BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE reigning Culturama Senior Kaiso King, Calvin ‘I-Soursop’ Johnson, who became the first Kittitian to capture the crown in the 35-year history of Culturama, will be hosting a workshop for junior calypsonians on Saturday, May 1 in Nevis.
Johnson explained that the ‘I-Soursop Making a Difference Junior Calypso Workshop’ was first held last year when he came up with the idea of hosting a workshop as part of ‘giving back’ after he won the crown.
A Giving Spirit
The calypsonian is known for making donations after competing in calypso shows. In fact, the first time he began singing some five years ago and made the calypso finals in St. Kitts, he gave a portion of what he won to fellow calypsonian Navigator who was injured.
He also made another donation the following year to Navigator when he once again made the calypso finals in St. Kitts.
Johnson also made monetary donations to two non-profit charitable organisations when he won the Culturama crown.
“Three days after I won, even without knowing what I won, I called my management team and told them we need to make a donation. If I had won a bicycle I would have given back still.
“In my life, I believe in giving back. Johnson is an individual who always helps people, always give. I have sent guys to school…meaning, I buy the books, buy the pants, and when I got into calypso I had to find a way to do the same,” he said.
Johnson decided that since he had won the crown in Nevis that would be the best place to make his donations.
The old proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”, is what I-
Soursop decided that he would further do to help the future of calypso. “Before I started competing in Nevis, and before I started singing, I always commentated with the WINN FM commentary team and I always saw the struggle with junior calypsonians. And I thought just now they wouldn’t have any, so I decided to host a workshop,” he said.
The Coke Zero/I-Soursop Youth Calypso Workshop Johnson said that he found sponsors to help fund the workshop which took place last year with a total of 28 children.
“It was very successful. We initially planned to have three but because of elections we decided time would have only permitted for two,” I-Soursop said.
The first workshop covered more of the theory of calypso, where he gave tips on writing a successful calypso.
“It is alleged that I’m one of the better writers around, so I decided to give back in that area. We covered areas such as having a good topic and exploring that topic. I told them there are fictional topics and real-life topics…like politics.
“I told them when they come up with a topic they alone cannot come up with all the information and they should speak to someone who would know about the topic so they will have material to write on. A song is basically three verses; the first one should be introductory to what you’re about to sing, the second should give all the information about the topic you’re singing about, and the third verse should be give a solution.
A lot of people would have songs but not solutions, and I never bring a problem to you without a solution. So the third verse should be a solution,” he said.
He is hoping that the children would become great calypsonians if they wish to pursue such a field. He also wants them to be self-sufficient in the art form.
He said it is very important that calypsonians write their own songs instead of depending on a writer, as it would help calypsonians to bring across a message that comes from their heart.
“Most of the times the writer writes how he feels, not how the singer feels. Music alone gives a different feeling to what you intended the song to have.
“I have had the experience where I destroy a song because the music totally changed. So when I go into the studio I stay in there. It takes a lot of time but anything you into will take time. I know what I’m looking for and I want it; a lot of Calypsonians are lazy. I never stop changing words in my songs. I always find a new word to put in because you always find a better word. I call it strengthening,” he said.
The workshop, which will be held on May 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Cultural Complex, will this time be more practical as musicians would be there to tell the participants about timing.
The second workshop is sponsored by Coke Zero and the attendees were asked to write a calypso on the sponsor.
He is expecting close to 50 attendees at the workshop.
“I feel good about it because we have taken it to another level. We went and got a sponsor for the junior calypso show for Culturama; so now they move it to on the night of the opening of Culturama,” he said.
Defending his crown
This year he is looking forward to defending his Culturama crown. He is also the reigning Back-to-Back Ring Bang Calypso King, but has decided not to defend his crown this year.
Johnson is also confident that he would become victorious in the Nevis competition.
“I’m a very good defender and this is the easiest calypso show for me to prepare for. I don’t have to work about making finals,” he said. “I know this is the best thing happening to Nevis.
I don’t know if the complex would be able to hold all the people that plan to be there, as some people say they go to Culturama every year and the year that someone from St. Kitts won they miss it. So they say they ain’t missing it this year. So there are those who are coming up to see me win and those coming to see me lose. So that place will be filled.”
I-Soursop said that he used to be on stage as a prop performing with his neighbours Contender and Director when they sang calypso, and after several years of thinking about singing calypso he finally decided to give it a try.
In terms of the name ‘I-Soursop’, he said a lady gave him that name and although it is funny, he knew what he was going to sing about would not have been a joke. He also said that he would not change the name.
“The 10-time calypso king of Barbados goes by the name ‘Red Plastic Bag’, the Ellie Matt of Barbados. That is more joke than ‘Soursop’,” he said.
Appreciation is also extended to Nisbett Plantation Inn and Modern printers for their sponsorship.
