Frederick Street

Frederick Street is a 12 minute romp on original calypsos in the style of the evolving Calypso in Trinidad and Tobago. I have spent many months over many years in Trinidad with students and each time I visit I write another calypso just to continue my study of the art form. Frederick Street is the main shopping street of downtown Port of Spain Trinidad, and the downtown corridor through which all the masquerade bands pass on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. I imagine us hearing one band after another coming past us with a range of styles ranging from 19th and early 20th century styles of martial arts drumming and stick-fighting music, through the golden age of calypso in the mid-century, and then up to the present day version called "Soca." When we hear the original tune returning at the end, we know that the bands are coming back around and we have heard them all.