The Signal Hill Alumni Choir performs their unique arrangements
of "longtime" and current calypsoes. They
breathe new life into the works of Terror, Roaring Lion,
Kitch, David Rudder, Merchant, Tobago Crusoe, Black Stalin and
Shadow. Track 15 brings the Bajan Invasion giving us One
Caribbean Voice.
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Umbayaya
-
One Caribbean Voice
-
Home Sweet Home
- Soca Jam
-
Pacro Water
-
Caroline
-
Celebrate African Woman
-
Rudder Medley
- Rainorama
- Soca Ambassadors
-
Poverty Is Hell
- One Caribbean Voice (alt)
- Caroline (alt)
-
Celebrate African Woman
(alt)
- Bajan Invasion
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ONE CARIBBEAN VOICE
Signal Hill Alumni Choir
Folklore Calypso
Read review
eCaroh Price: $15.95
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Pleasantly jaunty is about the best way to describe Signal Hill
Alumni Choir’s One Caribbean Voice. In this their fourth CD —
others are Xmas Coming (1987), Xmas Coming Sequel
(1988) and Seasons (1992) — the Tobago-based folk chorale is
customarily smooth, their instruments, pan.
In particular, adding sweet accompaniment. And they’ve selected a
wide range of music: like Soca Jam, a medley of last year’s
party hits, including Ronnie McIntosh’s Ent; Third Bass’s
High High; 3-Canal’s Blue; and Big Truck by soca
superstar Machel Montano. Despite the pace changes, the songs flow
smoothly and professionally, typical of a choir which was last year
awarded a Hummingbird Gold Medal. Other popular and well-known
tracks include Umbayaya, Rudder Medley, and
Caroline. I found it hard to swallow the impersonation of Shadow
by one of the basses in the theme song,One Caribbean Voice —
and in the choir’s take on Shadow’s Poverty Is Hell. We
already know he isn’t Shadow, so why the attempt? And I was sorely
confused when, in trying to follow the order of the tracks, I
realised they were printed in incorrect order on the back cover.
Nevertheless, musical director and composer of two of the songs (One
Caribbean Voice and Soca Ambassadors) John Arnold has
done a decent job. If you’re looking for a CD to keep your guests
politely chipping at your soirée, this is it. [MH - Caribbean Beat] |