Calypso music
The first major stars of calypso started crossing over to new audiences worldwide in the late 1930s. Attila the Hun, Roaring Lion and Lord Invader were first, followed by Lord Kitchener, one of the longest-lasting calypso stars in history—he continued to release hit records until his death in 2000. 1944's "Rum and Coca-Cola" by the Andrews Sisters, a cover version of a Lord Invader song, became an American hit despite the song being a very critical commentary on the explosion of prostitution, inflation and other negative influences accompanying the American military bases in Trinidad at the time. Perhaps the most straightforward way to describe the focus of calypso is that it articulated itself as a form of protest against the authoritarian colonial culture which existed at the time.
Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz
Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz was a Calypso band in the city of Berlin, and one of the few on the continent of Europe. It was formed to bring public awareness of the style to countries across Europe, but later gained a healthy following in Russia and Japan, as well.
The musical style, originally from the island of Trinidad, began in earnest in the mid- 1920s, when it was first recorded, and grew in popularity in the United States in the 1950s through the work of Harry Belafonte. Since then, the genre has been all but forgotten in Europe. From the inception of the band the genre has become slowly recognized as a legitimate and dance-worthy musical form within the continent, spreading from Berlin outwards.
Although the band was based in Berlin, the members came from all over the world, including the U.S., Russia, England, Australia, Brazil, Poland, France, Italy, Finland, and of course, Germany.
The band stayed within the classic sound of the 1920s and 1930s as possible, while still utilizing modern recording techniques. While much of its work is original, there are also covers, used as a reference point, by such calypso heavyweights as Roaring Lion, Young Tiger, Caresser and Lord Invader.