By Ernesta Gibbs
July 17, 2019. Edited August 7, 2019
“Since last year, I ain’t fooling yuh. . . . I need a hook line . . . . (poignant injection of sweet instrumentals). . . . I need a tempo. . . “. My pick of Crop Over calypsos. A mighty big song for a little bit of a boy with a big future in social commentary in the Pic O De Crop adults calypso competition.
Trying on for size! Not real, but good enough
Congratulations to The Mighty Bit Bit, undoubtedly one of Barbados’ best younger calypsonians, for capturing the 2019 Junior Monarch title in the six to 10 years old category of the kaiso competition on Saturday, July 20, with a splendid arrangement by Roger Gittens of De Style of A Calypso, penned and crafted by Mighty Gabby (Anthony Carter, Dr.h.c.), and with which he could easily upstage the seniors were such time to come.
Done it!
Kenaz Walker is a star on or off the stage of the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium. Apart from seeing him in a live televised show or a replay, either performing or during an interview, the last time I saw him in person, was when he was a regular customer of the convenience store at which I worked with Rubis Service Station in Wildey.
For every disrespectful customer, and there are many, those with an attitude like that of little Kenaz can make one’s work entirely worthwhile. In this instance, I am a feature writer, and I have chosen to highlight Kenaz Walker: Bit Bit and The Mighty Bit Bit, both the customer and the performing artiste.
Viewing this year’s production on national television, and seeing the eight-year-old’s intro to his impressive performance in which he appears in the role of a customer, recalled golden memories of survival that singled him out on my job.
That was three years ago. His stage name then was Bit Bit. Bold, bubbly, and every bit an adorable child, I can readily say that he was one of the most polite, interactive customers I’ve ever had the pleasure to serve in the industry either face to face or remotely. Customer service training showed me how to deal with some types of customers but exceptional ones like Kenaz was not among them.
Engaging manners
What always struck me were his engaging manners and his smile. Whether he was accompanied by his mother, big sister, or composer and mentor The Mighty Gabby, his behaviour was consistently positive, as was theirs.
I think any of my coworkers Wendy, Peggy, June, Taneisha, our “two Taras” (Smith and Cesar) Donna, Lisanne and others would have attested to that if they were asked, as would our supervisors Beverley, Sally-Ann and Myrtle. So too, would have our manager Don, one year onwards from August 2, 2018, could he have been with us apart from in spirit. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
The intro – not shown in this article – features Bit Bit pausing to acknowledge the greeting of a gentleman lounging nearby while he is purchasing an item from a shopkeeper. The neighbourhood patriarch gives him sound, timely advice about stage performance, which he takes hook and line with his tempo, as we witnessed, to sink the other contenders fishing for the title of Junior Monarch.
On a far different note, I found out that Bit Bit’s cheerful disposition in the intro video belied his recent despondence over his end-of-term position at St. Paul’s Primary School, where he placed fifth in class with 98%.
Based on the fact that the first placed two pupils tied with scores of 100% each, and the next two tied with scores of 99% each, the tearful child reasoned that he came third and not fifth! Notwithstanding, his disappointment was soon absorbed by the excitement of rehearsing for his looming calypso engagement with less than two weeks to go for the show.
Undaunted, well prepared, and not be outdone, there was no question that the hardworking, dedicated boy was the most dynamic of the six budding performers. In his hefty amassment of an excellent 100 points out of 100 for melody, diction, presentation, and lyrics, Mighty Bit Bit is a force of showmanship with which to reckon and if politeness and respectfulness were to be added to the areas of judging, I think he would have scored equally high also.
Leagual Script writing & publishing ministry
© 2019 UCEDS Ernesta Gibbs
Cricket Blog@Leagualscript Writing & Publishing 