Korokwa Folk Guyana Style

Track Listing:

Bembeh (Traditional) A young beauty goes overboard in the discovery of her womanhood (featuring Liz Daniels)
Sancho (Traditional) The story of a village blade whom the girls cannot resist (featuring Liz Daniels)
Moono (Traditional) A fish vendor’s sales cry with double entendre (Featuring Liz Daniels and Twydale Martinborough)
Uncle Joe (Traditional) A famous work song from the East Coast of Demerara
Guiana (Ramjon Holda) A famous patriotic song, delicious slices of Guyanese life (Featuring Liz Daniels and Twydale Martinborough)
Song of a Pork-Knocker (Hilton Hemmerding) Scenes from the life of the itinerant artisanal gold and diamond miner.
Janey Gal (Traditional) A frustrated and embarrassed man tries to inveigle his girl to yield to his advances for a tryst on the "back dam" at night
Demerara Bay (Ramjon Holda) A porkknocker from the hinterlands is not well received in the "bush" (Featuring Terry Fox)
Kamarang (Roland Phillips/Noel Adams) Another song about mining, the rainforest and a magnificent river in the Pakaraima Mountains. (Featuring Twydale Martinborough)
Amara Joe (Eze Rockcliffe) An unwelcome visitor returns from the "Bush" to a hostile reception
Timber man (Traditional) Another song from the "Bush" – this time forest workers sing a work song (Featuring Terry Fox)
Emmerton (Anthony Carter) A Babadian lament by a celebrated Caribbean son. The horrors of the poor and vulnerable never end
Me Na Dead (Traditional) Sometimes the battered slaves were buried alive or while in coma (Featuring Phillip Adams)
Time fo man go home (Traditional) A work song which tells its own story (Featuring Terry Fox)

Korokwa
Folk Guyana Style

Sorry, not available

The word KOROKWA is of Arawak origin and means 'To Remember'. The group KOROKWA had its inaugural appearance at the highly praised performance 'In Remembrance' at Sidewalk Cafe in June of 1998. The group believes that the reinterpretation and preservation of our folk arts is an important part of the self-awareness and strengthening of the Guyanese people. It is important for the folk heritage to be preserved and embellished so that future generations can have some idea of their roots and origins.

Korokwa has produced its first CD entitled 'Folk Guyana Style' under the direction of its Musical Director, Deryck Bernard, Dean of College Arts at the University of Guyana. The recording highlights new arrangements of old folk specials such as 'Sancho', 'Uncle Joe' and 'Me Na Dead Yet' . It also features folk style music by Hylton Hemmerding, Roland Phillips and Ramjon Holda.

The recording was made at the Kross Kolor studios in Georgetown where Birchmore Simon did the mastering.

Korokwa Profiles

Phillip Adams - Tenor / Counter Tenor
Kenya Addo - Alto
Ultra Anthony - Alto
Deryck Bernard - Tenor - Baritone; 12 String Guitar, Vocal Arrangements
Andrea Collins - Soprano
Elizabeth Daniels - Mezzo Soprano
Dawn Duke - Soprano
Meighan Duke - Soprano
Terrence Fox - Bass - Baritone
Richard Francois - Tenor; Acoustic Guitar
Dawn King - Alto
Melanie Kirkpatrick - Soprano
Twydale Matinborough - Mezzo Soprano
Andrea Mentore - Alto
Juliet Moore - Soprano
Al Creighton, drums
Kurleigh Lowe, keyboards/ synthesizer, joined the group for the recording.