V Becket serenades mothers 6. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
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sStory and photo by ELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; naking11236@gmail.com US CORRESPONDENT
LEGENDARY VINCENTIAN-BORN, Caribbean soca artiste/composer Alston “Becket” Cyrus on Saturday night wowed the huge audience and serenaded mothers at a major concert in Brooklyn, New York. Becket was among a caste of Caribbean artistes and cultural figures at the New York-based Everybody’s Magazine annual “Mother We Love You Concert” at the Walt Whitman Theater, Brooklyn College. Among others who serenaded mothers and the four honorees at the gala event were Trinidadian Calypso Monarch Chucky Gordon, Lyrikal, Kaci Fennell, Miss Universe Jamaica, Biggie Irie and Delcita. “Nice to be in New York again; greetings from St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” exclaimed Becket, a Layou native, as Vincentians in the audience proudly hailed back:
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” “We’re going to stand up and clap for all the mothers all over the world,” Becket implored the crowd, while rendering ‘Mama’, his monster hit dedicated to mothers. The crowd approved and instantly responded, with a standing ovation . The Vincentian Goodwill Ambassador then struck up ‘President Obama’, urging the audience to chime in with “Obama, Obama, Obama.” At the end of the song, Becket distributed free CDs to some patrons. ‘President Obama’ was requested by Herman Hall, the Grenadian-born publisher of Everybody’s Magazine, Becket said. ‘President Obama’ is one of four new tracks that appear on Becket’s latest CD, ‘The Singles File’ — a mixture of hit singles that were never on an album. Becket’s ‘President Obama’ is considered one of the better among many songs written in commemoration of Barack Obama becoming the first black
Becket wows audience at Mother’s Day Concert. In 1976, Becket began working with calypso and soca’s arranger extraordinaire, Vincentian-born Frankie President of the United States, awards, at the first ever and the song is expected to be Caribbean Music Awards, at the McIntosh, a union that still lodged in the President Barack world famous Apollo Theatre in exists today. Obama Library when that is Harlem, New York. commissioned in Chicago. Becket also copped an award Patrons’ impressions from the Trinidad and Tobago “Becket’s performance was Waking up the crowd Association of Houston, Texas fabulous,” Georgetown native for “Teaser”. Oscar James, a singer, In a world in which there is In 1994, Ella Me Vacila, the songwriter, producer and so much strife, conflict and Spanish version of “Teaser”, musician, told THE schism, Becket, a US Army earned Becket a BMI Latin VINCENTIAN. veteran, reminded patrons that Award and a “In spite of being in the ‘Love is The Answer’. a song Billboard/Univision Award for business so long, he was very that was remade in 2001 the Salsa/Tropical Song of the featuring post-911 lyrics. Year. Cover versions of “Teaser” energetic,” added James.. “The crowd reciprocated well to his Then, as the audience began have been translated into winding up, the veteran soca several languages, Becket said. performance. He still has it in him.” artiste/calypsonian blasted The dynamic, versatile Ainsley Primus, president of ‘Coming High’ — a 1977 breakartiste has had a distinguished out hit that earned him gold. 39-odd-year career, producing a the Brooklyn-based, Vincentianowned Dynamite Calypso Tent, “We changed the name, and record 26 albums; numerous agreed, stating that Becket outwe call it award-winning singles; one performed others. something movie soundtrack, “Disco “I think it was a very good else,” Becket Calypso”, in The Deep motion performance,” added the Arnos said. picture; and five compositions, Vale native, who is also “What did featured in four American TV president of Level Vibes we call it?” he programs — the sitcom Full Promotions in Brooklyn and proceeded to House and The Tonight Show ask, as patrons with Jay Leno among them. The founder and organizer of the Vincy New Song Competition in roared back: calypsonian par excellence has New York. “He was better than “Marijuana”. also earned eight Road March the Calypso Monarch of Suddenly, titles. some, who Becket — who has performed Trinidad and Tobago. “Becket is an experienced were initially throughout the Caribbean, artiste,” Primus continued. “It hesitant to Canada, the United States, wine, sprang Spain, England and Columbia — was typical Becket with his classic ‘Teaser’.” into action made history in 2000 when he Four mothers were honoured with the became the first Caribbean at the gala, namely Guyanese monster 1990 artiste to perform at the US banker Bibi Zoriena Sankar, hit “Teaser” for Open Tennis Tournament in Grenadian community advocate which Becket, Flushing Meadows, Queens, Gloria Rennie-Murray; and a year later, New York. received the Additionally, he was listed as Jamaicans Simone HoSang, an entrepreneur, and Mavis Record of the one of the 17 Outstanding Cameron, a community Year and Best Caribbean Personalities of the advocate. Party Tune 20th Century.
Section of the audience at Mother’s Day Concert.