Aldwyn Roberts (Lord Kitchener)
Aldwyn Roberts, Lord Kitchener was born April 18th 1922-2000. He was widely known as the “Grandmaster” of calypso. He won the “Road March” title an impressive ten times. This is the award for the calypsonian whose song is most frequently played on the streets during Trinidad’s Carnival.
Kitchener started performing calypso in Arima, Trinidad in the late 1930s. It was around 1946 when he helped to organize the Young Brigade tent. This was a new generation of calypso singers, and was applauded for his calypso “Tie Tongue Mopsy.” After the 1947 Carnival season in Trinidad, Kitchener traveled to Aruba, Curacao and Jamaica. He left Jamaica on the Empire Windrush, a ship that marked the beginning of large-scale Caribbean migration to Britain. Kitchener’s success in music started when eh moved to england. His fame and popularity grew though the 1950s. Kitchener remained in England, where he had an active career that included extensive recording for the Parlophone, Melodisc and Lyragon labels. His records were exported in large quantities to the Caribbean, where he remained popular. Some of his records were also popular in West Africa.
Kitchener Performing Sugar Bum Bum
Kitchener returned to Trinidad for the 1963 Carnival and formed the Calypso Revue, which continued as a major tent. With this tent, he helped many young singers develop their calypso skills. Musicians such as Calyspo Rose, David Rudder, black Stalin, and Denyse Plummer were some of the many artists who worked with Kitchener. For decades, Kitchener remained a favorite calypsonian among steelbands, due to the catchy melodies and harmonic complexity of his compositions. Among his many well-known calypsos are “Trouble in Arima,” “Mama Dis Is Mas,” “My Pussin’” and “Pan in A Minor.”
Kitchener’s son, Kernal Roberts, is also a performer, playing drums for the biggest soca band in the country, Xtatik. He’s also their musical director and composer of the 2006 Road March.
Lord Kitchener Soca Monarch songs include: “The Road” 1963; “This is Mas” 1964; “My Pussin” 1965; “Sixty Seven” 1967; “Miss Tourist” 1968; “Margie” 1970; “Madison Square” 1971;
“Rainorama” 1973; “Tribute to Winston Spree” 1975; “Flag Woman” 1976.
