calypso Fiesta judges, ensured that was not to be.

Still, the younger competitor from Gonsalves took home the satisfaction of being the people’s favourite given the rapturous response to his spine-tingling performance in which his exceptional vocals, magnetic stage presence, and seamless rapport with the audience melded perfectly with his song, whose very opening line is a work of exuberant poetry: “When we outside, is a ocean of love.” It is a song in the mould of classics like the late Denyse Plummer’s winning Nah Leaving, which carries the exact same patriotic message.

Nonetheless, Mr Montano’s Soul of Calypso, signalled what was really at stake on Sunday. Each competitor, of which several are former monarchs, expertly argued their own thesis of what calypso is, presenting a more diverse, well-rounded picture than years past.

Karene Asche represented social commentary with her polished No Excuse; Roderick Gordon gave us serious cheekiness with Charlsie; even the Tobago entry, Dillon Thomas, reminded us of the power of political picong with It Wasn’t Me.

Winston “Gypsy” Peters, whose participation was controversial given his role as National Carnival Commission chairman, placed tenth, but still took home a $45,000 appearance fee. Independent Senator Helon Francis did better, taking fifth place and a $175,000 purse with Representation, an excellent, even-handed examination of the role of the calypsonian as opposed to politician.

In decades past, there was no separation between up-tempo calypso and its more serious, slower forms. Dimanche Gras itself used to feature two songs and, indeed, to be a calypsonian you were expected to be both a crowd pleaser and a serious musician.

The recent lack of an international soca monarch has been a boon: soca is back on the Big Stage where it belongs.

Because Mr Montano will defend his crown next year, it is safe to say more will follow him back home. We are witnessing a kaiso renaissance.