Ritmo Calipso - Winsop (Panama)

(Ecoll 001).

Another mysterious 7 inch... Found in Colombia but including 2 nice jazzy calypsos sounding like caribbean 60s. It might be a colombian bootleg, as they regularly did with foreign productions, sometimes changing name to avoid any traceability or just because it was unknown. I guess the original track comes from Panama, as Ecoll label released another miscredited 7 inch from De Briano with the Alonso Wilson Quintet (originally on AWB from Panama, check Musica del Alma here).

The A side is sung in english, B side in spanish, but both are really fresh and the singer reminds the smooth voice of Larry Francia, who sung with Ray Perez y sus Kenyas. 

Ritmo Calipso - Winsop:


Discover a caribbean jazz tune from Russ Henderson HERE.

Lord Cobra and Pana-afro Sounds (1979)

(Carnaval 363609).

Calypso is an early swaying tropical style from Trinidad but many productions can be found around the Caribbean: Lord Cobra (1926-2000) was a major calypso figures from Colon, multicultural harbor in Panama. In the late 60s he even made a song announcing the political party of Calypso! Ten years later he still delivers fresh and funny sounds...

Lord Cobra - German:


Article on The Silver People Chronicle: HERE.
More calypso from the Caribbean on Muzziclatrips: HERE.

Caribbean Rhythms from San Andres (1957)

(Folkways FW 8811).

San Andres is a caribbean island with english west indies influence. This is noticeable musically, but this island having being part of nicaraguan and now colombian territory, it also integrates latin culture and spanish language.

Goombay! - Brown Skin Gal

(DECCA ED 2500).

Many orchestras in the Caribbean where initially playing in fancy hotels, and this so called "Authentic Calypso Beat of the Bahamas" is played by Beacham Coakley's Emerald Beach Hotel Orchestra (the singer is Vincent Martin). Goombay corresponds to the name of a bahamian goatskin-headed drum (different from the jamaican squared drum gumbe), but also corresponds to the style of this music which can be considered as a kind of calypso using this specific drum.

The following track "Brown skin gal" is very close to "Matilda",  a 30s calypso (later becoming a famous classic after Harry Belafonte's version).

Goombay - Brown Skin Gal: