The Rounds - August 27,2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. As I was preparing to come in today, it occurred to me that I’ve never taken the time to tell allyuh how much I care for you and your heatlh. Hear nah, is not just because it’s my job that I’m compassionate. I does really kay in truth. Dr. Jay prides himself on his uncanny ability to make you wine from 6 to 9…and I tell you, that is no simple task. Yuh need real waistline strength for the stamina soca therapy demands. So, you’ve been trained by the best and now it’s time to work on some other skills.
I believe the key to happy living is moderation. There is a time and a place for all things…but never EVER lose control.
Who doesn’t love fried chicken? Tastes nice, feels good in yuh belly…but it would never be healthy no matter how many HERBS and SPICES that Colonel wants to season it with.
Outta Season soca artists have been known to cook up some trouble too. Down in the Spice island, one of this year’s roadmarch contenders was caught in possession of HERBS. Lavaman sang a song called “behave yuhself”…but he forgot to practice what he preaches last week when he and his friends were pulled over after a gun shot was fired at party in Gouyave. Police found a pistol with a spent shell in the chamber…and in his vehicle they found plenty of that WACKY TOBACKY.
Tomorrow is the big road parade in Notting Hill, England. The 42nd annual carnival is the biggest outdoor festival in Europe. Eleven thousand police officers are getting paid join the party. Today the focus was on children. It’s a big party still, but plenty smaller than the mayhem expected for tomorrow. When I think children’s carnival…I picture families, little cuties in costume. Babies balling on stage cuz they fraid to wine fuh judges. Dem tings dey. What I don’t expect is to hear the twenty six people were arrested for drug offences, theft and drunkness. People…what allyuh tink dis is? For carnival it’s ok to get wild, but dat don’t mean you hadda go crazy.

We pushing music here, not schupidity.

I’m hoping the soca lovers in Charleston, South Carolina have a healthy appreciation of West Indian culture without making the same mistakes as some who have been celebrating a while longer. Earlier this month, Charleston celebrated its first Carifest, complete with Steelpan, Mas, soca, reggae and The Mighty Sparrow. Sounds like a good start to what may become and yearly tradition.
Dr. Jay’s Rounds are all about that…culture! I let you know what’s going on everywhere in the world where soca is playing. In this city, so many of us look forward to a weekend of fun and fetes each summer, but many of you know ANYting about what Toronto Caribbean Carnival is really all about.
I want you to think about it. Meditation is good for your health too. After Dr. Jay signs off for the night at 9 pm, turn on the tube for two hours (while you’re listening to SPEX of course!) There’s a special on Omni 1 tonight called “We Jumping Higher”. You’ve got to learn your culture so that no one can take it from you and sell you back a watered down version. When you educate yourself you can keep it organic...authentic and real.
While I’m on that subject I have to raise a noni-juice to Dr. Jay de Soca Prince. Once again, he has been nominated for an International Soca Award. Look for him in the category: Peoples Choic “Best International DJ”. This year’s event will take place at the legendary Apollo theatre in Harlem, NY. The awards show is a not-to-be-missed event. Could you imagine all these people on stage? Kevin Lyttle, Alison Hinds, Machel Montano, Bomani, Claudette Peters, Gail Ann, Keisha Stewart, Lisa Toney, Ragga, Natasha Wilson and Jason Benn! Well you don’t have to imagine. THEY WILL BE THERE. So will Dr. Jay. Here at Soca Therapy, we’re hoping he’ll win the title for the second consecutive year. He works hard to give you the best in soca music while educating you about the culture in pan moments and the rounds.
My last key to a well balanced life is social participation. When you have a chance to have your say…make sure you’re saying something! Voting ends this Thursday, so be sure to remind the world who is the real big man in the business. Cast a vote fuh de man!
I’m nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s rounds. Sned your comments to soca at flow 935 dot com. Now back to de docta.

Read more...

The Rounds - August 20, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jays rounds. This time of year I always get a little emotional. So bear with me today as I mourn the passing of the Summer carnival season in the Caribbean. We were spoiled for a while getting new music from just about everywhere…but now it’s nothing but blues. Back from vacation, back to school, back to reality.

Grenada wrapped up their annual Spice Mas Carnival last week in style … and in case you still don’t know. Mista Killa is the double soca monarch champ. He ran away with Doggie’s groovy title…singing the ever-so-sexy Spice Isle Rock. And he secured himself as the hometown hero in Gouyave when he won the International Soca Monarch title with “Warriors” at Tanteen last week Saturday.
Now for a special public service announcement in regards to Spice Isle Rock… Dat tune bad ya kna… I can not enough of it. So if any of you promoters or DJs want to make a quick buck off of me, Send a me letter stating that you absolutely promise to play Mista Killa’s groovy tune at your next fete…and I give you my word…ah coming to de party.
Alrighty den…So spice mas wrapped on Tuesday…and Killa didn’t win roadmarch. Believe me that’s okay, you have to spread the wealth. Special congratulations go out to Soca Banton for flattening St. Georges to the tune of “Ova U Head”…and while I’m sending shouts to my Greenz Crew. All de man dem dey pon Brian’s block…hope allyuh had a nice carnival and Bucky de Rastaman big. Up. unnu . chest.
As I was saying party time is almost over in the West Indies for a little while, so it’s time to entertain ourselves a little closer to home. This weekend is Ottawa’s big Jump Up. While the display in the nation’s capital is considerably quieter than the way we throw down in the t-dot it’s still a great celebration of Caribbean beauty and creativity. This year Explainer and Eddy Allen brought entertainment to the road which is carnival enough for me. Any time Explainer picks up a microphone believe me when I say, Ah shaking meh background fuh dat.
Next week the party moves to Jolly Old England for the 42nd annual Notting Hill carnival. Organizers state they are expecting more than one million visitors to cross the pond for the festivities. That would be a marked increase from last year’s party tally which was negatively affected by the London terrorist incidents last July. This year they want to squash all that with a theme that reminds us of what carnival is all about. “Aspiration and Achievement in Unity”. Good on you Brits! Good on you! (Do then even say that?)
Well, I don’t know for sure, but I do know this. While our English friends are jumping up in the road next weekend, Our American friends will be doing the same thing in Boston. Beantown boasts one of the big three Caribbean carnivals in the US in my opinion. If you’re looking for big entertainers…you’re better off checking the vibes in the UK, but Boston knows how to get muddy for j’ouvert…and for that ..ah just have to smile. If you’re heading down next weekend. Walk with some clothes you never want to see again, a water bottle and a garden hose. Tantie Jill ain’t letting you she house painted in blue.
I’m nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send you comments @ your Spice Isle Rock pledges to soca at flow 935 dot com. Now back to de docta.

Read more...

The Rounds - August 20, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jays rounds. This time of year I always get a little emotional. So bear with me today as I mourn the passing of the Summer carnival season in the Caribbean. We were spoiled for a while getting new music from just about everywhere…but now it’s nothing but blues. Back from vacation, back to school, back to reality.

Grenada wrapped up their annual Spice Mas Carnival last week in style … and in case you still don’t know. Mista Killa is the double soca monarch champ. He ran away with Doggie’s groovy title…singing the ever-so-sexy Spice Isle Rock. And he secured himself as the hometown hero in Gouyave when he won the International Soca Monarch title with “Warriors” at Tanteen last week Saturday.

Now for a special public service announcement in regards to Spice Isle Rock… Dat tune bad ya kna… I can not get enough of it. So if any of you promoters or DJs want to make a quick buck off of me, Send a me letter stating that you absolutely promise to play Mista Killa’s groovy tune at your next fete…and I give you my word…ah coming to de party.

Alrighty den…So spice mas wrapped on Tuesday…and Killa didn’t win roadmarch. Believe me that’s okay, you have to spread the wealth. Special congratulations go out to Soca Banton for flattening St. Georges to the tune of “Ova U Head”…and while I’m sending shouts to my Greenz Crew. All de man dem dey pon Brian’s block…hope allyuh had a nice carnival and Bucky de Rastaman big. up. unnu . chest.

As I was saying party time is almost over in the West Indies for a little while, so it’s time to entertain ourselves a little closer to home. This weekend is Ottawa’s big Jump Up. While the display in the nation’s capital is considerably quieter than the way we throw down in the t-dot it’s still a great celebration of Caribbean beauty and creativity. This year Explainer and Eddy Allen brought entertainment to the road which is carnival enough for me. Any time Explainer picks up a microphone believe me when I say, Ah shaking meh background fuh dat!

Next week the party moves to jolly old England for the 42nd annual Notting Hill carnival. Organizers state they are expecting more than one million visitors to cross the pond for the festivities. That would be a marked increase from last year’s party tally which was negatively affected by the London terrorist incidents last July. This year they want to squash all that with a theme that reminds us of what carnival is all about. “Aspiration and Achievement in Unity”. Good on you Brits! Good on you! (Do they even say that?)

Well, I don’t know for sure, but I do know this. While our English friends are jumping up in the road next weekend, Our American friends will be doing the same thing in Boston. Beantown boasts one of the big three Caribbean carnivals in the US in my opinion. If you’re looking for big entertainers…you’re better off checking the vibes in the UK, but Boston knows how to get muddy for j’ouvert…and for that ..ah just have to smile. If you’re heading down next weekend. Walk with some clothes you never want to see again, a water bottle and a garden hose. Tantie Jill ain’t letting you in she house painted in blue.

I’m Nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send your comments and your Spice Isle Rock pledges to soca at flow 935 dot com. Now back to de docta.

Read more...

The Rounds - August 13, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor jay’s rounds.
The end of caribana unofficially marks the beginning of the end of Summer in Toronto, if you ask me. You’ll notice the weather is still sunny, but cool…and the days are getting shorter ever so slightly.
While it’s true that most of the hottest summer events have passed, there’s no reason to hibernate just yet. You think yuh Doctor Jay start to slow down?
This Weekend the carnival revelry continued in the prairies for Edmonton’s CariWest. And Doctor Jay was making some rounds out there. It rained all day yesterday for the parade, but one masquerader was quoted to say “It takes more than a little hail to done THIS party”. SHE MAD OR WHA…? Hail!?! My eyes are far too pretty to get juk out for a little jump up in de street. She betta than me!
There were brighter skies closer to home for the annual Hamilton Mardi Gras Carnival. 2006 makes it five years since they started bringing mas to steel town…and so, in honour of the anniversary, I would like to propose a wee suggestion. Before there was Crop Over , Spice Mas and Vincy Mas…it was all just carnival. Before there was Toronto Caribbean Carnival…it was all just caribana. When times change, names change…and that my friends is ok. There’s nothing wrong with mardi gras. There’s nothing wrong with carnival..but hear nah…Mardi Gras mean FAT TUESDAY…and neida Sat’day nor Sunday is Tuesday…TALK DONE.
There was another notable name change in GREENZ recently. That’s Grenada for those not in the know. The artist formerly known as Baby Killa, has altered his ego to Mr. Killa for Carnival 2006. Like I done say, I have no problems with updates for the sake of modernity BUT…Mista Killa. You ain’t find you change de wrong part of your name? I was hoping you woulda dash wey de KILLA ting. But who am I really? When your songs sound that sweet, you don’t have to answer to a soul. Just ask R. Kelly…
Welcome to de rock…Mr. Killa lived up to his deadly name this week when he murdered the competition at the groovy monarch show Wednesday and the soca monarch competition Friday night in the isle of spice. Last year’s King Boogie B wasn’t clearing any kind of smoke this year and had to swim away with a 3rd place finish.
Claudette Peters is celebrating too. She rang in her birthday while celebrating her second consecutive Party Monarch Title in Antigua. And I really wish her the best in all regards. Ah love to see it when us ladies step out and leave all dem man scrambling to catch up. Not like it’s anything new, but still…
I’m nurse Karen and those are Dr. Jay’s Rounds, send your comments to soca at Flow 935 Dot Com. Now back to de doctor!

Read more...

The Rounds - August 6, 2006

Good evening soca lovers I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds for Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2006.
The parade of the bands has come and gone for another year…and thanks to all of you who took part in the festivities, it looks like we’ll be facing road repairs on the lakeshore fuh de rest of de Summer. Yesterday’s crowd was estimated at 1.2 million people dancing in hot Canadian sun…which for your reference is slightly larger than the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago.
Seems to me that many DJs opted for slower paced tunes…all which helped thousands of American tourists get the very best sexy waist video footage to carry home for their friends. Glad to see allyuh wuking together…
We call this segment Dr. Jay’s rounds…because is me who helps de good Dr. Jay check up on all his appointments and make sure the patients in his care get the necessary musical attention. On Friday, your Soca Prince was live on MTV in the company of soca music’s hottest couple Bunji and Faye-Ann who are set to be married by the end of the year. There was also a live performance from Trinidad’s reigning international soca monarch…Mr. Shurwayne Winchester. He performed “don’t stop”. That’s the chune that won him the Grrrrooooovy Soca Monarch title.
I have to say, I was proud to see soca music having it’s day on the Canadian small screen. But, I saw a couple of things that I would be remiss not to mention. When Shurwayne took the stage…he had a few back up dancers who were arbitrarily selected from the audience (Clearly!!) Ladies, I’m happy to see that you had a nice time…but next time you get an offer like that. You might want to consider what it does to one’s reputation when you expose the fact that dancing is not your forté on National TV. Allyuh know who allyuh are. Easy nah people, I’m not hatin’ on de girls…remember, I’m your nurse…it’s MY JOB to make you betta!!!
Thursday was the King and Queen of the bands competition and Carnival Nationz scored big. This is only their second year bringing mas…so I have to give credit where credit is due to the Eustaces for walking away with the top prize in three of four categories.
Pan Alive was next on the docket. Dr. Jay scooted over there after his appearance on MTV to host the steelpan show. Every year…Afropan is the favoured to take it! Their record speaks for itself. They’ve won 26 times in the last 33 years…but this year was not one of them. Pan Fantasy successfully defended their 2005 title…winning in both the traditional and bomb song categories. So congrats to Al Foster and all the musicians of Pan Fantasy. Congrats to Earl La Pierre and Afropan too…because I almost collapsed from heat stroke after jamming with them on the road yesterday.
Now that I mention it, there’s a few times I ALMOST collapsed this weekend. Don’t get me wrong. I like to get my money’s worth as much as de next nurse, but 8 hours of fete…is murderrrr! I passed through the j’ouvert fete at afterlife Saturday morning…just long enough to see a host of people literally wet and melting from performances from soca sensations like Adrian Dutchin, Maxamus Dan and Bomani…then, I passed out at home.
Saturday evening, after we done flatten de road…it was another all night party at Alliance Den. Jamesy P was pushing it all de way till 5 in the morning. Pushing de soca vibes…get your mind out of the gutter. I had to kick off my shoes and dance around till my foot bottom was blacker than roast breadfruit.
I know you were expecting to hear who won band of the year and road march and ting. But to tell you the truth, I have no idea.
I just rolled out of bed.
I’m nurse Karen and those are Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Caribana 2006. Send me your comments at soca@ FLOW 935 DOT COM. Now for someone who’s really working non-stop. Back to de docta!

Read more...