David Rudder speaks to James Toussaint about working with Lord Kitchener
“Lord Kitchener was a consummate professional, a stickler for time, if he told you 6 he will be there 5 to 6 and impeccably dressed. Kitch always knew what he wanted and didn’t stop until he achieved it.
My relationship with the Grandmaster goes back to 1972 at the Revue then located at the Princess building at the Queens Park Savannah. We were hired by Kitch to do background vocals together with Carl and Carol Jacobs.
Aldwin Roberts Lord Kitchener will soon celebrate 100 years, he was a Calypsonian like no other. He was a great classical composer with songs like Nora Nora and Margie.
Kitch was very persistent, he will have you go over a line many times until he got it perfect. He was a very generous man. he once gave away a brand new Jaguar to one of his fellow Calysonians. He respected his colleagues just as much as we respected him.”
David Rudder remains our Calypso’s only triple crown winners when he took the three titles back in 1986, with songs like Hammer and Bahia Girl. David said that there weren’t any personal rivalry between the two greats.
“It was just business much like a Machel and an Iwer.”
The talk of Rivalry was only to drum up business. It was no secret that Lord Kitchener had a love for pan and was known as the Calypsonian that composed the most songs for the steelpan. When asked about mentorship Rudder said they learnt on the job.
“People expected each year that Kitch will bring home the road march, Sparrow will occasionally break the streak of winnings but it was Sparrow who will most likely win the Road March crown. Much like how we expected the same of Superblue and Machel Montano.
David confessed that he likes listening to classical music and he said that Kitch was a classical singer, with songs like Nora and Margie as two examples of Kitch Classics.”Kitch has such classics that we can do an entire show entitled Kitch Classics.
Songs created for the steelpan like Pan in A Minor, Bees Melody, Earthquake, Symphony in G are sure indications of Kitch love for the steelpan.
“We rose to the challenge at the Revue and Kitch liked our backing so he kept us on as a permanent fixture at the review. You had to be disciplined to be around Kitch. Kitch strived for excellence and he always seek to raise the bar. He knew exactly what quality he wanted and he stopped at nothing to achieve it.
Kitch was a father figure. We joined the Revue 5 or 6 years after it started at the Princess Royal building at the Savannah. Kitch couldn’t stand lateness. If you work with Kitch you are expected to be on time.
He transformed the heart of darkness story with Nora. In song he turned the tables making the English oppressor the victim and he was the man of compassion. Kitch was cultured and liked mischief.
Kitch was brave and wasn’t afraid to take on the big issues of the day when he arrived in England aboard the windrush. He became the voice of the minority, the under privileged and the oppressed.
David then sang, “You cannot get away from the fact if you are not white you are black”. He cited as one example of the songs he would sing in support of the oppressed. He wasn’t afaid to tackle the race issue. He became the voice of the people. If something happened in Jamaica or any Island for that matter he sang about it. He sang songs for Ghana – one of which, which mind, you eventuslly became the unofficial anthem in Ghana Africa. He is a well loved figure in Ghana.
Happy 100 years Kitch, your legacy lives on.
