Caribbean Radio Show Crs Radio Network

Slinger Francisco, better known as The Mighty Sparrow, affectionately dubbed, The Birdie is the unrivaled Calypso King of the World, with a career that spans over 40 years and counting. This artist par excellence has earned his rightful place as "King of the Calypso World" by defeating every other competitor/pretender to his throne. He has entertained audiences across the globe, including, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, to name but a few.Sparrow's roots are in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village in Grenada. He was born to a poor working class family. They migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad, when he was just one year old. . His vocal abilities also reflect his childhood role as the head choirboy who sang baritone and tenor in Latin in the church.

At the tender age of 20, Sparrow emerged, as the leading Calypsonian with his record-breaking hit, Jean and Dinah. (Yankees Gone, 1956 covered by Harry Belafonte). 

In 1958 he became the only calypsonian to have had a triple win, in the same year, in the Road March Competition. 

Around this same time, Mayor Ed Koch of New York proclaimed March 18th, The Mighty Sparrow Day. This illustrious lyricist/composer/singer/comedian/entertainer is an 11 time Calypso Monarch. This includes winning the King of Kings Competition (where every monarch in the calypso world is invited to compete against the Mighty Sparrow, each time suffering total defeat at his hands) in Trinidad. He also won the Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival Road March Competition eight (8) times, second only to the Lord Kitchener, (his songs were selected and played most often by the bands in this category). Sparrow received many other University citations and awards from Governments and organizations too numerous to mention.

The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Television, and Film was first published in 1992 and republished in 2003. Barer received a 1994 Edgar Award for the book. In 2010, Barer began research on a second edition for McFarland and Co., expanding the time period from 1992 through 2013 to include everything about the character of Simon Templar. Considered an expert on Simon Templar and the work of the character's creator, Leslie Charteris, Barer has written two novels, each published in 1997, based upon the character. The first was a novelization of the screenplay for the 1997 film adaptation of The Saint starring Val Kilmer, although the film was loosely based on the character. It was followed by Capture the Saint, which was released by The Saint Club (an organization founded by Charteris) to mark the 70th anniversary of the character's first appearance in Meet - The Tiger!. It is the most recent Saint story to be published as of 2006

DONOVAN CARLESS

The original Soul Syndicate vocalist, Donovan Carless brings smooth and silky singing that shows music fans an insight into what real reggae is about. Roots reggae music is ageless only getting better with time. The same can be said of Donovan and his singing style. The veteran singer has a deep reggae experience to his credit As half of Little Roy, he had his first hit in Jamaica and the first roots hit with the song “Bongo Nyah”. Then as singer with Soul Syndicate, the band that was crucial in the invention and popularization of reggae, he sang on many tracks that are now standards. Donovan sang and arranged seven top hits in both Jamaica and the UK most notably a reggae version of Be Thankful (For What You've Got),  In the recent years, Donovan has been reunited with his Soul Syndicate cohorts and has toured with bassist Fully Fullwood's Tosh Marley Tribute.

DONOVAN CARLESS

The original Soul Syndicate vocalist, Donovan Carless brings smooth and silky singing that shows music fans an insight into what real reggae is about. Roots reggae music is ageless only getting better with time. The same can be said of Donovan and his singing style. The veteran singer has a deep reggae experience to his credit As half of Little Roy, he had his first hit in Jamaica and the first roots hit with the song “Bongo Nyah”. Then as singer with Soul Syndicate, the band that was crucial in the invention and popularization of reggae, he sang on many tracks that are now standards. Donovan sang and arranged seven top hits in both Jamaica and the UK most notably a reggae version of Be Thankful (For What You've Got),  In the recent years, Donovan has been reunited with his Soul Syndicate cohorts and has toured with bassist Fully Fullwood's Tosh Marley Tribute.

Dream Love

Dreams of us permeates my nights so thrilling,

In them you are indeed, to me, loving so willing.

The passion we share there is so intense,

The love between us all wrongs do cleanse.

The words you utter each night, promise fidelity,

That flame in your eyes burn bright in sincerity. 

The moments we share, full of sweet delights,

A world built just for us, two lovers in heat,

The strength of our feelings keeps us upbeat. 

If in reality, this type of love we could obtain,

Together we would ride a passionate love train.

Would that what we have, could match the dreams,

Our time together, would produce passion screams.

To hold you close, as in my dreams and make love,

To feel your softness in my arms, my tender dove.

My love for you, transcends all planes of existence,

Reality or dreamland, I love you with true persistence. 

Carl Pontiak

Host Freddie Campbell travels the world to discover new bands that play ska music. Ska is style of music that developed in Jamaica in the 1950s as a precursor to Reggae. It has an easily recognisable style, characterised by bars made up of four triplets, with a definitive guitar chop on the offbeat. This is called an upstroke or skank.The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, ska jazz, reggae fusion and related styles. Jamaica's music culture is a fusion of elements from neighboring Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago (calypso and soca).

Host Freddie Campbell travels the world to discover new bands that play ska music. Ska is style of music that developed in Jamaica in the 1950s as a precursor to Reggae. It has an easily recognisable style, characterised by bars made up of four triplets, with a definitive guitar chop on the offbeat. This is called an upstroke or skank.The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, ska jazz, reggae fusion and related styles. Jamaica's music culture is a fusion of elements from neighboring Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago (calypso and soca).

Dream Love

Dreams of us permeates my nights so thrilling,

In them you are indeed, to me, loving so willing.

The passion we share there is so intense,

The love between us all wrongs do cleanse.

The words you utter each night, promise fidelity,

That flame in your eyes burn bright in sincerity. 

The moments we share, full of sweet delights,

A world built just for us, two lovers in heat,

The strength of our feelings keeps us upbeat. 

If in reality, this type of love we could obtain,

Together we would ride a passionate love train.

Would that what we have, could match the dreams,

Our time together, would produce passion screams.

To hold you close, as in my dreams and make love,

To feel your softness in my arms, my tender dove.

My love for you, transcends all planes of existence,

Reality or dreamland, I love you with true persistence. 

Carl Pontiak

b. 13 January 1946, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Boris Gardiner, bass player, vocalist and musical director, has never been one of reggae’s most celebrated names, but he has remained a permanent fixture in the music and has three major UK chart hits to his credit. His bass-playing skills first emerged in the late 60s, and the bands he graced included Byron Lee’s Dragonaires, the Aggrovators, Crystalites and many more. His first brush with chart success was ‘Elizabethan Reggae’, recorded for Lee, which hit number 14 in January 1970. Gardiner toured the UK in support of his hit, which, at first, was incorrectly credited to its producer. His debut album, again produced by Lee, was released the same year. In its wake, Gardiner immersed himself in session work, regularly playing as part of the Now Generation band, and he later became a member of Lee Perry’s Upsetters, following Carlton and Aston ‘Familyman’ Barrett’s defection to the Wailers. His solid, incisive basslines were seldom prominent, yet always effective. In the 80s, as reggae was on the cusp of the digital era, an age likely to put paid to the careers of bass players, Gardiner’s mellow, soulful voice came to the fore on a MOR reggae ballad, ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’, which hit number 1 in the UK charts. Gardiner, who had been intermittently dogged by illness throughout the 80s, was finally receiving his due. His follow-up, ‘You’re Everything To Me’, went to number 11, and the seasonal ‘The Meaning Of Christmas’ also scraped the charts.

b. 13 January 1946, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Boris Gardiner, bass player, vocalist and musical director, has never been one of reggae’s most celebrated names, but he has remained a permanent fixture in the music and has three major UK chart hits to his credit. His bass-playing skills first emerged in the late 60s, and the bands he graced included Byron Lee’s Dragonaires, the Aggrovators, Crystalites and many more. His first brush with chart success was ‘Elizabethan Reggae’, recorded for Lee, which hit number 14 in January 1970. Gardiner toured the UK in support of his hit, which, at first, was incorrectly credited to its producer. His debut album, again produced by Lee, was released the same year. In its wake, Gardiner immersed himself in session work, regularly playing as part of the Now Generation band, and he later became a member of Lee Perry’s Upsetters, following Carlton and Aston ‘Familyman’ Barrett’s defection to the Wailers. His solid, incisive basslines were seldom prominent, yet always effective. In the 80s, as reggae was on the cusp of the digital era, an age likely to put paid to the careers of bass players, Gardiner’s mellow, soulful voice came to the fore on a MOR reggae ballad, ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’, which hit number 1 in the UK charts. Gardiner, who had been intermittently dogged by illness throughout the 80s, was finally receiving his due. His follow-up, ‘You’re Everything To Me’, went to number 11, and the seasonal ‘The Meaning Of Christmas’ also scraped the charts.