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Kali Dasgupta in England
Apart from his early political life Kali described his time in England in the 1970s and the folkclubs where he performed, starting with a floor spot in the Singers Club. He also mentioned his visit to the US to sing at clubs there including a gig he shared with with Lightning Hopkins.
Kali...We had at that time The Folklore Institute, and the secretary of the Folklore Institute he wrote me a letter that they were going to publish an anthology asking me to contact Ewan MacColl and get a contribution from him. That's why I tried to find Ewan, so I phoned him at his home in Beckenham, Kent.
He said "come along, you'll eat with us" Ewan's practice is that everybody goes to his house. Ewan was very aware and we had a long discussion about Indian politics and he knew quite a lot of people from India, people I also knew. There he said "You can come to our club"
I didn't have any idea about revival movement or so many folk clubs in England. No idea. So one day I went to the Singers Club. I liked the place, informal, everbody singing there. Actually one day I was enthusiastic and I offerered myself "I want to give you a song" I sang a boatman's song and it was so appreciated that I sang 2 songs. And after 2 or 3 days Peggy telephoned me "Kali you never told us that you are a performer" "I''m not a performer so I didn't feel to tell you anything". Ewan said "so OK come on Saturday we shall be there that day" So that day I had to sing 3 songs and that day I took the lauwyir (Ektara Lauwyia), gourd, that day I sang 3 songs. And then they gave me a booking, so that's when I first started - five pounds.
Peggy said "Kali you send me your biodata". I didn't send anything so she telephoned me "Look what biodata I can send you? I did some organising for this festival, as a volunteer of the communist movement. I was never a singer" "Oh don't be silly, I'll ask you on the telephone, Where were you born? What did you father used to do?" This way she made out a wonderful write up for "New Faces". I lost that copy, I had one but I lost it. Then, you know in England there are about 80 clubs, then the ball starts rolling. I started getting bookings. And I made so many friends there.
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