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

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
People Pill
Allmusic
Trinidad Express
Rate your Music

Blue Boy - Superman

Name:Blue Boy
Album: Superman
Year: 1982
Style: Reggae, Calypso, Funk , Soca
Similar Bands: Mighty Sparrow, Pinchers & Pliers, Lord Shorty
"One-Word" Review: Funky Reggae Party Music
Based Out Of: Trinidad
Label: Charlie's Records, Charles

Cover & Record

Back & Record

Superman (1982)

1. Superman 6:54
2. Pan in the Air 4:42
3. Rebecca 5:57 / 
4. Swing 5:08
5. Party 6:39
6. Slavation 5:52

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Austin Lyons Blue Boy - Composition (Apple Stars Steel Orch., Explainer)
• Pelham Goddard - Arrangement & Conducted, Keys (Ed Watson & the Brass Circle, Mighty Kinger, Lord Shorty, Brother Mudada, Mighty Swallow, Mighty Sparrow)
• Rawlston Charles - Producer
• Colin Stephen - Congas Percussion (Pied Pipers, Charlie's Roots, David Rudder)
• Vernon Headley - Drums (Charlies Roots, Red Plastic bag, David Rudder, Swamp Dogg)
• Emanuel Ector - Bass (Swallow, Pan Assembly)
• Anthony Voison - Guitar (Charlies Roots,Tambu, David Rudder, Inspector, Arrow, Calypso Rose)
• Junior Wharwood - Guitar (Charlies Roots, Lord Shorty, Arrow, David Rudder, Explainer)
• Len Boogsia Sharpe - Pan (Monty Alexander's Ivory Steel, Lord Shorty, PM Dawn, Swamp Dogg, 
• Clyde Mitchell - 1st Trumpet (Ed Watson & The Brass Circle, Lord Shorty, Charlie's Roots, Arrow, Explainer, Black Stalin, Baron)
• David Pilgrim - 2nd Trumpet (Bunny Mack, Jewel Ackah, Harry Panday)
• Skel - Tenor Sax
• Jamesie - Trombone
• Akili Walker - Engineer
• Kevin Burke - Photographer
• Hollis King - Art Direction
• Jon Fausty - Engineer
• Charmaine Yates - Vox (Becket, Winston Soso)
• Glenda Ifill - Vox (Becket, Winston Soso, Black Stalin)
• Valerie Brewster - Vox (Melody, Brigo, Brother Resistance)
• Jenifer Pequerra - Vox

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Super Blueboy, but i love the cover of the artist in a Superman-Like outfit, flying in the sky, carrying a blue record. All hints on the back suggest this is Reggae / Calypso, so I have no reason to doubt it

Album Review: So on top of Calypso, there is a little funk & R&B element added into the production,. giving a little more dimension to the genre. Which is a genre all it's own called Soca, or Sokah, which is short for the Soul of Calypso, reinvigorating traditional Calypso with Funk, Soul, Jazz to make a new genre that kept Calypso relevant. Blue Boy/Superblue/Austin Lyons is an award winnng and groundbreaking musician that was the first winner & double winner of the Soca Monarch award, first calypso performer on Sesame Street and the first calypso performer at London's Wembley Convention Center in '91.

Stand Out Track: Pan in the Air

Links:
Discogs
Wiki
Pan on the net
Caribbean Beat
Caribbean HOF
When Steel Talks