Booster Shot: Edwin Yearwood will perform with Asylum for Carnival 2K9!

Edwin Yearwood Performs with Krosfyah at Broward Carnival 2008

Ok, I know what you're thinking. Even as I wrote the title, it was looking funny to me too. Edwin Yearwood, our dearly beloved Bajan General has just signed on to perform alongside the Asylum Band for the entire Trinidad Carnival season. Don't get it twisted though -- He's not leaving Krosfyah.

By aligning himself with the band that boasts both Trinidad's reigning Power Soca Monarch (Bunji Garlin) and Road March Queen (Faye-Ann Lyons), the arrangement will enable Mr. Yearwood to give his music songs a serious boost beyond the usual Crop Over season.

Nurse Karen and Bunji Garlin just after an amazing performance at UWI Fete, Miami 2008

The news comes to me directly from Ian Pantin, Manager of Bunji Garlin and the Asylum Band. I got the scoop just a couple hours ago while on my way to Miami's "Socavivor: International Flag Party". No additional names have been disclosed, however, I've got good reason to say this will not be the last big announcement you will be hearing out of the Asylum camp before Trini Carnival officially heats up. So, come back often to get your dose!

Before you go sifting through your regular online sources for Caribbean Entertainment buzz....you might as well accept that you heard it on (Nurse) Karen (Etc) first. The ink is still wet on the contract, but it is most definitely a done deal. Edwin had an exceptional 2008 Crop Over season winning his fourth Tune of the Crop title with Handle Yah Business, and a People's Monarch title in Nah Missing Me. So, if you weren't in Barbados for Crop Over 2008, you can look forward to seeing Edwin again, like never before.

You can liken the deal to Antigua's Tizzy of El-A-Kru taking the stage with Destra Garcia and Atlantik during C2k8 or Ricky T of St. Lucia performing in the Machel Montano HD set. It's temporary. It's business, and it's giving fans some extra bang for their carnival buck.

None the less, it's a pretty interesting development, considering the fact that Krosfyah, the homegrown Barbadian band responsible for making Edwin's name a Caribbean-wide gyal magnet is still very much alive and kicking. Fellow Krosfyah bandmate, Khiomal Nurse will be working the Trini circuit too. He won Barbados' Party Monarch competition in 2008, which automatically authorizes Nurse to "Unleash the Beast" at the Caribbean Prestige Foundation's Bmobile International Soca Monarch show come February. Great for Khiomal, but veteran Edwin has got to handle some business of his own!

I am definitely looking forward to seeing The Asylum/Yearwood collaboration. Now salty meets sweet, downtown meets uptown, and Trini meets Bim - all in one!