![Tent leader and founder Linus Cadette aka “TC Brown” [PHOTO BY Allen Alexander]](https://www.thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/TC-Brown.jpg)
Kaiso Pros Tent [KPT] is the latest crew in the local calypso arena and they want to make a statement that will define the magnitude and ingenuity of their craft.
KPT presented its slate of artists at a media launch, on Wednesday, and provided an overview of the group’s aims and aspirations.
Tent leader and founder Linus Cadette aka “TC Brown” has been in the calypso arena for the past 23 years and feels it is time to add some flair, and personality, and create a more lucrative business acumen for the artists.
Cadet said he was motivated to try and take on something new during the ‘downtime’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and “Sitting at home thinking about what I’m going to do with my skills,” he worked on refining his musical skills and upgrading his craft.
“But when they announced Carnival (festivities), out of the blue the tents woke up again…but just to come and do two shows,” he told THE VOICE.
“My soul couldn’t allow me to treat the art form like that,” Cadet added. “I just found that I had to do something.”
TC Brown, a two-time calypso monarch wants to utilize the energy, talent, and freshness within the crew to help stir up more colorful entertainment that can transcend past the calypso season. He hopes that KPT can transition into a ‘high–energy performance’ outfit, capable of taking the calypso genre on show tours across the country.
He said that business-wise, two shows a year did not cut it for the artists and there was a need to “make some serious money and returns” and not just wait for a whole year to get on stage twice.
“So I find it to be a terrible thing and I had to do something about it, and that’s my direct approach to doing something about it.” he declared
Brown, a solo-performing artist who has been involved with several tents over the past 23 years in his calypso career felt it was time to take the lead in seeking to source better economic fortunes for artists.
He had been toying with the idea for some time and sees this initiative as an opportunity to launch into the wider entertainment circles.
He began the sojourn with the Ambassadors Tent, in 1999, and has done stints with Soca Village and Fire One.
But in all of this, he says, there was no fulfillment in the works as “there is no development, no direction, no focus, no vision to make you feel like you want to stay here and be part of something that wants to grow.”
Brown says “the fire has always been there,” along with a passion and yearning to provide more professionalism and soulful dynamism to kaiso presentations.
“I’m a builder, I’m a producer …and I like to build people. I like to see young people getting involved, seeing them grow, and giving them a stage where they can perform and gain knowledge and the backing,” he declares.
KPT boasts a cast of 13 calypsonians, made up of budding male and female artists, alongside seasoned veterans including TC Brown and Lennon Prospere aka “Mighty Blaize”- two of KPT’s directors. He feels this initiative has great prospects to produce some good calypsonians.
The KPT tent leader said it was not too challenging in selling the idea to other members of the cast. “We just kept the vision real …it’s almost like where any aspiring artist wants to go. You want to perform, you want a stage, you want to be part of a group where knowledge, networking is an aspect of this development,” he added.
He said KPT promotes a strong message of creativity, ‘of wanting to be you’ and aspiring for higher standards in the artform.
The KPT cast includes the likes of female artists such as Andra, a soulful crooner; Desma, a former Queen Pageant winner from Dennery; Mystic, a school teacher who has performed on stage; and Kitana, who is into the Soca groove.
KPT Tuesday – is one of the new concepts that the group will promote to stage its shows on that day (Tuesdays) at the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) calypso tents so as not to disrupt the weekend calypso presentations.
KPT’s musical director is Zari, a member of the Police Band and leader of the band – Invasion. He has been the writer and arranger for Brown’s music over the years.
Barry George is the artistic Director and there are other persons providing support in areas of marketing, accounting, and promotions that make up a ‘well blended’ team.
Expressing KPT’s overall pursuits, in a nutshell, Brown asserted: “To enhance the art of calypso in all its genres. And when we say calypso we are talking about all genres, Soca, Dennery Segment, Groovy, and the mother itself – Kaiso.”
With several catch-phrases to define KPT, such as Keep People Talking, We are the Way …and the Future is now, Mighty Blaize describes it as “bringing fresh talent to the art form…the cast is very eager, happy and excited to be a part of this and we want to give them a stage to perform.”