Photograph: Lord Beginner at a Parlophone recording session. London, 1950.
From left: Neville Boucarut (bass), Cyril Blake (guitar), Freddy Grant (clarinet), Brylo Ford (cuatro), Lord Beginner (vocals), Fitzroy Coleman (guitar) and Reuben "Dreamer" Francois (conga).
Lord Beginner had recorded calypsos in New York during the 1930s with other leading members of the Trinidad's "Old Brigade" of calypsonians. His London recordings reflected this earlier string-band style of calypso.
Photograph © Val Wilmer Collection.