Article successfully added.

Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band)

Listen to sample now:
 
0:00
0:00
$15.79 * $18.05 * (12.52% Saved)

* incl. VAT / plus shipping costsDepending on the country of delivery, the VAT at checkout may vary.

Ready to ship today,
delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

  • BCD16057
  • 0.11
  • Download
  • Download
P Secure bonuspoints now
1-CD Digipac (4-plated) with 32-page booklet, 24 tracks, playing time approx. 72 mns. This is...more

Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band: Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band)

1-CD Digipac (4-plated) with 32-page booklet, 24 tracks, playing time approx. 72 mns.

This is the story of an exciting discovery. The very first recorded examples of calypso music.

When researching aspects of the history of the Caribbean, American ethnologist Dick Spottswoodunexpectedly uncovered an unknown musical treasure. From the depth of a library he fished out several flat cardboard boxes containing matrixes. The accompanying note said the recordings were made by a 12-piece jazz orchestra from Trinidad in 1912: Lovey's Trinidad String Band.

Who were these musicians We do not know much about them, and the internet doesn't either. It is known, though that in May 1912 the dance band embarked on a tour to the United States of America as reported by the 'Port-of-Spain Gazette' a couple of days before their departure. The ensemble had been founded by violinist Lovey (real name: George R. Baillie) during the last decade of the 19th century. So by 1912 they were by no means unknown in their home country.

We can't say for certain which cities, festivals and ballrooms the Trinidad instrumentalists visited in the U.S.A. But this is clear: they stayed in New York City from late June into July 1912 where they recorded several songs of South American rhythms, first in the studio of the Victor Talking Machine Company, then at the Columbia Phonograph Company. In doing so, George R. Baillie and his men made musical history; they were the first to bring the sound of Calypso onto records.

Recording technology back then was in its infancy and scratches and noise were common. So it's amazing that the sound of these old, uniquely important recordings is actually pretty clear. They sound no worse than recordings from the '40s or '50s, says Richard Weize who has restored and issued many Calypso pearls from the early days of shellac records on his Bear Family Records label. For the restoration of these historic recordings he couldn't have secured the services of a better man than mastering expert Chris Zwarg from True Sound.

These completely restored masters should be of special relevance for the state of Trinidad and Tobago. Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1962, the islands finally became independent from Great Britain. The people celebrated carnival for a week, remembering and celebrating their own identity. Half a century earlier, Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band had played a substantial role in developing and promoting the identity of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Article properties:Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band: Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band)

Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band - Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band) CD 1
01Manuelita - Vals EspanolLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
02Rosenthal - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
03Unidentified - Vals #1Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band
04Unidentified -Vals #2Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band
05Unidentified - Paseo #1Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band
06Sarah (See What You Do) -PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
07Oil Fields - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
08Trinidad - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
09Mango Vert - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
10Pauline - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
11Mari-Juana - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
12Alexandrina - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
13Unidentified - Paseo #2Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band
14Tobo Justina - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
15Siempre Alegre - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
16Manuelito (Castro en Margarita) - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
17Clavel Blanco - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
18Flores de Trinidad - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
19La Liebre - Stop ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
20Unidentified - Vals #3Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band
21Discie You Doan Know De Law - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
22Trinidad - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
23Manuelita - ValsLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
24Sarah (See What You Do) - PaseoLovey's Original Trinidad String Band
FIRST RECORDINGS BY STRING BANDS AND CHANTWELLS The first recordings of idiomatic... more
"Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band"

FIRST RECORDINGS BY STRING BANDS AND CHANTWELLS

The first recordings of idiomatic Trinidad music were made in the U.S.A. in 1912 when, at the encouragement of American tourists who had recently visited the island, a twelve-man group led by the violinist George Baillie (Lovey) travelled to New York City for concert engagements. Both the Victor Talking Machine Company and the Columbia Graphophone Company recorded Lovey's Trinidad String Band. Their performances, all instrumentals, featured paseos, Spanish waltzes and even Argentinean tangos, Spanish Main dance rhythms popular in the island during this period.22

Two years later, at the end of July-beginning of August 1914, Lovey's band made further recordings for Columbia. This was just at the commencement of the First World War, for on August 1, Britain declared war on Germany. The War, however, had no immediate effect in the British West Indies. In the middle of the same month,the Victor Talking Machine Company (of Camden, New Jersey, U.S.A.) sent its team to the island "to make a complete repertoire of Trinidad's "local" music, including "'Calypsos,' 'Paseos,' Spanish Waltzes, Two Steps, Patois and East Indian songs by local performers." The arrival of the company's representatives was reported in both the Mirror and Port-of-Spain Gazette on August 28. The Mirror provided a few extra particulars: "We understand that Mr. Henry Julian, formerly of 'White Rose' has been practising assiduously for the above purpose and that several other bands and performers have been engaged."23

Excepting September 6, recording sessions were held every day between the 3rd and 16th of the month. Victor's principal artist was the pianist and well-known string band leader, Lionel Belasco. Henry Julian (Iron Duke/Julian White Rose) recorded under the sobriquet J. Resigna. The other participants were Jules Sims (whose calendas were sung in French Creole), S. M. Akberali and Gellum Hossein (of East Indian ancestry), and the Orquesta de Venezolana de Chargo (probably made up of Trinidad creoles, some of Venezuelan descent).

The initial batch of Victor releases from these sessions was distributed in time for the 1915 Carnival (Mirror, February 8) and, excepting "sacred Mohammedan chants" by S. M. Akberali, virtually all the performances are of secular music played or sung by black creoles. Complimenting the waltzes and paseos recorded by the Belasco Orchestra, the Mirror went on to observe "A novelty in creole music is afforded in calypsos after the, rendering of 'Julian White Rose,' the celebrated chantrel, whose voice has lost none of its sweetness." They noted also that "the Bamboo Band "Kalendar" is a new feature which will appeal to lovers of originality."24 While the other repertoire reflected degrees of "respectability," the stick-fighting calendas sung by Jules Sims and chorus, accompanied by tamboo-bamboo, represented the defiant and sometimes violent extremity of black creole society that did not conform with colonial ideals of decorum.

Various Calypso 1938-1940 (10-CD)
Read more at: https://www.bear-family.de/various-calypso-1938-1940-10-cd.html
Copyright © Bear Family Records

Read, write and discuss reviews...more
Customer evaluation for "Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band)"
12 Aug 2016

An excellent cd

It is so gratifying to see the work of my homeland on this wonderful cd. As a researcher and a Tringagonian, these recordings recognize the place in history that the island of Trinidad and Tobago has made in the world of music. Thank you Bear's Family Records.

Write an evaluation
Evaluations will be activated after verification.

The fields marked with * are required.

The Jim Reeves Radio Show: Monday Feb.24,1958 (CD)
Jim Reeves: The Jim Reeves Radio Show: Monday Feb.24,1958 (CD) Art-Nr.: ACD25002

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

P for 200 points $18.05
Carnival Rock - Original 1957 Soundtrack (CD)
Bob Luman & Others: Carnival Rock - Original 1957 Soundtrack (CD) Art-Nr.: ACD25003

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$5.60 $18.05
The Jim Reeves Radio Show: February 25-28,1958 (CD)
Jim Reeves: The Jim Reeves Radio Show: February 25-28,1958... Art-Nr.: ACD25005

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$11.26 $18.05
Outlaws Of The Old West (CD)
Dickson Hall: Outlaws Of The Old West (CD) Art-Nr.: ACD25006

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$11.26 $18.05
Auf den Hund gekommen (CD)
Various - Schlager: Auf den Hund gekommen (CD) Art-Nr.: ACD25007

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

P for 220 points $18.05
Ougenweide - All die weil ich mag (CD)
OUGENWEIDE: Ougenweide - All die weil ich mag (CD) Art-Nr.: BCD16775

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$15.79 $18.05
Locked Down! (LP, 10inch, 33rpm)
Mark Lee Allen: Locked Down! (LP, 10inch, 33rpm) Art-Nr.: BAF14025

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$28.24
Hint!
Electric Blues - Plug It In! Turn It Up! - Vol. 1-4 CD-Bundle (12-CD)
Various - Electric Blues - Plug It In! Turn It Up!: Electric Blues - Plug It In! Turn It Up! - Vol.... Art-Nr.: BCD16921-bu

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$135.75 $180.85
Texas Hillbillies 1922-1937 (4-CD)
Various: Texas Hillbillies 1922-1937 (4-CD) Art-Nr.: CDJSP77213

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$20.31 $28.29
Auf der Alm, da gibt's koa Sünd' (CD)
Maria Hellwig: Auf der Alm, da gibt's koa Sünd' (CD) Art-Nr.: CD2087485

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$11.26 $16.92
Trinidad, The Land Of Calypso (2-CD)
Jamaica Johnny & His Milagro Boys: Trinidad, The Land Of Calypso (2-CD) Art-Nr.: BCD17523

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$11.26 $19.18
NEW
The Exciting Lloyd Price (LP)
Lloyd Price: The Exciting Lloyd Price (LP) Art-Nr.: LP2011047

only 2x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$22.58
In My Younger Days (LP)
Junior Wells: In My Younger Days (LP) Art-Nr.: LPRL007R

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$28.24
Dave Berry - One Dozen Berrys (CD)
Dave Berry: Dave Berry - One Dozen Berrys (CD) Art-Nr.: CDBGO643

Item has to be restocked

$9.01 $19.18
Hint!
NEW
Gold (3-CD)
Neil Sedaka: Gold (3-CD) Art-Nr.: CDCRIM671

This article is deleted and can no longer be ordered!

$11.26 $19.18
Tracklist
Lovey's Original Trinidad String Band - Calypso Dawn: 1912 (Trinidad String Band) CD 1
01 Manuelita - Vals Espanol
02 Rosenthal - Vals
03 Unidentified - Vals #1
04 Unidentified -Vals #2
05 Unidentified - Paseo #1
06 Sarah (See What You Do) -Paseo
07 Oil Fields - Paseo
08 Trinidad - Paseo
09 Mango Vert - Paseo
10 Pauline - Paseo
11 Mari-Juana - Paseo
12 Alexandrina - Vals
13 Unidentified - Paseo #2
14 Tobo Justina - Paseo
15 Siempre Alegre - Vals
16 Manuelito (Castro en Margarita) - Vals
17 Clavel Blanco - Vals
18 Flores de Trinidad - Vals
19 La Liebre - Stop Vals
20 Unidentified - Vals #3
21 Discie You Doan Know De Law - Paseo
22 Trinidad - Paseo
23 Manuelita - Vals
24 Sarah (See What You Do) - Paseo