Produced by: Andrew Wickham and Van Dyke Parks
Executive Producer: Henry De Freitas
Arranged by: Slinger Francisco and
Earl Rodney
Vocals: The Mighty Sparrow
Piano and Bass: Earl Rodney
Guitar: Freddie Harris, Bert Wharwood
Trumpet: Neville Simpson,
Benedict Gomez
Trombone: Noel Gili
Tenor Saxophone: Dennis Wilkinson, James Smart
Alto Saxophone: Aldric Prince,
Jude Bethel
Drums: Esmond Byam
Conga and Tumba: Kelvin Cook
Percussion: Carlton "Sarge" Joseph, Malcolm Wilson
Timbales: Tony Ricardo
Backing Vocals: Angela Johnson,
Ed Johnson, Rod "Guba" George,
Chester Marong
Orchestra Leader and Keyboards: Asquith Clarke, JP
Sparrow Dead
Chinese Love Affair
Jane
Maria
More Cock
Mr Walker
Hello People
English Diplomacy
Who She Go Cry For
Memories
(All selections written by Slinger Francisco, aka The Mighty Sparrow)
Catalogue No: MKY BNR 101
(Originally released in 1974 as
Warner Bros LP BS2771)
Art Direction and Photography:
Ed Thrasher
Design: Dean Torrance, Kittyhawk Graphics (Bananastan Reissue Design: Jimmy Hole)
Van Dyke Parks Presents
The Mighty Sparrow — Hot and Sweet
The legendary 1974 Warner Bros album, produced by Van Dyke Parks and Andrew Wickham, Hot and Sweet features the finest Calypso vocal recordings ever by the man known as "The Calypso King of the World!"
The Mighty Sparrow's career spans over 40 years and 70 albums. He continues to redefine the true meaning of Calypso Power through his amazing ability — not only to put into words and tempo the exploits of SOCiety, but to crown it all with showmanship and appeal.
The Mighty Sparrow is Slinger Francisco, Chief of The Yorubas, who has brought honor, glory, and dignity to an indigenous art form that was once scorned by the elite of Caribbean society. He utilizes his medium not just to entertain, but also to edify, enlighten, and educate.
"Recorded during a hurricane in Miami, the power of the wind and rain whipping the studio were matched only by the power and beauty of these compositions, chosen by Andrew and myself as the greatest in Sparrow's prodigious catalogue." — Van Dyke Parks
"As far as concept and intelligence and warring with words, Mighty Sparrow was and probably still is the king ... his shows are like prize fights and he always comes out on top, all this and a fifteen or twenty-piece band just blasting away... he's fantastic." — Bob Dylan, as quoted by Cameron Crowe, from the Biograph box set notes
"[Colin Powell's] favorite artist is The Mighty Sparrow, a legendary singer known as 'the master of the naughty phrase'." — New York Times
"The Mount Olympus of Calypso... It's not just the good Calypso I like. I like the naughty stuff too, you know. My aides didn't understand the lyrics, and they were too dirty for me to translate." — Colin Powell
"It's the finest analogue production of Calypso I've heard to date." — Van Dyke Parks