The Rounds - May 7, 2006

Dr. Jay’s Rounds
Karen Richardson
May 7, 2006
Good Evening Soca lovers! I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds.
Everybody knows Nurse Karen has the inside scoop when it comes to soca, so wherever I go people does be asking me for the latest on their favourite stars. St. Vincent’s Kevin Lyttle helped take soca worldwide with the 2001 smash hit “Turn Me On”, last year he bought the attention back to his multi-island paradise with “Home for Carnival”. So, I know all yuh asking…where is he now? This year Kevin Lyttle is taking it to the motherland. I mean Africa. (cuz Kevin mudda from vincy) Kevin Lyttle recently recorded a song with Bobi Wine, a dancehall artist from Uganda. They met in April when both artists were in the UK for a series of shows. The single is due out in July.
If I had to pick Trinidad’s biggest star, it would have to be Machel Montano. When he wrote the words to Scandalous, I think he might have been tapping in to his PSYCHIC powers. Cuz is real scandal for Xtatik these days. Last week, the band’s headquarters was broken into and ransacked by somebody who believed they needed the musical equipment a lot more than the biggest band in soca music. Machel’s mummie (who happens to be the band manager) told the press that the thieves made off with two keyboards, two drum machines, two cordless mics, drumsticks and a CD player. Da-is just rude, ent?
The timing couldn’t have been worse either. Xtatik was set to play the St. Lucia Jazz Festival the next day and Harlem’s Apollo Theatre yesterday leaving them scrambling for equipment.
For the second year in a row Antigua’s rising star of soca monarch fame is launching her very own Mas section. Tonight, Antiguans will get to see Claudette “CP” Peter’s Exotic Red section for the very first time. Exotic Red will hit the road as part of Passions Mas Troupe’s 2K6 presentation, but Peters is having the costumes built at a separate location. As they count down to Carnival, CP’s Mas Camp promises to be the party peoples’ choice, as revelers get set for weekly fetes with Taxik.
Virgin Islands soca band Elvis White may not have shaken up Toronto yet, but their climb to stardom became evident in Atlanta last week. My sources tell me they had the whole crowd dancing at the 2006 Dogwood Festival 2nd Annual Grammy Block Party. A few notable members of the Atlanta chapter of the Recording Academy had nothing but praises for the Caribbean band. That’s gotta mean something good!
Grenada posse, I have some good news for you! Did you hear? August is de Time! That’s the theme for Spice Mas 2006. Grenada’s carnival was officially launched yesterday evening at the Tanteen Netball Courts…So from now on, the first Saturday in May will always mark the beginning of Spice Mas…and a hot and spicy Tuesday in August will always signal the end.
I’m nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send your comments to Soca at FLOW 935 DOT COM. Now back to de doctor…