The Rounds: Adrian Dutchin is Guyana's 2008 Soca Monarch

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr Jay's Rounds. If you weren't at the Return Fete last night, you really missed out. It was all about Kes the Band and the KOS family kicking of Toronto's soca season in class and style. I have to large up de Soca Warriors crew for elevating their big flag to the ceiling with a little help from their friends. I think the boys were channeling their inner Faye-Ann Lyons when one of the members was carried around Kool Haus - surf board–stylee - on a wooden skid during Kerwin Dubois and Shal Marshall's performance of Gal Farm. Yes, Toronto allyuh crew and dem stepping up.

I'm sure some of you ladies were pleasantly surprised to see exactly what Kees is working with, when he took off his shirt on stage last night. The lead vocalist has been pumping the iron for his role as a surfer on a Trinidadian TV series called De Reef. Well, there won't be much surfing going on while he's in Toronto's c-c-c-old weather. But, Kees says he's kinda digging the snowy vibe in the city…and he would love to try snowboarding, skiing, or ice-skating on for size.



While we were celebrating our collective return from Trinidad Carnival last night, our friends in Guyana were crowning a new soca monarch. Congratulations goes out to X2's Adrian Dutchin for snatching the title back from last year's winner, Malo...and he's hoping that he'll be Mashramani road march king too. This is the third ever win for Dutchin. His winning chune is "No Place Like Home" – a patriotic ditty produced by Shawn Mastamind Noel in New York.
"Un-Nous-Allee!", As we in Toronto get set to celebrate our first ever Family Day holiday, I thought I'd shout out my lovely Lucian listeners. This Friday marks the 29th anniversary of St. Lucia's independence…and dat is a reason to fete. Lucians in NYC will be marking the occasion with a special performance by a 25 year veteran in the music business. Ignatius Tisson, also known as "De Invader" is a seven time roadmarch king, 3-time calypso monarch, an extempo monarch and a king of kings champion. Papa Invader performs wearing a creepy mask that reminds me of those Mexican wrestlers, which goes to show…musical longevity is a by-product of talent, not looks. Happy Independence to the Lucian crew…and happy winter long weekend to ALL OF YOU.
I'm Nurse Karen, and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. For more soca music news and views, photos, video, and articles… Check out my online blog, (Nurse) Karen (Etc) at triple W dot mustard seeds dot net. Now back to de docta!