The Rounds: Caribana Results

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. Caribana in full effect…yo! If you are one of those stay home and avoid the crowd kinda people, you picked the wrong weekend for that. Thursday and Friday Lamport Stadium was THE place to be for the King and Queen show and Pan Alive.

Too many results to announce them all…but here are a select few: Congrats to Joella Crichton and Toronto Caribbean Connection on their Queen of the Bands win for the portrayal – Rhapsody. Ronald Alleyne from Callaloo won best King for The Mystical Dragon.

At Pan Alive, dem Montreal people from Salah's Steelpan Academy caused major bacchanal in Toronto for the 2nd year in a row. The two-time pan alive champions have Afropan, and Silhouettes settling for 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Now to the road. Yesterday's Caribana Parade of the bands was a sight to behold. Beautiful Mas on the Lakeshore. Thousands of revellers. Music and food and competion for so. No more long talk... Here are your unofficial results for Band of the Year.

In third place, I took a small wine on one of their 3 trucks alongside Flow's own Jester, and Soca Sweetness from KOS after my feet already had their fill of the pavement in the Stingray section of Tribal Knights (yes Marxman, big up).

If you haven't clued in yet, I'm talking about Carnival Nationz. They walked the plank straight to 3rd place for their presentation of Pirates.

In the number 2 spot this year is historically Toronto's winning-ist band Louis Saldenah Mas K Club with THE DEEP.

Congratulations to Jamaal and Marion MaGloire, all the masqueraders and the top notch entertainment like Dr. Jay the Soca Prince for defending their 2007 Band of the Year title with a vengeance. Their presentation of Alkebulan dazzled onlookers with the colours, patterns and textiles of Africa to win 2008 Category A Band of the Year. If you're like to keep score...those are the same bands in the same spots as last year.

Yours Truly with Toronto Revellers' Band Leader Jamaal Magloire earlier this Summer

Before I go, a lil gossip for de maccos and dem: St. Vincent's Shaunelle McKenzie has been liming in Toronto for about a week on business. My girl decline a few carnival gigs so she could work her WAISTLINE at fetes instead.

Nurse Karen and Shaunelle Back Stage at SVG Soca Monarch Semis 2008

Earlier today, I heard St. Lucia Soca Monarch and Road March King Ricky T was detained in the US customs area at Pearson International Airport here in Toronto.

SLU Records Family, Me n Ricky T in St. Lucia

I think his passport was a little too colourful for them, and somebody prolly wanted to get his autograph. I would too, after all he mashed up the dutty side of KOS J'ouvert on Friday. He was travelling with fellow Lucian Teddyson John, who was allowed to board his flight as scheduled.

Nurse Karen with Teddyson John at St. Lucia Soca Monarch 2008

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's rounds. Check me online this week for more info on Caribana as well as lots of news from BIM, GREENZ, Tortola and Antigua Carnival at the Nurse Karen ETC blog at triple w dot mustardseeds dot net. Now, back to de docta!