The Rounds - September 10, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are doctor Jay’s rounds. The 2006 Toronto international film festival began on Thursday and the streets are a buzz with people searching high and low to spot celebrities. Well, here I am in the Flow studios sitting less than five feet away from one of the great celebrities of soca music. Your very own Doctor Jay was named best international DJ for the second year in a row at the fourth annual International Soca Awards held Friday in New York. Doctor Jay, when it comes to soca, you truly are the prince. So congratulations once again for bringing the hardware home to soca city.
It was good news for Dr. Jay, but not smooth sailing for the organizers of the big gala event. The show was meant to take place at Harlem’s legendary Apollo theatre, but it had to be moved at the last minute to Club Tobago in queen’s because $40 thousand US dollars was not paid on time. And when I say last minute, it’s last minute I mean. Invited guests were already sashaying around the red carpet and schmoozing the media when the heavy handed decision came down. So, a whole lot of people had to be shuttled all the way to Queen’s...for a night that was certainly memorable…to say the least. I’ll have all the details for you next week!!
The month of September is when soca rules the airwaves in the central American nation of Belize. This year, however, celebrations are off to a rocky start there as well! Trinidad’s Leon Coldero went ahead and headlined the Soca Explosion party, although his band was hardly in a party mood after Oscar B’s father suddenly passed away at home in T and T. As they say, the show must go on…so it did, minus one band member.
Have you all ever heard about Carifesta? No, I’m not talking about Carifiesta in Montreal or Carifete in Chicago. All three names are amalgamations of the words Caribbean and Party…in three different colonial languages. “Festa” means party in portuguesh…and Carifesta is an international celebration of Caribbean culture that is about to launch for the 9th time. On September 22nd, Twenty Three Caribbean states ( including Venezuela and Turks and Caicos) will converge on Trinidad and Tobago to showcase their beauty and diversity in every way imaginable. The 2006 theme is “Celebrating our People: Contesting the World Stage”. They will focus on the achievements of Caribbean people all over the world. If this is new to you, it’s because the event moves from country to country and it doesn’t happen every year. Think of it as Expo…for Caribbean culture and industry. The first Carifesta took place in Guyana in 1972, so this year the Guyanese delegation will play a special role in educating other participants about the history and significance of the unique ten-day festival.
Is no small ting eida! Events will be held in 54 communities in Trinidad and some presentations will be held in the prisons! I suppose if any place could usen a refresher on what Caribbean values are all about, the prison is a good place to start.
I’m nurse Karen and those are the best international soca dj’s rounds …send your comments….now back to de docta!