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.

Austin Superblue Lyons, is one of the greatest Trinidad and Tobago calypsonians. He is a well known soca musician and lyricist.

Superblue was born in Point Fortin, Trinidad May 25th, 1956. As a self taught musician, Superblue learned to make and play steel pan at a very young age.

It was in 1979 when Blue boy, as was he was called then, wrote the song “Soca Baptist” during a layover in Santo Domingo. In 1980 the song would go on to win him his first of eight Carnival road March titles. Superblue has also won The Trinidad Soca Monarch or more comtempory the International soca monach five times.

As Superblue continued to progress his career, his music became more of an art style. He is hailed as the originator of the “jump and wave” sytle performances of soca songs.

SuperBlue Performing Flag Party

Superblue became Road March Monarch for the third time time with his song “Rebecca” in 1981.

In 1986 Blue Boy helped form, then manage, the calypso tent “Culture House” and its associated record label. At the same time, he wrote the song “Blue Fever”, which became the runner up forRoad March. Later that year he appeared at Socalypso 86 in London. This was the longest live soca festival to be staged in Europe up to that time.

One of the biggest Road Monarch in the history of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival was the song “Soca Baptist”. However, in 1991, Superblue recieved his fourth Road March Monarch, with the song “Get Something And Wave”. That year, he became the first calypsonian to ever perform at Wembley Convetnion Centre in London, England. For the next 2 years, Superblue would recieve his fifth, and sixth Road March Monarch titles. In 1992, “Jab-Jab”, and in 1993 “Bachannal Time”. His landslide victories for his previous records earned him much prestige. “Bachannal Time” earned him a $25,000 prize, and was the Road March for multiple carnivals taking place around the world.
Superblue’s daughter is Faye-Ann Lyons, her mother is calypsonian Lady Gypsy. Faye-Ann has won two Road March Moanarch titles herself.
The music legend continues to live on and inspire us with his music.