A VITAL piece of local history has been preserved with the formation of Ambassadors of Song, a mixed-media exhibition located in the West Gallery of the Botanical Gardens in Paget.

Although the venue is small, the museum explores individual artists' careers, as well as the history, culture, and political and social influences of music. Candid photos of musical legends grace the gallery walls with captions to whet one's appetite.

The idea came about as the result of a casual comment made during the Blackie Talbot charity golf event and that spawned the notion that Bermuda was quickly losing sight of its musical pioneers.

Some 15 local icons are featured along with historical facts and a multi-media / listening area as older music buffs can reminisce of days gone by when there were some 40 musical venues, including the hospitality industry.

The possibilities for the musicians were endless, although segregation was for both performer and musician alike. In spite of this potential stumbling block the musicians remained undaunted and represented themselves in fine fashion both here and abroad.

The single-floor exhibit boasts some of the memorabilia of some 156 musicians and solo performers who have put Bermuda on the map musically. It is a tribute to local musicians who made their mark performing in Bermuda and overseas between 1945-1966, the period when the Queen of Bermuda was making her voyages from New York to Bermuda. The exhibit has the potential to become a dual-level exhibit, but for now the single-level room includes a showing room that shows a Talbot Brothers performance during a stint in the United States. Posters and paintings adorn the wall as old calypso tunes waft through the room.

In the late 1940s-'50s Bermuda caught the calypso bug and its infectious beat spread through the hotels with the lively rhythm and harmonic tunes that was full of social commentary poetic language and even some tongue-in-cheek innuendoes.

The Bank of Butterfield sponsored the exhibition, with additional support from the XL Foundation and the Department of Tourism.

Among the information one can glean from visiting the exhibit was that calypso is based on four chords and it was the voice of social and political conscience, long before dub poetry came into vogue.

Calypso originated in Trinidad and Tobago from the West African musical genre called kaiso, which was used as a means of communication among slaves. The lyrics were composed in patois and were smarting in nature, often depicting the slaves' dislike, especially towards their masters!

Calypso melodies have been a staple of the steel pan repertoire and Rudolph Commissiong and his Carib Caciques Steel band, later known as the Esso Steel Band, first introduced it to the island.

Admission to the museum is free and visitors get a thorough review of Bermuda's music history, its roots and how it evolved. It is well worth it to attend to see priceless artefacts such as the original LPs of the musicians as well as timeless photos both candid and staged.

The exhibit is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and tomorrow will be open all day. The exhibit, which has run since March 31, ends on Monday. Among items for sale at the museum are catalogues which chronicle the life and times for the island's musical influences, as well as T-shirts and a 23-song CD which is a keeper and the crowning jewel in the avid collector of local music's collection.