One of the great calypso musicians admired for his originality and wry humour
In the flamboyant world of calypso, Mighty Shadow, who has died aged 77, stood out as an eccentric counterpoint to the colourful norm. On stage, typically clad in dark cape and wide-brimmed black hat, he would perform with a slight frown while either standing still or moving in jumpy, jerky movements as his deep, tremulous voice conveyed a vulnerability that was matched by songs of personal frailty and wild imaginings.
It was a persona and outlook that stood in dramatic contrast to the classic bravura of the typical calypsonian, one that might have been expected to generate either bemusement or scorn in his native Trinidad and Tobago. But in fact it proved so original, so eerily amusing and so engaging that Shadow quickly came to be hailed as one of the greats.
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