Lord Kitchener (calypsonian)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Lord Kitchener (April 18, 1922 - February 11, 2000) was one of the most internationally famous calypsonians. Born Aldwyn Roberts in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago, Kitchener's success began after he moved to England and soon became massively popular there. . His fame continued throughout the 1950s, when calypso achieved international success. Later, though, he moved towards Soca, a related style, and continued recording until his death. Kitchener's compositions were enormously popular as the chosen selections for steelbands to perform at the annual National Panorama competition during Trinidad Carnival.
His most famous songs include:
- Rain-o-rama (also the name he gave to his home in Trinidad)
- Pan in A Minor
- Sugar Bum Bum (noted as one of the first Soca songs)
- Bees' Melody
- Dr. Kitch (covered by Judge Dread, Dr. Ring-Ding, and others)
- Margie (written for his English wife, Marjorie)
- My Wife's Nightie
- Toco Band
- Pan In the 21st Century
Kitchener emigrated from Trinidad, spending six months in Jamaica before traveling on the Empire Windrush to the UK. It was during this time (1950's) that he met his wife Marjorie. During this period he built a large following in the expatriate communities from all West Indian isles.
Kitch is a very important to figure to those first 5000 West Indian migrants to the UK. His music spoke of home and a life that they all longed for but in many cases couldn't or wouldn't return to. On June 29 1950, he immortalised the defining moment for many of the migrants in writing 'Cricket, Lovely Cricket.' This was one of the first widely-known West Indian songs, and immortalised an event that historian and cricket enthusiast C. L. R. James defined as crucial to West Indian post-colonial societies. The song, later recorded by Lord Beginner, is rarely credited to Lord Kitchener although Tony Cozier and many who attended the Test at The Oval can attest that it was a Kitch composition.
Later in his life, Kitch lived in obscurity in Manchester. He was found there by a fellow Calypsonian, Mighty Sparrow, who brought him back to Trinidad, where he later died.
For further information on Mighty Sparrow and Kitch see the interview with Sparrow, referenced below.
Kitchener, who created highly-popular and sweet melodies, is honoured with a statue in Port of Spain. He is buried in the Santa Rosa Cemetery in Arima. A bust of the beloved entertainer is also on display on Hollis Avenue, Arima, not far from the Arima Stadium.
Kitchener's son, Kernel, is also a performer, playing drums for the biggest soca band in the Country, Xtatik. He's also their musical director and composer of the 2006 Road March.
