The Rounds: New Possibilities for 2008

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. We’re two weeks into 2008, and the year is full of possibilities. January 2nd was jump up day in St. Kitts. You already heard it! Grand Master’s Band song called Boom Bam Bam unexpectedly beat out Small Axe Band and King Konris for road march.

In St. Croix, they started a new tradition at Cruzian Christmas Festival. They proved that anything can happen when they crowned their first ever Party Monarch. Congrats goes out to Toby Derima aka Toby Dee of the Xpress band for wowing the judges with his performance of Hands High.

In Trinidad, the possibilities are endless for carnival 2008. The hype has begun for the International Power and Groovy Soca Monarch competitions. The Caribbean Prestige Foundation released the list of semifinalists this week. From the looks of it, the competition is becoming more international than ever! Tizzy is repping Antigua. Mr. Dale, Peter Ram AND Lil Rick made the cut for Barbados. For Grenada, Nnika Francis is back, along with Luni Sparks and Electrify. Then there’s St. Lucia boasting 4 semifinalists in Ricky T, Teddyson John, Allan Piper and Mariann. Then for meh Vincy peeps, it’s Problem Child, Jamesy P and Zoelah.

Highlights on the home turf include the return of Bunji Garlin, who’s in the semi’s with his wife and she daddy…my boy…SuperBlue. Seem’s like Crazy made an impact on the veterans last year cuz Rootsman is trying a ting for 2K8.
Understand, the 62 semifinalists still have to duke it out to see who will compete against defending champs Biggie Irie and Iwer George for this year’s crown. There will only be ten competitors in each category on February 1st. I’ll keep you posted.

It’s going to be a fantastic year musically. January brings us the Air Jamaica Jazz fest January 24th to 27th, and the Barbados Music festival on the 27th too. Then all attention shifts to the soca mecca of Trinidad and Tobago, where the music is coming out fast and furious. With plenty of surprises yet in store.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5 or check me out on Nurse Karen Etc at triple W dot mustardseeds dot net.

Now, back to de docta!