September 1978 |
November 1982 |
September 1992 |
Publisher’s Greetings
Photographer Ken Chandler, with his soulcalypso (soca) and disco
DJ colleagues, in the 1970s. |
I realized what a long period 30 years was only after our summer
intern, Jabari Holder, started organizing our vast collection of
photographs. Jabari, the son of Trinidadian and Jamaican parentage,
was fascinated by the collection and frequently asked questions
about it. Many photos brought nostalgic feelings and the realization
that 30 years is indeed a very long time! (FYI: EVERYBODY’S now
spells calypso “calipso” the way it was originally spelt by its
creators in late 19th century Trinidad.)
Photos of Rufus Gorin, founder of Brooklyn’s carnival, at our
award event of 1979 that benefited Marcus Garvey Nursing Home, or
Calypso Rose, on our 1977 and 1978 covers, when she made calipso
history, are reasons why the EBM editorial team now presents
highlights of carnival and calipso -1977-2007.
It seems like it was just yesterday that Shadow and the late Lord
Kitchener held 9-year-old Machel Montano on their shoulders as he
participated with them in an interview with EVERYBODY’S at the then
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden.
It seems like it was just yesterday that we featured Blue Boy and
his “Soca Baptist” hit; Arrow’s 1984 recording of “Feeling Hot,
Hot,” or that we were in the studio all night with Swallow as he
recorded “Subway Jam” or “Party Party.”
As if it were only yesterday, The New York Times, New Yorker, New
York Magazine, Newsday, Daily News, and radio and television
stations relied on EVERYBODY’S Magazine to get information on
Brooklyn’s Carnival.
Time has changed. The New York Times and Daily News and WCBS-TV
are now experts on covering Brooklyn’s Carnival. Today’s budding
soca artists don’t need calipso labels such as Charlie’s Record or
Straker Records, young artists now have easy access to national
labels. Excellent! Caribbean music is getting worldwide exposure as
calipso artists of the 1930s and 1940s did.
Times have truly changed! Carnival in Brooklyn, Miami, Toronto,
Atlanta and other cities is no longer about promoting Caribbean
culture and instilling pride. For many, it is about exhibiting lewd
behavior.
For 30 years, Caribbean divisiveness and insecurity plagued this
publication – “too much calypso,” too much on Jamaica,” “you are a
reggae magazine,” “too much carnival,” “not enough calypso,” “not
enough on Barbados, “you are a Trinidad magazine,” and so on.
We are proud to say that reader reaction— beginning with our
inaugural issue of January 1977—to our photos has been the exact
opposite: Praiseworthy by all! What a pity, we did not generate
enough advertising revenues to provide more pages of commemorative
photographs, 1977-2007!
Our first photographer, the late Ken Chandler, demanded
perfection. Other photographers, such as Lloyd Patterson, Kwame
Brathwaite, Nathan Jean Jacques, Roger Hayden Celestin and others
emulated the standard set by Chandler. The 1972-1976 photos on pg.
34 are Ken Chandler masterpieces.
I dedicate this issue in memory of Ken Chandler and Carlos Lezama,
developer of Brooklyn’s Carnival, and I thank all our photographers.
Readers thank you for sustaining us for 30 years. We plan to give
you two more 30-year anniversary specials.
Regards
Herman
herman@everybodsmag.com
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