The Rounds - October 8, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s rounds for Thanksgiving weekend 2006. All week long people have been asking me when is my flight for Miami. Well, I don’t know who tell anybody I was going down for carnival. It’s no secret that Nurse Karen loves Carnival. But it’s also no secret that I love meh family more. It’s Thanksgiving Sunday, here in Canada. That is a time when my family congregates to thank God for a glorious bounty of blessings throughout the year. And when my mommy throws down in the Kitchen…I does thank God fuh she as well.

So, no Miami for me this year…but if I was there, you’d find me on the road right about now, enjoying the setting sun as the picturesque backdrop to the soundtrack of my life…sweet soca music.

I’m not the only notable carnival absentee, ya know. Dr. Jay is still here making you wine from 6 to 9. and you know that man does usually be wherever de vibes and dem playing.

You didn’t hear it from me. But Vincy Roadmarch King Jamesy P called Toronto today from his home in Tortola where he was spending a leisurely Sunday morning. That might not sound strange to you, but I had to make sure I was hearing right. Because the last thing I heard from Jamesy P was the "Miami Remix" he just recorded with Jason Benn. Maybe you’ve heard it….In fact I know you’ve heard it, because Doctor Jay gave it a spin last week. “If yuh looking for we, we up in Miami…we head gone and we feel tipsy, we up in Miami”. Wooyyy…is a big tune…and when all those Toronto people get back from Miami, somebody needs to tell me if it wasn’t THE anthem down there. Only problem is Mr. Miami HE-SELF is playing hooky in the Virgin Islands. Small ting.

Allyuh remember “who let the dogs out? Nah nah, not dat one. De original one. The late nineties soca hit that mashed up Trinidad carnival, Caribana and everything in between. I remember that song. And I remember it being plenty better than the version that won international attention. The Baha Men, a group from the Bahamas re-released the tune that was originally written and performed by Toronto-based Trinidadian Soca man Anslem Douglas. Allyuh remember him? Well, I hope you didn’t forget…because although he’s been faint on the musical landscape, he hasn’t gone anywhere. Not too long ago he had a West Indian grocery store out in the East End. And really, the only reason he ain’t been putting out new songs is….he’s been recovering from the legal headache that resulted from fighting for some recognition after his song made it to the Billboard Charts with no mention of its creator.

This Thanksgiving, I’m thanking MY Creator for Anslem Douglas. I just heard that he’s been hanging out in Trinidad, recording new songs with some well recognized producers in the business. We’re talking Leston Paul, Neil Bernard, Junior Joseph…and Kerwin DuBois right here in Toronto. That is right… Mr. Douglas is coming back. And I HOPE…he’s coming strong. Allyuh get ready…Anslem go let de dogs and dem out on November 7th, when his brand new 11-track CD is released at the Trinidad and Tobago Consulate in Toronto.

I’m nurse Karen and those are Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Thanksgiving 2006. Remember to be grateful for all you have, especially dat big fowl in the middle of de table.

As always, send your comments to soca at flow 935 dot com. Now, back to de docta!