Monday, December 15, 2025
Black Man Feeling To Party by Swappi x Madman Johann
J’ouvert Movement: "Come Down" is M1’s Dutty Mud Declaration
This song is pure fire and the singer invites you to "Come Down" and enjoy "yuhself"! We conclude the posts for the Dutty Mud Riddim with the M1, also known as Menace J'ouvert, featuring a firestorm of energy. This song, produced by Stemz and cowritten by M1 and Slammer Cutter, is a track built for bacchanal in the streets.
Dutty Angels – Silvah & Stemz on the Dutty Mud Riddim
We are back with another track from the album titled "Dutty Mud Riddim." Silvah x Stemz performs this song, "Dutty Angels." While this tune is labeled "Soca" on Julianspromos, here at Kaiso Dial we’re spotlighting it for a different reason. This track rides the Dutty Mud Riddim, a raw, percussive groove that feels less like polished Soca and more like a J’ouvert get-on-wicked Calypso rhythm.
J'ouvert Vibes: 3 Canal’s “No War” on the Black Mud Riddim
Are you the type of person who loves to categorize Caribbean music? If you enjoy categorizing Caribbean music, we have a song that presents a conundrum. This question is not a riddle, but it is all about vibes. Today we present a song by 3 Canal on the Black Mud Riddim (album), produced by Stemz. Don't get me wrong, Julianspromos is promoting the Riddim as Soca, but this 3 Canal song is a toss-up. It is a vibrant song that will undoubtedly rock any Caribbean J'ouvert. The song is titled "No War," and I want you, fans of Caribbean music, to say if it is Calypso, Soca, CalypSoca or just a wicked J'ouvert vibe.
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Panorama 2026: Celebrating Our Small Conventional Bands
They put their all into their performance, hoping to advance to the next round of competition. We are talking about the Small Conventional Steelbands Panoram Preliminary round of competition. We expect the list of bands that made it to the semi-final round of competition to be announced shortly. Today, we pause to honor the performances of all 44 bands who embodied the spirit of our national instrument in this year's (2026) competition.
- Steelband culture thrives when every participant is honored, not just the winners.
- Community pride: Each band represents neighborhoods, schools, and generations of pan players.
- Panorama heritage: This competition continues to showcase the creativity and resilience of our pan movement.
Name of Band/Song
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Name of Band/Song
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All Rounder Spins Laughter and Drama in “Whey De Bandit Gone”
He is one of the classic calypso singers left, from a generation that gave us some of the best Calypso music. Today we feature the music of All Rounder. The song, titled "Whey De Bandit Gone," written by Anthony and Wilma Hendrickson, is filled with humor. When I listened to the song, I immediately thought of Lord Blakie. It’s a witty narrative that instantly recalls the mischievous style of Lord Blakie, especially his classic “Steel Band Clash.” All that seems missing is Blakie’s trademark laughter—though the female backup singers’ chuckles may well be a playful salute.
- Rumors are spreading, causing people to run and panic.
- A woman selling papers joined the commotion.
- The search ensnared churchgoers and even a priest.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
The Mic Is Open: TUCO Launches Registration for Calypso Competitions
- Calypso Monarch
- Extempore
- Freestyle
- Road March
- Junior Calypso Monarch
Rum & Coca Cola: A Name Reimagined for Carnival 2026
Few calypso melodies carry the weight of history quite like Rum and Coca-Cola. First penned and performed by Rupert Westmore Grant—the legendary Lord Invader—the song became a global sensation when The Andrews Sisters recorded their version in the 1940s. What followed was one of the most famous copyright battles in music history, a case that etched itself into the very fabric of Caribbean cultural memory.
Fast‑forward to today, and instead of revisiting the old melody, Kes & Tano reinvent the idea of Rum & Coca Cola with a modern twist. They take us back to a memorable period in the history of Calypso music when Calypso tent performances became a popular Carnival tradition. That tradition is recreated in the imagery of the video production... it is so well done!
Carnivals come and go, and by borrowing from a wedding scene, we take something old; we approach each new season with the promise that we can reflect on the past while introducing something fresh and unique. Kes and Tano have boldly reimagined this iconic song's name. This track is a conceptual revival of a song that was once controversial but has lived on for generations. Kes and Tano have honored the name, Rum and Coca-Cola, while reshaping its narrative for a new generation.
This track is not a remake. It’s a reinvention.
Let your imagination go on a playful ride with Kes and Tano. The recreation takes us back in time, creating the story in a fresh direction: a lively encounter with Miss Grace, a woman who was drinking Rum and Coca-Cola, unfolds in a throwback black‑and‑white production infused with Caribbean joy. In this context, Kes and Tano evoke the spirit of Invader’s era while incorporating the energy of contemporary soca and calypso into their performance.
Musically, the track is pure Kes—with Tano’s creative edge woven in—a seamless fusion of heritage and innovation. Rather than replaying Lord Invader’s melody, this version celebrates a new idea, dressed in the vibrancy of today’s Carnival generation.
The result? A feel-good, timeless song that bridges eras: storytelling and celebration, nostalgia, and reinvention. Flawless... the video production and the creative process from Kes, Tano and the team involved with the making of the song. Let's not forget the work of Kyle Peters on guitar and Josh Richardson on bass, as well as the background vocals by the triple team of Terri Lyons, Coutain, and Tano.
Born again, resurrected or all new, call it what you may, but this version of Rum & Coca-Cola resurrects a name that once ignited global debates—not as a relic, but as a vibrant reinvention for Carnival 2026.
For those who love 'red-man' music, 'de ting now start'; Carnival begins here!
Friday, December 12, 2025
Weekend Sweetness: Can Anything Top This?
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Nicole Thomas-Clarke Reigns as Tobago’s Calypso Monarch 2025!
If you missed it, don’t worry—join us now as we relive the magic and watch the full recap of this unforgettable celebration of culture and artistry!
Nicole Thomas-Clarke was the eventual winner and repeat monarch of the competition. She captured the crown with her powerful rendition of “Sacrifice.”
Her final score was a commanding 460 points that secured the top spot and walked away with the grand prize of TT $100,000.
With her triumph in voice, message, and mastery, Nicole now stands tall among Tobago's finest calypso champions.
The Finalists included:
- Alex Gift ‘Tobago Chalkie’ – I Busy
- Dalanie Baynes – I Dare U
- Dillon Thomas ‘Dilly ’Suede’—One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
- Dionne Phillip – I For Tobago
- Giselle Fraser ‘GG’ – No Village Can’t
- Jacquelin Reid—The Real Truth
- Rhonda John, ‘Stay ’C’—My Popular Neighbor
- Roslyn Reid – Change
- Wendell Frederick ‘Excite’ – Play Mr. Pan Man Play
- Wendy Garrick – Family
- Nicole Thomas Clarke - Defending Monarch from 2024
- Nicole Thomas-Clarke – Sacrifice (Repeat Monarch)
- Wendy Garrick – Family
- GG (Giselle Fraser) – No Village Can’t
- Dilly Suede (Dillon Thomas) – One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
- Dalanie Baynes – I Dare U
- Excite (Wendell Frederick) – Play Mr Pan Man Play
- Alex Gift (Tobago Chalkie ) – I Busy
- Jacqulin Reid – The Real Truth
- Roslyn Reid – Change
- Rhonda John (Stay C) – My Popular Neighbor
- Dionne Phillip – I for Tobago
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
From Chantwell to Carnival: Calypso’s Visual Timeline
We 're going to make this one short and simple and visually impactful. This file is your Calypso Timeline with some important dates.
Timeline
- 1900s: Chantwells, stick fighters, and early Carnival songs
- 1912: First instrumental calypso recording—Lovey’s String Band
- 1914: First vocal calypso recording—Iron Duke
- 1921: First calypso tent—Railway Douglas Tent in Port-of-Spain
- 1935: Lady Trinidad becomes first woman to sing in a calypso tent
- 1937: Lady Trinidad records the first female calypso
- 1950s: Golden age—Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow
- 1960s:Global exposure, Steel-band integration, witty satire/set the stage for Soca
- 1970s: Political calypso and Black Power era
- 1980s: Transition to Soca: Dance‑Driven Evolution
- 1990s: Decline in mainstream, Soca Explosion: Carnival’s Global Soundtrack
- 2000s: Heritage preservation and Calypso Monarch competitions
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Masters of the Craft – Bro Light Bourne
Monday, December 8, 2025
From Mia Mottley’s Words to Calypso’s Voice: Crisis of Truth
The Mischief Maker Takes the Wheel: Sparrow’s Calypso Ride Begins
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Feel It, This Is Calypso: A Song, A Feeling, Home
We are going back to bring you something special, or at least it is a song I like a lot. As I sit and consider what music to present for this new blog, I am reminded of the decades of Calypso music available for posting. I recently posted a new music release by Mical Teja singing alongside Karene Asche. That song is titled "We Calypso," but I can recall V'ghn's song simply titled "Calypso." I decided that I had to post 'Calypos' by V'ghn. This post celebrates that beautiful song by Grenada's amazing singer, V'ghn. In November 2023, Grenadian artist V’ghn released a track simply titled Calypso. But in its simplicity, it makes a strong statement: this music is not just rhythm and dance; it is identity, belonging, and joy.
- Homecoming: Calypso as a place of belonging, echoing the blog’s mission to preserve heritage.
- Celebration: Lyrics that revel in dance, steel pan, and island joy mirror the blog’s cultural vibrancy.
- Identity: By repeating “This is calypso,” V’ghn affirms the genre’s centrality to Caribbean life—just as Kaiso Dial seeks to affirm its legacy.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Freetown Collective Ignites Calypso’s Flame: Reaching Out to the Spirit of Our Ancestors
This is "Calypso"—no, really, not just a Calypso song but a song named "Calypso" brought to us by Freetown Collective. We believe you will love it because it's a powerful ode to storytelling, memories, and musical legacies.
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Not Venezuela by Alana Sinnette: Calypso’s Dance with Geopolitics
Baila mami, baila... and just like that, the reprise of the Calypsonian explodes on the scene with a bold new entry. Today we present a song with political intrigue, music to dance with and packed with Geopolitical drama. So let's celebrate the debut of "Not Venezuela" by Alana Sinette. The tune is the type of calypso that fills the space with rich newspaper intrigue and party vibes and delivers more than just music to dance and celebrate for this Christmas season but also our upcoming carnival. But then again, it is more than all of that —it delivers a message.
- The Sound of Resistance
- The production is rich with live instrumentation:
- Rodney Alexander's bass provides a steady pulse to the track.
- Kenny Phillips plays the guitar, adding sharp melodic lines that dance around the percussion.
- Kenny Phillips' arrangement skillfully blends Latin flair and calypso fire.




























