CHALKIE SHARES LICKS

“I am going to call him (Sparrow) tonight (Sunday). I am sure he is following the story already,” an elated Liverpool, 76, told reporters at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, shortly after winning the prestigious competition for a ninth time with an overall score of 429 points.

For his history-breaking feat, Liverpool, a Professor of Calypso Arts at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, won a hefty pay packet of $700,000.

Singing Learn From Arithmetic, a telling, cleverly-written commentary on child marriage, Liverpool revealed he had contemplated staying away from the competition but Sparrow encouraged him to participate.

“Sparrow told me to go ahead and do it. I was trying to stay out but Sparrow told me to go ahead and do the ninth because the young fellas would have won it, if I don’t. So, it is a good feeling,” he said of the victory.

The veteran bard, who began singing calypso in 1967, won the Humming Bird Medal Silver at the independence Awards in 1976 for his contribution to calypso.

He is also recognised as a historian, researcher and cultural activist.

Liverpool said the victory was doubly significant as it coincided with his 50th year in the artform.

“This is my 50th year in calypso and it is a real epoch win for me because after 50 years to be among the youths and still leading them and winning them, it is a good feeling.” Placing second with a score of 423 points was former monarch Karene Asche with Caught In The Whirlwind, a nostalgic presentation about the way TT used to be before it plunged into decay through crime, violence, corruption and immorality. She received $400,000.

Heather Mac Intosh came in third with Games, an almost bitter take of the controversy that surrounded Thema Williams rejection as TT’s representative in gymnastics at last year’s Olympic Games in Brazil. Mac Intosh got 416 points and received $200,000.

Mac Intosh’s presentation, which featured several young girls performing flips and other routines on mats, culminated with a surprise appearance by Williams on stage. The crowd roared.

Fourth place went to Terri Lyons, who gave a spirited performance to The Phrase, which addressed the injustices plaguing African peoples.

Lyons, who got 415 points, was along a slew of finalists who used props to enhance their presentations.

Among the others were sixth place finisher and last year’s monarch Devon Seale with I, Carmona, Kurt Allen “The Last Badjohn of Calypso” with My Corn Tree and Main Witness by National Calypso Queen Sasha- Ann Moses.

Moses and Allen placed 14th and 13th, respectively, im the competition.

The 17-member line-up - the largest in a monarch competition - featured a mixture of youth and experience. It included several past monarchs and a few first-timers on the “Big Stage.” One such newcomer, attorney Rondell Donawa, grabbed the fifth spot, ahead of seasoned monarch finalists Seale, Weston Rawlins (Cro Cro), Roderick Gordon (Chuck) and Victoria Cooper.

The dapper-looking Donawa sang Lip Service, a song about TT citizens’ penchant for “talk with no action.” For the most part, the offerings, through just one round of calypsoes, dealt largely with social ills plaguing the country - crime, domestic abuse, corruption and other injustices. There also was a sprinkling of nation-building tunes.

But the night belonged to Liverpool, who, singing in position 17, came into the finals as an overwhelming favourite to take the crown.

Dressed as a graduate student, complete with red cape and matching mortar board, Liverpool had the audience lapping up his every word as he dissected the controversial child marriage issue, including the stance of the Hindu community.

The song’s tag line, “So, Sat Maharaj, 75 cyah go into 14,” sent the crowd wild.

Surrounded by his manager, family members and supporters, Liverpool told reporters the tune was simply a manifestation of what the artform is supposed to be.

“Calypso is not just about the moon and the stars. It is about the craft and issues,” he said.

“The thought process was just that I thought about the issue and because of the event, I thought how best could I sell this to the public and I looked for the best way to entertain them, let them laugh a little, but at the same time, see the seriousness of thee issue.” Liverpool, one of the stalwarts at the Kalypso Revue, also responded to concerns that he was the sole member of the tent to advance to Sunday’s final from last week’s Calypso Fiesta, Skinner Park, San Fernando.

“This show’s that our tent was the best tent. We feel very hard about the harsh judging but it shows us that we have one of the best tents in Trinidad,” he said, alluding to his victory.

On threats by the Revue to quit being a member of the representing Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation over what it considered to be bias in the judging process for major competitions, Liverpool said: “It is not TUCO to blame too much but the judges.” The calypsonian said judges needed proper training.

“What we have to do is train the judges because judges have to be literate and just understand the artform. So, I don’t blame TUCO too much. You just have to select judges who understand the artform.” Liverpool said the jury was still out on whether he would seek a tenth monarch title in next year’s competition.

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

1) CHALKDUST (Dr Hollis Liverpool)
2) KARENE ASCHE
3) HEATHER MAC INTOSH
4) TERRI LYONS
5) RONDELL DONAWA
6) DEVON SEALE
7) CHUCK GORDON (Roderick Gordon)
8) VICTORIA COOPER-RAHIM
(Queen Victoria)
9) LADY GYPSY (Lynette Steele)
10) ALL ROUNDER (Anthony Hendrickson)
11) CRO CRO (Weston Rawlins)
12) GYPSY (Winston Peters)
13) KURT ALLEN
14) SASHA-ANN MOSES
15) FYA EMPRESS (Lornette
Nedd-Reid
16) MEGUELLA SIMON
17) LADY ADANNA (Marsha Davis-
Clifton)