New York: Today, April 18, is the
Grand Master’s birthday. It is a celebration of ‘Pan Birthday’ which is
the last calypso Kitchener composed for the steelpan. From the
beginning, Kitchener had a symbiotic relationship with the steelpan
instrument. He was the first to compose music specifically for the
instrument. Every year, from 1963 with ‘The Road’ he traveled through
the Big Yard (Queen’s Park Savannah) until 1997 with ‘Guitar Pan’ as steelbands played his tunes for the Panorama competition.
I
heard him explain in an interview that his love for the instrument
developed when he resided at La Cou Harpe next to Bar 20 steelband in
the days of their infamous fights. No, he did not play the
steelpan but played the conventional bass while he resided in London
during the 40s and early 60s. Kitch left Trinbago in the early
1940s and journeyed first to Jamaica where he spent a few years but it
was enough for Jamaicans to fall in love with him and to this day he is
known throughout Jamaica as the greatest calypsonian. When Kitch
left for London, Africa was demanding their Independence from the
colonial powers. When Ghana received their Independence in 1956
the new Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah invited Kitchener to come to Ghana
and sing for the new Prime Minister and his new nation. He sang a
calypso on Ghana’s Independence that demonstrated his silent Pan
Africanism. Although he was not open about it like Stalin,
Valentino or Chalkdust (three top calypsonians) he was a strong believer
in the Blackman’s freedom. Again, in the 1970s he sang ‘Freedom’
asking where was ‘our’ freedom. In 1970, the Black Power revolt
resulted in the late Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams, calling a curfew
and then a State of Emergency.
Kitchener was a simple man.
He was not charismatic as Sparrow or Duke (two other top calypsonians) but
what he lacked in charisma he gained in lyrical superiority. Kitch
was a master lyricist. He was a Griot (African storyteller) and
displayed that inert quality in his many classic calypsos like: ‘Old
Lady Walk a Mile’ ‘Mango Tree’ ‘The Road’ ‘Mama this is Mas’ ‘A New Born
Nation’ ‘Mas in Germany’ ‘Belmont Young Gals’ ‘Pan Night & Day’ ‘Trini &
Bajan’ ‘Slippery Anne’ ‘When a Man is poor’ ‘Pan in Harmony’ ‘Toco Band’
and the many beautiful gems that will remain in the halls of classic
calypso for ever. During the 1960s after he returned to Trinbago,
after spending over 20 years in London he was not welcomed by those who
loved and adored Sparrow. The irony of the matter is that it was
Sparrow who traveled to London to encourage Kitch to come to Trinbago.
Sparrow believed that the two of them could capture the calypso market
and start a new calypso rivalry after the demise of the Sparrow/Melody
rivalry. It was not to be. Kitch did return but the calypso
gate keepers at the time passed the word to would be proprietors that
they should not rent space to Kitch to open a calypso tent. So,
Kitch was forced to open his tent at the Strand cinema (thanks to
Samaroo, the owner who loved Kitch from the start). And, it was at
that tent that one of calypso’s classic ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ sung by
Sniper was first heard. It went on to win the calypso competition
and is one of most beloved calypsos in the land of calypso. Some
even call it the second anthem of Trinbago. Maybe, when we have
Constitution reform they should change the anthem and adapt the true
Trinbagonian anthem ‘Portrait of Trinidad’, written by Penman, (not
calypsonian Sniper), a Trinbagonian that tells the real story of our
homeland.
Your are
listening to Pan in A Minor as performed by panist Garvin Blake
on his "Belle Eau Road" cd as recorded by Basement Recordings.
Many people may not know this, but Kitchener had a bad stammering
problem The Bard could not even speak a long sentence without
stuttering. But, when he got on stage, all stammering and
stuttering disappeared. He was a master communicator when he sang.
He did not have too much showmanship like Sparrow or Nelson but he told
his story. I believe that Kitchener was the best calypsonian to
capture the nuances of the working classes. Listen to his calypso
‘Neighbor what Mas you go play’. In that calypso Kitchener tells
about his neighbor who, although not speaking to him, nevertheless, he
still wants to find out what Mas she will be playing for the carnival.
She tells him ‘left your hoof and walk out meh yard’. For those
who remember the residents of the barrack yards during the colonial
period you know what that means. Kitch had a way with words that
not too many calypsonians were able to express. Words like
‘dingolay’ ‘ramajay’ ‘zangee’ and ‘ayeyaeyaeahyae’ became hall mark in
his calypsos. When he said in the calypso ‘The Road’ that all the
steelbands got his message and he was not making any distinction between
them whether it was Invaders Desperadoes, All Stars or Fascinators he
sings and explains: “I make no distinction in making my assertion, they
all get the same wire including Crossroads and Crossfire,” he makes the
important distinction between those two steelbands whose names are very
close.
Kitch
discovered before everyone else that a ‘Flag Woman’ was essential in a
steelband on carnival day. In another calypso ‘Licks in ‘66’ he
says “I just turn meh back, everything gone slack“ to explain that his
absence gave the badjohns an opportunity to act up during 1966 carnival.
But, he returned in 1966 to give them ‘Licks in ‘66’. His calypso
‘Flag Woman’ opens by stating “You have no band unless you have a flag
woman.” A fitting tribute to the rock of the steelband on carnival
day is the tune ‘Flag Woman.’ The role of the flag woman and her
importance is told throughout the calypso. Schools throughout
Trinbago should teach the calypsos of Kitchener.
The lasting legacy of Kitchener is his love for the steelpan and
steelband. He wrote the best descriptions of the two. In his
calypso ‘Guitar Pan’ he says that people want him to sing on the ‘Guitar
Pan’ since he has sung on the other instruments so he did not want to
leave that instrument out. He goes on to explain its importance in
the steelband. It was marvelously done indeed. He dealt with
all the aspects of carnival, namely, the Mas, the Panist, the Flag
Woman, the instruments and the steelband.
Every genre has its signals when it is over. Sometimes it is an
incident or the death of its master. Each new generation has to
seek their voice to give meaning to the art form. Kitchener was
the voice of a generation who tried to give meaning to their lives both
under colonialism and post-Independence. Today we have a
generation who are struggling to find their voice. I hope that in
that struggle they take a look at Kitchener for some guidance because
while each generation seeks its own voice they still need a Griot to
tell their story.
The best way to honor the mastery of Kitchener should be to immortalize
his name in a Calypso Hall of Fame in the land of calypso.
Perhaps, the Trinbago United Calypso Organization (TUCO) would begin
that journey to present all our Griots in the calypso art form in such a
Hall of Fame so that their memories will live on forever. It is
indeed a shame that TUCO does not take its role seriously enough to
establish a Calypso Hall of Fame in the land of calypso.
Kitchener walked ‘The Road’ and shared ‘Licks in ‘66’. His
description of the carnival was exclaimed when he said ‘Mama this is
Mas’. He included San Fernando as he told the story of ‘Mas in
South’. He warned the women to ‘Hold on to your Man’. He
noticed that ‘My Brother and Your Sister’ were getting too involved.
He declared that ’67’ was the season. He warned ‘The Wreaker’ not
to take his car ‘PP 99’ away. He threatened the steelband men with
‘The Bull’ in his hand. His greatest artistic description of
‘Margie’ is a wonder to behold. He felt that it was time for the
nation to ‘Play Mas’. He included the other islands when he
mentioned ‘St. Thomas’ carnival. His portrayal of the terrible
rains in 1973 was told with ‘Rainorama’. He made a little
political comment with ‘Jerico’. And, to top it all, he got saucy
with ’20 to One’ woman for one man. He paid his tribute to 'Spree
Simon' an early pan pioneer. It was sports time in 1977 and Kitch
paid tribute to ‘Crawford’ as he explains the runner’s abilities.
He showed vision when he proclaimed that he saw ‘Pan in the 21st
Century’. After the pan boycott in 1979 Kitch told the story that
there was ‘No Pan’ for carnival 1979. But, in 1981 he declared
‘More Pan’ for the carnival season. For a laigniappe he gave
praises to Jean ‘The Netball Queen’. Perhaps, his greatest ode to
the steelpan was ‘Pan Explosion in ‘82’. Absent for 1983 he
returned in 1984 to tell all that it was ‘Sweet Pan’ and included
‘Tourist Elsie’. His crowning glory to the steelpan was to let the
world know that we want “Pan Night and Day’. Not content with that
call he declared that ‘Pan Here to Stay’. He went on to portray
‘Pan in "A" Minor’. He was the first to give an audience to the
engine room (Steelband Iron section) by telling the story of the ‘Iron
Man’. His comedy of the ‘Bees Melody’ was calypso satire at its
best. Anyone who ever attended the former Royal cinema and sat in
the pit section knew what Kitch was talking about in the ‘Mystery Band’.
He rumbled the town with an ‘Earthquake’ and paid tribute to the
wonderful instrument ‘The Guitar Pan’. Not content to talk about
steelband in Port of Spain, he ventured to the ‘Toco Band’. His
last tribute to the steelband: he wished it a happy ‘Pan
Birthday’.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRIOT KITCH!!!!
To the rendezvous of victory,
Khalick J. Hewitt, President & Founder
International Society of Calypso & Steelpan April 18, 2005