Calypso queen Heather Mac Intosh is hosting her first ever concert appearance, Hues of Heather, at Kaiso Blues Cafe, Newtown tonight, at 9 pm. She will have an all star band led by Michael “Ming” Low Chu Tung (keyboards); Dougie Redon (bass); Marva Newton (guitar); Daniel Ryan (saxophone); and, Richard Joseph (drums). Mac Intosh will be featuring three other calypso singers, former National Calypso Monarch Devon Seale, veteran Organizer and Ms Dija (Kadija Jeremiah.
The much-accomplished Mac Intosh began singing calypso in 1987 as her first junior calypso monarch competition and then as an adult in 2001 and almost every year made it to the National Calypso Monarch finals.
Her performances are noted for the humour she injects into current political and social commentary responding to the latest issues from visas to sport scandals, banking practices to medicalexams.
Mac Intosh attended college in Brazil and now teaches Portuguese at UWI.
So, beyond calypso, tonight’s repertoire will feature some sambas as well as calypsoes, even a few surprises.
Ms Dija has only been in the calypso arena for a few years and had previously been in the Divine Echoes and part of the new generation.
Seale has been a friend of Mac Intosh since they were competing in junior calypso competitions (which Heather won in 1995) and both went to school in Brazil—though at different locations.
The stalwart that will be featured tonight is Organizer known for songs like That’s a Bandit.
A past Kitchener Calypso Revue performer, he has been in Cro Cro’s Icons tent with Mac Intosh and has passed on advice to her about calypso singing and he has grown to be someone she really respects.
Hues of Heather will be hosted by Mac Intosh’s father Shortpants who has been in the calypso world for decades as a singer, composer, extempo artist, talk calypso companion and has become a wellknown radio personality hosting Culture Talk on Saturdays and Kaiso Kafe on Sundays at Talk Radio 91.1 FM. He has been composing for his daughter for many years.
Mac Intosh had beenfeatured a few years ago in a concert called The Queen, the Princess and the Duchess with Calypso Rose and Anne Fridal.
But this is her first chance to put her own show.
She said: “I wanted to offer culture out of the Carnival season, without the stress of competition, featuring favourites of my calypsoes and also sambas, use great musicians and feature other singers, great friends in the relaxed setting of Kaiso Blues Cafe.”
(Courtesy Ray Funk)
