Black Stalin - Moving Up

Name: Black Stalin
Album: Moving Up
Year: 1988
Style: Calypso, Soca
Similar Bands: Mighty Sparrow, Blue Boy
"One-Word" Review: Island Second Line Parade
Based Out Of: San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago
Label: B's Records

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Moving Up (1988)

1. We Can Make It 7:30
2. No Way 5:48 /
3. We Ready 6:31
4. Think Well 7:35
5. We Ready Club Mix 6:17

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Arnold "Sly" Prunette - Guitar (Marcia Miranda, Easlyn Orr)
• Haynes Durity - Piano 
• Wayne Kirton - Synth (Elmer Hawkes, Mighty Sparrow, Melody, Blue Boy)
• Beaver Henderson - Synth (Lord Shorty, Gene Lawrence, Explainer, Fire Flight, Denyse Plummer, Kitch, Shadow, Marcia Miranda)
• Albert "Bushe" Junior - Bass (Blue Boy, Tambu, Swamp Dogg, Charlie Roots, Pan Assembly, David Rudder, Swamp Dogg)
• Joey Samuel - Drums (Red Plastic Bag)
• George Victory - Percussion, Backing Vox  (Errol Ince, Fatback Band, Shadow,Swallow, becket, Fire Flight, Arrow)
• Errol Ince - Trumpet Solos (Cyril Diaz & Orch. Red Plastic Bag, Swallow, Sparrow, Blueboy)
• Roy Cape - Sax Solos (Mighty Sparrow, Explainer, Lord Shorty)
• Glenda Ifill - Backing Vox (Blueboy, Becket, Winston Soso)
• Janet Alleyne - Backing Vox (Sparrow, Explainer, Becket)
• Leroy "Black Stalin" Calliste - Vox, Compositions, Producer
• Emanuel Ector - Arrangement & Direction
• Michael Gould - Exec Producer
• Eric Michaud - Engineer
• John Grossbard - Engineer
• Julian McBrown - Mixing
• Mike Theodore - Mixing
• Errol Dopwell - Cover Design & Graphics

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this artist, but I assume it will be reggae or calypso based on the info & colors on the back, perhaps mixed with hip-hop based on the cover artwork. I also love that there are adverts on the back for B's Records Restaurants (2 in NYC) and their "ultimate" nightclub.

Album Review: This is a great example of Calypso, Black Stalin's vocals are unique; piercing & sharp, and really pop in the production. The music is fun (as is most Calypso), reminding me of walking a second line in New Orleans. He is firmly against European colonization, and many of his songs reflect that. He's been singing since 1959, and has won the Calyoso Monarch crown 5 times (79,85,87,91,95).

Stand Out Track: We Can Make It

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