blind blake & the royal victoria hotel calypsos

Bahamian Songs

One of those rare artists whose output stands alone in the annals of sound recording, Blind Blake is the foremost musical export of the Bahamas. Between the 1930s and 1960s he was the band leader at Nassau's Royal Victoria Hotel and established a singular oeuvre compositing old island songs with American folk ballads and calypso. This extensive collection demonstrates the full richness of the man's career - including a particularly interesting rendition of 'John B. Sail', one of the oldest songs in the Bahamian canon, and the inspiration for the Beach Boys' 'Sloop John B' from Pet Sounds. "Alphonso Blake Higgs, commonly known as 'Blind Blake', was born at Matthew Town, Inagua, Bahamas, in 1915. He was adept at string instruments - ukulele, banjo, tenor banjo, six-string guitar - and also played the piano. He lost his eyesight at the age of sixteen and kept pursuing the goal of a career in music and a unique style, a blend of folksong, calypso and early jazz. His recognition grew from 1935 when he recorded for Philco Radio some of his own songs on the political and social life of The Bahamas."