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By Peter Ray Blood

As he bade me a safe journey home last week Wednesday as he left The Mas Camp Pub, smiling with a wicked gleam in his eyes, his deep dimples showing, the last thing I could have imagined was that it would be the last time I would see the Mystic Prowler.

He seemed in good spirits that night, having shared the stage with Cro Cro, Black Prince and few of his colleagues who are considered “guitarists who could sing sing good kaiso.” He spoke to all of us at the bar before leaving — Allrounder, Brother Superior, Brother Resistance, Dark Eye — chuckling as I told him, “Roy boy, that woman real treating yuh nice; I like the outfit.”

Calypsonians, and indeed artists, have an uncanny knack for subconsciously sensing when tragedy is about to befall the art form. On hindsight, I wonder if Cro Cro’s extended performance that night was some kind of subliminal vibe that it would be the last time that these two national monarchs would share the same stage.

The sudden passing of the Mystic Prowler last Saturday has left the calypso world in deep shock and mourning, with his death being felt as far afield as Toronto, Canada. To celebrate the life of the former Buy Local and national calypso monarch, a group of nationals resident in Toronto have organised a “Kaiso Breakfast Lime” on Sunday.

Chief organiser George Maharaj said: “When we assemble at Sylvan’s, at 2626 Eglinton Avenue in Scarborough, we will be reflecting on the life of this great calypsonian, in music and song.

Christened as Roy Lewis, Prowler was born in St Vincent 59 years ago but, like several other calypso giants, moved to Trinidad at an early age. He started his calypso career in 1966 when he sang at Sparrow's Original Young Brigade Tent. Prowler won the Buy Local titles from 1967 to 1969 but his major accomplishment came in 1998 when he won the Calypso Monarch title.

Also an entrepreneur, Prowler owned The Mystic Pub at City Gate, a popular hangout and performing space for several calypsonians including Lord Blakie.

Prowler will be remembered as one of the best who sang vintage calypsoes and his CD — “Vintage Calypsoes”— is still a best seller.

Maharaj added: “Sunday’s Kaiso Breakfast Lime for Mystic Prowler follows a tradition we have in Toronto, and the gesture is similar to those we held for Andre Tanker, Lord Kitchener and Ras Shorty I.”

Some of the popular Toronto-based calypsonians who have volunteered to sing in memory of Mystic Prowler are Connector, Deacon, Luv Bug, Zado, Richard Luces and Pappy Fredricks.

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May he R.I.P. :angel1