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.
Melodisc Records
[John Cowley, "I Been Down In The Circle Before Black music, topicality and social history", 6 March 2007. The band of Eastern Caribbean migrants led by Cyril Blake and organised by Denis Preston for his first calypso session, at EMI’s north-west London studios, Abbey Road, on 30 January 1950, included musicians who had migrated to Britain both before and after the Second World War. Depicted (left) is the Trinidad septuagenarian Brylo Ford (cuatro – a small four-string ukulele-like guitar of Venezuelan origin) and Fitzroy Coleman (guitar); the latter performer arrived in the UK from Trinidad in 1945 with ‘Al’ Jennings’ All-Star Caribbean Orchestra. A multi instrumentalist, Ford came to the UK in the 1920s. He also played double bass and flute and sang under the sobriquet of "Le Duc" or The Duke". Recalling the traditions of his early years in the island of his birth, his repertoire included the kalenda commemorating Myler’s singular stick-fight victory "Boul’ vé-sé" (Melodisc 1134)]
This is one of the earliest recordings of Jamaican tunes recorded by a Jamaican performer, and also one of the very few calypso recordings by a woman. Louise Bennett recorded these two tunes in late 1950 (just prior to the beginning of Stanley Motta's MRS label), backed by the Caribbean Serenaders. The tunes are "Linstead Market" (described on the label as Jamaican Rhumba) and "Bongo Man" (Jamaican Christmas Song). There are some excellent jazzy instrumental solos on trumpet, clarinet and alto sax in addition to Louise's vocals.}
 ("ELTON HAYES, was well-known to radio and television audiences of the 1950s as "the man with the small guitar". Hayes specialised in old English folk songs and ballads such as "From Priggs that Snaffle the Prancers Strong" and "The Ratcatcher's Daughter". He sang to his own guitar accompaniments with an easy charm that came strongly over the microphone. After making his radio debut on "Children's Hour", Hayes occupied the guest star slot on every major radio variety show including "In Town Tonight", "varietyWorkers' Playtime", "Variety Bandbox", Terry-Thomas's "Top of the Town" and Eric Barker's "Just Fancy". He occasionally presented "Housewives' Choice"; and on "Children's Hour" he sang Edward Lear's nonsense rhymes. Hayes's version of "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" was recorded by Parlophone and became a regular item on "Children's Favourites". In 1954 he was given his own series "Elton Hayes - He Sings to a Small Guitar", a misquotation from "The Owl and the Pussycat" that became his catchphrase. This was followed by "Close Your Eyes", a late-night "bedtime" programme of light music, and Elton Hayes in a Tinker's Tales, in which Hayes, as an itinerant tinker, narrated a story which a cast of actors then dramatised as a musical play. Hayes also wrote the music and songs for the series. This is one of his rarer really charming early folk 78s recorded before his famous Parlophone "hits".)
 Alwyn "Lord Kitchener "Roberts, acc. by Freddy Grant's Caribbean Rhythm: Freddy Grant (to?); Bertle King (alto); Mike McKenzie (pno); Fitzroy Coleman (gtr); Neville Boucarut (bass); Clinton Maxwell (des). Recorded 15 March 1951. London.
 Recorded 12 April 1951, Joe Saye (p, accor), Johnny Wiltshire (g), Lawrence Anthony (b). 
OR :1206 "Over a bottle of wine" /"Undecided" -Tito Burns and his Sextet - 9 January 1952 (Melodisc). Leon Calvert (tp), Jimmy Chester (as,bs), Rex Morris (ts), Tito Burns (acc), Ronnie Price (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Derek Price (d), Terry Devon (vocal).
 NB. Highlife Rakers Calypso No.1 / Wa Ba Mi Jo Bosue [2968/2969] Fela Ransome-Kuti and His Highlife Rakers (unissued), recorded at the same session as Melodisc 1532]
(Label states : 'In the new Asiko Rhythm & Sung in Creo/ Sung in Creo')
 Cab Kaye. ["Kwamlah Quaye Sextetto Africana" - Cab Kaye vocals and conga, Laurie Deniz gtr, Chris O'Brien bass, Frank Holder bongos, Chris Ajilo clave] moving into the 1950s he was mainly working in the Netherlands, France and Germany, only occasionally returning to Britain to lead his own band in various residencies, and going solo in shows. During this period he recorded "Don't You Go Away", as the Kwamlah Quaye Sextetto Africana: the group included guitarist Laurie Deniz (who was born in Cardiff in 1924, his father was from Cape Verde); bassist Chris O'Brien; on bongos, Frank Holder (who had come from British Guiana (now Guyana) to serve in the RAF); and Chris Ajilo on claves. Moving back to Britain in 1957 Kaye worked with Eric Delaney, and often with Humphrey Lyttelton, as well as leading his own band. Prior to leaving for Ghana in May 1962, he recorded "Everything Is Go" in honour of John Glenn, the first US astronaut to orbit the earth. Kaye moved back to Britain in 1970 - fulfilling various club residencies in London and leading his own quartet - then on to Amsterdam, where he opened a piano bar. He died in the Netherlands in 2000.]
 (Louis Jordan (alto s, voc), Chris Barber (trom, voc), Pat Halcox (trom), Ian Wheeler (clar, alto s), Eddie Smith (banjo), Dick Smith (bass), Graham Burbidge (dms). Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes 15 December 1962)