| CALYPSO: A WORLD MUSIC |
|
Calypso in Trinidad
|
Early Recordings
|
Calypso in Trinidad:
|
|
Calypso was one of the earliest musical traditions from outside the United States and Europe to be recorded. In 1912 a Trinidadian dance band led by Lovey (George Bailey) traveled to New York and recorded for two companies: Victor and Colombia. Apparently, the band had been encouraged to go to New York by American tourists visiting Trinidad. In 1914 agents of both Columbia and Victor, sensing a new market, traveled to Trinidad and recorded a wide range of local music, including calypso. Records from the 1912 and 1914 sessions were sold in Trinidad and Latin America. |
|
From 1915 through the mid-1930s, all recording of calypso occurred in New York. Among the artists recorded were the pianist/bandleader Lionel Belasco, the vaudevillian Sam Manning and the calypsonian Houdini, all of whom were based in the U.S. |
 Sam Manning |
|
|
