latest CD comes ‘Straight from the Heart’

BACK in the late seventies to early eighties, Errol Asche was seen singing on Scouting for Talent and wowing people with his soulful lyrics and delivery. Soon after, he started doing his music videos with the band Ed Watson and the Brass Circle, wearing the typically flambouyant suits of that period, all decorated with glitter. His hair was in an Afro, coupled with a bushy beard.

All too soon though, he seemed to disappear from the limelight, leaving his daughter Karene to carry on the family legacy of song (she’s now co-reigning Junior Calypso Monarch for 2003). But he’s back now. The beard is gone, along with the glitzy-looking outfits. He wears shades these days and dresses more “mainstream”. As for the afro? “I decided to make a change in my outlook,” he laughed, shaking his six-to-seven-inch dreadlocks.  “I noticed that the people responded to performers with looks like this, so I just decide well, let me try something too.”

Another thing he’s “trying” is getting back in touch with his earlier style of music; Asche is promoting his brand new CD, which is distributed under the JW label and Crosby’s Records, with cover concept and photography done by Julian Williams (that’s the JW in the label). It was also produced by close friends Florence and Arnold Jones of Boston. The CD, called Straight from the Heart, features 12 tracks of Caribbean- flavoured music that shows off his trademark soul-inspired vocal stylings. Always at home with the classics, there’s a medley in there that contains five tracks, each of which he performs full length. He has included songs from his days on Scouting for Talent, songs like “Dream of Me”, “Many Rivers to Cross” and “Synthetic World”.

“They are very enjoyable cover versions,” he explained. “Some have a more party flavour, some of those were prepared for live performances and this is that package that I’m looking to market, trying to fit into both the party circuit and live circuit, whoever might be listening.”

His last recording was done by Alvin Daniel; a compilation CD that included Denyse Plummer and Melanie Hudson back in 1996. His contribution came in the form of two songs, one of which was titled  “The Woman Make Me”.

“The second one was about crime, but I can’t remember the exact name,” he said with a grin. “But that was a good year though. I was able to make the Soca Monarch semis that time. You see, my life is totally music. People don’t really categorise me as a calypsonian, they know me from the old days singing my soul music and thing, but I can handle calypso. I started my soul music career from 1979, but the history of the music stems from my history with Ed Watson; I had a great deal of success with him, and lots of chances. Tunes like ‘Hot Soca’, ‘Boogie Woman’...  that was in the days of grooving with the band.

After being a band singer for so long, I moved on to do more work (contracted by JW) and ended up doing about five albums with them. The album Jam Meh Hard was a big success abroad. “Where is the Love” was a very nice track. I made it to the Soca Monarch finals.”

Asche also mentioned working with William Munroe, a man whom he credits (and is especially grateful to) for channelling his energies towards calypso, a musical form he never even thought about in his heyday. “Without Munroe and his support, it just would not have been possible,” Asche admitted. “I must give him full credit for realising that I could do it (sing calypso). Really, I had a lot of difficulty in the beginning, though. I was known as a soul music person. “Boogie Woman” was already out and it was around 1981 or 82... Munroe was running the Kingdom of the Wizards tent then and he had asked Roy Cape to audition me as I was a newcomer. I was getting little ‘fatigue’ too, from the top artistes. They saying, ‘Who is this Asche?’(laughs) Time was passing and I didn’t sing yet, so somebody said, ‘Aye, yuh not rehearsing this fella here?’ So I had my audition and I guess it went well, because next thing you know they invited me to come up to Arima to perform with the tent.

Everything went so fast it was like a baptism by fire, but I wanted to be in this show so bad. Not long after, Munroe turned ownership of the tent over to the Martineaus and I worked with them until the tent disbanded.”

It’s Asche’s hope that his fans haven’t forgotten about him (“I still around, man,” he joked), he’s just been busy doing other projects. He spends his time doing live appearances throughout the country, sometimes performing in clubs and casinos and said he will be available for shows during Easter and Mother’s Day celebrations. Regarding his latest musical effort, people have responded favourably, 100 percent, he admitted. His roots may be in soul music, but he has proven that calypso is a huge part of him too. Now he’s going back in time to give it to you Straight from the heart, which will soon be available locally.