Trinidadian Calypso musician, Lancelot Layne, visits Ghana in Africa, the land of his ancestors, for the first time. Together with Ghanaian Highlife musician, Koo Nimo, they explore the roots of Highlife. The rhythms of the people in the villages, of Koo Nimo and his musicians, the music, the markets, the brass bands and masqueraders, set up reverberations for the Trinidadian that reach far back into his New World experience.
When Koo Nimo visits Lance in Trinidad to experience the music of Trinidad and particularly the Calypso, he meets the legendary Lord Kitchener, Grandmaster of the Calypso, sings and plays with the world’s greatest steelpan player, is welcomed by practitioners of the ancient West African Orisha religion and explores the influence of East Indian music on modern Trinidadian music. Directed by Trinidadian, Christopher Laird, and Ghanaian, Nii Bampoe Addo, this unique South-South co-production, Crossing Over, begins to bridge a gap of history between Africa and the Caribbean which has never before been explored.

On the 9 June 1988 a gayelle team of Director, Christopher Laird, interviewer, Mark Lyndersay, and a crew of Suzanne Wood, Walt Lovelace, Karen Martinez and Edward Arthur, supported by music producer, Joe Brown, travelled to Piparo in central Trinidad to spend the day with Ras Shorty I and his family on their land.

The result was a revelation to all present. Ras Shorty I spoke of his invention of Soca and his subsequent musical journey. The family joined him in demonstrating the Jamoo songs that they would be presenting at the subsequent Queen’s Hall Concert. This Gayelle Special presented by Christopher Pinheiro is a unique portrait of Ras Shorty I and a fascinating snapshot of ‘The Love Circle’ caught in 1988.

Produced as part of the BBC/TVE Developing World series, Dish is a lively and entertaining sweep through the Caribbean looking at the effect of US television programming on local culture. Hosted by Gayelle hosts, Tony Hall and Errol Sitahal, Dish visits St. Lucia, Cuba and Miami.

The Anglophone Caribbean’s first ‘made for TV movie’. Written and directed by Derek Walcott, The Rig explores the impact of the oil discoveries off the East Coast of Trinidad on the village life of the area and the society of Trinidad & Tobago in general through a
story of international intrigue and local fantasy.

The main character, played by Maurice Brash, confused do-gooder and unwitting agent of multinational interests, finds himself in love and in conflict with Mayaro village girl – Joanne Kilgour – and her ‘ sort of ‘ boyfriend – John Isaacs – when he returns to Mayaro from University.