Another Artist Passing: Arrow (Alphonsus Cassell)

For many people who are not familiar with Calypso, Arrow may not be a recognizable name but for those of us who have danced and partied from Brooklyn to Port of Spain that is not the case.

Arrow brought a distinct flavor to Kaiso, it was the flavor of  Montserrat. Arrow put Montserrat and himself on the musical map in 1982 with his gigantic hit: "Hot, Hot, Hot". A song that would later be covered by a pop musician, Buster Pointdexter, and brought to international fame.

I can recall being drenched in sweat in Trinidad Carnival as Arrow sang "Bills", "Soca Rhumba" and "Rub Up". His was a different take on soca, it had the feel of merengue and it seemed to crossover into a more Pan-Caribbean vibe. The beat was hard and it reminded me of the French Caribbean and the Spanish Caribbean all at once. The horns were very prominent, in your face. My best friend; Ron Taylor added his blaring lead trumpet to many of Arrow's hits. The talented Leston Paul added superb arrangements. Take a listen.

"So much bills to pay....bills, bills every day..."