Dark Secrets was produced into a video distributed throughout Europe to advertise the movie which featured World Beat Music. The two other compositions Children of Fire and Just a Carnival are also included in the sound track of the movie. Together Rudder and Menezes sang Dark Secrets, one of three songs Rudder contributed to the movie which stars Mickey Rourke and Jacqueline Bisset. Rudder performed with internationally acclaimed Brazilian singer Margareth Menezes. In 1990 he sang with the Bahia Girl in Wild Orchid, a major Hollywood movie produced by Warner Brothers. In 1986 he sang about the Bahia Girl and was crowned calypso monarch of Trinidad and Tobago. Over the years, Rudder has proved his versatility. Gordon Rohlehr, University professor and calypso expert heralded Rudder as “A Mighty Poet of a Shallow People in a Savage Time” in The Trinidad and Tobago Review, March 1992.”In this calypso Hosay, Rudder is at his most metaphorical, his most oblique.” He released a collection of videos through Banyan, in Trinidad. Rudder combined the best of his 1991 Rough and Ready and 1992 Frenzy on a CD. Following an Easter Concert in Port oDavid Rudderf Spain, Express Entertainment reporter Peter Blood wrote, “Rudder staged the mother of all shows.” wrote peter Blood Express entertainment reporter. Rudder’s 1992 album Frenzy, which included Long Time Band about Carnival past and Knock Them Down a commentary about the Gulf War, earned rave reviews by the Sunday Punch and Trinidad Express. Rudder…could easily be the next Caribbean artist to break through in a big way.” Rudder rejected some of the political commentary of classic calypso and slowed down and broke up the soca groove without losing its flow or rhythmic force. “The performance also impressively stretched the parameters of soca beyond the party-hearty lyrics and relentless groove-a-thon epitomised by Arrow’s Hot Hot Hot. On July 28, Don Snowden wrote that David Rudder’s local debut at the Music Machine with Charlie’s Roots … “clearly established the singer as the most potent representative of the vibrant soca sound.” If creativity is about making people see and feel, showing instead of telling, Rough and Ready is another of Rudder’s creative departures.” The Los Angeles Times featured two stories about Rudder. Billboard noted Rudder’s three nominations for Sunshine awards at the time: Male vocalist of the year for Calypso Rising, best social commentary and calypso of the year for Hosay featured on Rudder’s 1992 album Rough and Ready.ĭebbie Jacob of the Trinidad Express wrote: “This music exudes confidence. “After years of sporadic record label interest and musical mutations, some industry observers reckon that calypso is inching closer toward an international breakthrough,” wrote Maureen Sheridan. Rudder was featured in Billboard magazine in 1993. Rudder’s ability write lyrics is undying. You can’t come away without learning something. Total Caribbean News wrote, “You’re always guaranteed of a solid eight new songs and variety (with Rudder) David takes us on another fabulous musical journey.
From New York to London to Tokyo, where the Japanese have released a CD of Rudder’s greatest hits complete with lyrics translated into Japanese, Rudder has been described as modern calypso’s most innovative songwriter.įor Carnival 1993 Rudder released his album Ministry of Rhythm considered in Trinidad to be Rudder’s best example of how to bridge the gap between modern pop and World Beat Music. Rudder’s unprecedented rise to fame in 1986 has made him the subject of music critics around the world.