The first calypso record

To find out just how this came about, we have to go back to 1902 when the recording technology was stable enough to be taken to places like Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico. At these venues recordings were made, the masters shipped back to the US and the disc recordings shipped back to the country where they were made for sale. By 1907 artistes travelled to the US to do the recordings.

How the Victor Recording Co made it to Trinidad is uncertain but their people were so impressed with what was heard from Lovey’s band that arrangements were made to have the band travel to New York to do the recordings. The first session was on June 20, 1912 when eight sides were recorded.

Of the eight there were five Paseos, two Spanish waltzes and one tango. The first side was named “666”.

The paseo was an early form of calypso dance music. Since these recordings were purely musical no calypsos were sung. We have two more years (1914) to celebrate the first recordings of calypsos including lyrics, such as those sung by Julian Whiterose one of which is “Iron Duke in the land”.

Later that month recordings were done at the Colombia Recording studios. That’s when Mango Vert and three other sides were cut. Two years, were to pass before more recordings by Lovey’s band and Lionel Belasco were done, only this time the recordings were done in Trinidad.

In addition several recordings of East Indian music were made.

Edward Teddy Pinheiro

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