Kid Kalaloo (Julien Hunte) and Brother Ebony (Fitzroy Joseph) were popular winners of the two top places in the semifinal round of the second annual Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco) National Humorous Calypso Monarch competition staged at the SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday night.
Kalaloo's She Tell Me took first place and Ebony's Not Mine captured second spot. They head the eight qualifiers selected from among 25 competitors who appeared before the adjudication panel seeking places, and an opportunity to dethrone defending Humorous Monarch Myron B (Myron Bruce).The final of the contest is scheduled to be held at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on April 6 from 8 pm.
The two experienced calypsonians were the undisputed bright spots on the evening's programme. They had the full house of patrons in stitches and calling for more with their well-crafted compositions that were among the few on show able to straddle the gap in humorous calypso that divides vulgarity from creativity.Third among the qualifiers was Combie (Jerimiah Combie) doing Country Driver, with fourth place going to Mr Mack (Victor McDonald) singing Side Effect.
Other finalists are:
�2 Black Sage (Phillip Murray)–Veteran Advice
�2 Brother Alpha (Alpha John)–Modern Society
�2 Dr Rhythm (Shawn McIntyre)–Unisex
�2 Brown Boy (Knolly Brown)–Airport Horrors
Other contestants and their selections were: Tobago Chalkie (Alex Gift)–A Stranger's Story; Lady Aiesha (Elizabeth George)–Come Back Home; Tunder (Tommy Morales)–Evelyn Tiger Cat; Sharon Alexis–Only Have Mouth; Hercules (Gierre Hercules)–Why; Punchin (Kenneth Thomas)–The Gynecologist; Bingo (Errol Rowe)–Lumber Yard; Dandy Man (Yosef Gibbs)–Karate Instructor; Sexie Suzie (Natasha Nurse)–Nothing Down Dey; Phill Dyer–My High-handed Wife; "D" Medic (Edson De Bourgh)–My Friend Jack; Caston Cupid–Moving On; Squeeze (Garth Washington)–Too Much PP In The Party; Ninja (Kenson Neptune)–Ah Buying; Hamidullah (Wahid Hamidullah)–Not My Boy; The Mechanic (Michael Brown) –The Encounter; and Cyclops (Allan Emmanuel) –Ah Loveable.
The National Humorous Calypso Monarch competition is an initiative of Tuco to promote the calypso art form after the Carnival is over.
Finalists will be competing for $75,000 in prize money. The first place contestant will receive $25,000.Guest appearances on the programme were made by Surpriser (Clevin Romero) and Typher (Cuthbert Blackett). Musical accompaniment was provided by Kelly Green & Harmony, and show hosts were Damion Melville and Godfrey Pierre.