Lord Kitchener (composer)
Lord Kitchener (born April 18, 1922 as Aldwyn Roberts in Arima , † February 11, 2000 in Champs Fleurs ) was a Trinidadian composer and singer in the genres Calypso and Soca .
life and work
Lord Kitchener grew up as one of six children of the blacksmith Stephen Roberts on St. Joseph Street in Arima in poor conditions. From 1940 Lord Kitchener could be found increasingly in the capital Port of Spain , where he sang his songs in rum shops . In the mid-1940s, Lord Kitchener was known and loved all over the island. From 1945 he visited Curaçao , Aruba and Jamaica , and then in 1948 traveled from Kingston to England with the Empire Windrush . On June 21, 1948 he arrived at Tilbury harbor . This date marked the beginning of an international career as a calypso singer.
Lord Kitchener quickly made contacts and soon appeared in London's then only Caribbean club, followed by appearances on the BBC . After a six-month stay, he played regularly in three nightclubs and his popularity grew beyond London.
In 1953 he left London for Manchester , where he married and opened his own music club. In addition to a six-month US tour, Lord Kitchener expanded his music club, bought various properties and recorded his first records for the Melodisc label in 1958.
In 1963, Lord Kitchener returned to Trinidad after 15 years. Despite this long absence, he was better known at home than before, as his new recordings had always been available there. He then settled in Diego Martin .
Since the mid-1960s, Lord Kitchener has been an integral part of the Trinidadian calypso scene. He won the competition for the most popular calypso song of the carnival season between 1963 and 1976 ten times.
His melodic compositions were also very much appreciated by the steel bands . Arranging a song by Lord Kitchener to take part in the Panorama steelpan competition soon became the preferred choice of many steel bands.
Lord Kitchener was also very popular with the people of Trinidad because he reflected on current political problems in his calypsos, dealt with cultural issues or even ragged about an unpopular public figure. His musical puns were notorious, in which he succeeded in “conveying dirty things so properly that even a priest could listen with pleasure”.
His favorite subjects included women, his competitor Mighty Sparrow , Caribbean affairs, racial issues, and steelbands. By the time he died, Lord Kitchener composed and sang well over 300 calypsos.
He died at Mount Hope Eric Williams Medical Complex and was buried in the Santa Rosa Cemetery in Arima.
Significant prizes and honors
| year | song |
|---|---|
| 1946 | Jump in line |
| 1963 | The Road |
| 1964 | Mama dis is mas |
| 1965 | My pussin ' |
| 1967 | Sixty Seven |
| 1968 | Miss Tourist |
| 1970 | Margie |
| 1971 | Mas in Madison Square Garden |
| 1973 | Rainorama |
| 1975 | Tribute to the Spree |
| 1976 | Flag woman |
| year | Song 1 | Song 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Tribute to the Spree | Fever |
Statues were erected in his honor in Arima and in the Port of Spain's St. Clair district.
Web links
- Biography on TntIsland.com
- Lord Kitchener speaks
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michael Anthony: Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago . Scarecrow Press, London 1997, ISBN 0-8108-3173-2 , pp. 355 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lord Kitchener |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Roberts, Aldwyn (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Trinidadian composer and singer in the genres Calypso and Soca |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 18, 1922 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Arima , Trinidad |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 11, 2000 |
| Place of death | Champs Fleurs , Trinidad |