The French had the opportunity to enjoy "authentic calypso" when a group of veteran calypsonians including the Mighty Sparrow performed in Paris on Wednesday night. Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Bomber and Superior delivered some of the old time classics which form the soundtrack to the newly-released documentary Calypso At Dirty Jim's. The performance in Paris is part of a European tour which will take the artists to London and Germany. Dirty Jim's was a 1950s Port of Spain nightclub that featured calypsonians and limbo dancers and was one of the city's trendiest spots. The only evidence of the night club's existence is a few photographs but a few years ago, Frenchman Jean Michel Gibert decided to recapture the essence of the time by producing the compilation Calypso At Dirty Jim's and the documentary which was premiered in Trinidad on April 5. Gibert, who has been living in Trinidad for the past 15 years, told BBC Caribbean Radio he fell in love with calypso music and wanted to capture the veteran calypsonians singing in the acoustic style of the early 20th century. This is not the Frenchman's first calypso project, as he was one of the principals behind the Rituals record label that produced the Caribbean Party Rhythms compilations, rapso artists 3 Canal and Brother Resistance and Phase II steelband. Historic Bomber, one of the calypsonians who performed in Paris, told BBC Caribbean Radio that 'authentic calypso' or the traditional social commentary has not been upstaged by soca music. "Authentic calypso as we call it was, is and always will be, nothing can take away from the authentic calypso," Bomber said. "The people who know calypso, or know a little of calypso have always said we are the foundation and the foundation will always stand strong." "The jam and wine never overshadowed the authentic calypso. Jam and wine has its place," he said. "When people go to the dancehalls they enjoy them but the authentic calypsoes tell a story and in order for you to enjoy them, you have to sit back, relax and take it in." Calypso Rose, the first woman to be crowned Calypso Monarch in Trinidad and Tobago said the project was necessary to teach young people about roots of calypso. "Our young brothers and sisters what they call soca or the dancehall but the reason why the producer came up with the show, is to let the world know that these songs in that era and even now, are the authentic calypsoes and they want the history to remain there," she said. "There are some young singers in the artform, they do not know much of the history of the 20s, 30s and 40s so that’s the reason this show is going forth," the Tobago-born calypsonian said. Gibert worked with the Business Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the United Nations Development Programme on this project which aims to preserve Trinidad and Tobago's culture. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com