In Memoriam ...
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For more than 60 years, the Lord Kitchener - "Kitch" as he was more popularly and affectionately known - regaled us with a seemingly unending stream of compositions covering all facets of our national life. Time after time, he set our feet to dancing and gladdened our hearts; but more than that, on more occasions than we can remember, he made us pause and reflect on the milestones in the evolution of our country's history. Kitch broadened the subject matter of calypso from its somewhat parochial concerns, taking it to London in 1948, helping to make London a second capital of calypso. Along with Lord Beginner, he began recording sessions in 1959 for EMI.
From relatively simple beginnings and largely by dint of his discipline, dedication and undisputed genius, Kitch rose to become the superlative calypsonian. Enormously technically accomplished, he delved into jazz territory and even had a soca hit, "Sugar Bum Bum" in 1978. His most famous song, "Give me de Ting" is still a dancehall classic. He notched up a record series of 11 Road March victories between 1946 and 1976 when he retired from competition, devoting most of his musical energies to compositions for steelbands.
Indeed, Kitchener seemed ageless. Thoughts were never on his age or that he would leave someday, but more on what he was "comin' wid dis year". He never disappointed his audience and in a career that spanned some 60 years, brought us such songs as "Mama dis is Mas", "Tribute to Spree Simon", "Pan in Harmony", "Bees Melody" and his final contribution, "Pan Birthday".
Every year people took silent bets with themselves, doubting that Kitchener was capable of surpassing himself and producing another hit. Every year, he managed to do it. It was always the consensus that no one could do it quite like Kitch. To quote the Grandmaster himself, speaking in 1993,"For 55 years I've tried to make calypso more intelligent and make soca danceable. Long ago, today and tomorrow, that is my job."
