BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - ONE of the Federation’s top steel pan players and former cricketer has been placed in the spotlight by one of the St. Kitts and Nevis’ top calypsonians for the upcoming Sugar Mas celebrations.
Devon ‘Lord Kut’ Liburd, in one of his calypsos for Sugar Mas 43 is paying tribute to Cyril Webster, who is affectionately-known as ‘Puntan’.
In an interview with SKNVIbes, Lord Kut explained the motivation behind the song which he appropriately titled ‘Puntan’.
“I know Puntan…Puntan is my friend. I sang a song about steel pan some years ago and when Puntan heard it he ‘clinged’ to it and he thought it was a very good composition and for someone who played steel pan for all those years…I am a calypsonian for 43 years and he had playing steel pan long before that.
“He is a very crafty man, very easy going and you know they made him the Grand Marshall a year or two ago and I thought he was someone good to highlight. A few years ago I sang a song about King Barkie.”
He added that it was his wish to highlight these stalwarts of local Carnival and questions why only politicians are made National Heroes.
“These are men I have worked with, some have passed. Puntan has not passed so I want to give him his berries now. You might see him with me sometime soon. I already indicated to him that I did something about him. He never heard it but I want him to hear it.
“He was also a very good cricketer. I did not see him for a while but I saw him last week in town and he look just like how I knew him as a little boy and one of the things that bother me is that all the National Heroes are politicians.”
He was also asked about the feedback that the song has gathered thus far.
“The song has not been recorded but I have a feeling that the feedback is going to be good. When I got to the band house and the captain took the music he said it had wonderful chords and once the band man says that, it is a hit and from the time I came off the stage, one the top musician told me he love the melody.”
He also spoke of the second song which he has for the calypso competition, ‘Monk’.
“The Monk is sentimental, just the word makes people get anxious and they want to hear how it sounds. If you realise the Monk is very witty and factual. I want the people to listen to it and formulate what they think it is. I like to give the people work to do.”
The veteran calypsonian also stated that he always strives to be diffident and that there is a cross section of his fans that he aims to please with every track he does.
“I always want to be different from the others. I always study the other calypsonians, I know what they are going to sing. I always leave room for surprises but they never surprise me. There are certain people in the community who look forward to see what Kut is sinning because they hear good poetry. They are looking to hear something that tickles their imagination.”
Lord Kut also warned that he has improved from last year where he placed first runner up and that he is confident of more success this year.
“I am right at where I left off last year, I am full of confidence. The band could tell you that when it comes to a man ready to go, it will be Kut. I have not dropped an inch, I ready to go. They keeping me back.”
