Sparrow is Summoned!

OK, this is weird.
I took the day off to work the library used book sale.
On the way back from lunch, I thought, probably be
slow in the afternoon, I'll pick up a paper and do the crossword.

Instead of jumping to Variety, I read thru the main news,
for word on the Govt Shutdown (I still have to go to work,
I've been declared essential, but might not get paid until June.
The last shutdown we thought we were essential,
but we were only self-important, and barred at the office door.)

I see an entertainment ad on page 5, strange place for it,
oh, its the Dakota, that fancy jazz place downtown,
wait! what? Club ad for <<Mighty ---->>?

Oh, letdown, it's the "Mighty Clouds of Joy".
At least its not the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones.
Wait? Whats the next line?

Mighty Sparrow and Calypso Rose!!

Apr 21. I phone the club and there are just a few seats left.
Gotta check the bank balance, get permission from the wife,
offer a perfunctory invitation to my kids,...
No takers?... OK, go on-line....
Bingo!! (or should that be Bongo!) Got me a reserved seat.


Around ten days ago, I revive my blog for no discernible reason,
cut and paste in some of my old favorites,
then get fresh inspiration to post
a dozen Sparrow tunes and start writing
a layman's introduction to Sparrow and Calypso.

Ten days later, I find out Sparrow,
who retired several years ago,
is coming to my hometown.

Can I help but think I put Obeah on him
and executed a Summoning Spell?
This worked better than any chain letter or
internet prayer circle.

In my cultural universe, there's James Joyce,
Mighty Sparrow and Leo Kottke, with a few
others trailing in the distance. This is big.

Sparrow - Melodist

Sparrow the Melodist

Obeah Wedding - Sparrow's most beautiful melody - so
uncharacteristically beautiful that there are persistent
rumours that it wasn't his.

==

The singer watches Melda's attempts to snare him into marriage.
He slags her persistence, her hygiene and now her attempt to
enlist the aid of the local Obeah Man, to provide spells and charms
to induce the lazy, complacent singer to marry her.

The story literally unfolds, as the initial impression of silly
Melda surrounding his bed with lavender candles and gris-gris
gives way to the realization that she is his mistress and
bed-partner who wants a promotion to bride and wife.
It takes on a more universal character then. You could imagine
a twentyish girl at the new-age candle shop, planning
just the right spell to get her "roommate" to be her "husband".

There is a Runyonesque twist at the end. I used to think
calypso was just Harry Belafonte and cruise-ship acts.
Sparrow takes it much further, and deeper and closer to its origins,
while bringing it to the modern age.

He is a rough contemporary of Little Richard and still plays live
now and then.