The Rounds: Byron Lee's funeral yesterday in Jamaica

Dr. Jay's Rounds - November 23, 2008

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr Jay’s Rounds. Yesterday, the friends and family of the late Byron Lee gathered at St. George’s College in Kingston Jamaica to commemorate the life of a soca icon. The nearly four hour service paid tribute to the musician’s 52 year career in the industry through renditions of Lee’s music performed by his band, The Dragonaires. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga addressed the congregation. And there was even a recorded tribute message from American soul musician Ben E King. Those who attended described the mood as both celebratory and solemn. Lee died on November 4th after a long battle with cancer.

While hundreds in Jamaica paused to commemorate the end of an illustrious career in soca music, Trinidad’s Synergy TV was getting set to launch the careers of a number of future Soca performers. Synergy Soca Star (Season Four) kicked off earlier this month with a new crop of 15 finalists who are TAL-EN-TED!!! This batch gave their first live performance recently at St. James Amphitheatre, and somebody is getting eliminated on Monday night.
Trinidad’s most notable Soca Star Mr. Machel Montano will have his mind on something completely different tomorrow night as he rings in his 34th birthday. Happy Birthday Winer Boy! Yuh certainly not too young to soca now!

De Nurse and Machel Montano around this time last year, here in Toronto

Speaking of men with real loose waists....Barbados’ own HypaDog, Lil Rick will be celebrating a birthday this coming week too. It happens to coincide with his country’s independence celebrations on November 30th. This year sweet Lil Rick is throwing a great big birthday bash called “One More Time” at Brooklyn’s Base Nightclub next Saturday. The show will feature performances from HypaDog he-self and Edwin Yearwood, plus music by Barbados’ superstar producer and DJ, Peter Coppin. That sandy rock in the Eastern Caribbean will be celebrating 42 years of independence from British rule. So Bajan posse, bring on the Mount Gay from now. It’s party time!

With Hypa Dog a few weeks ago at Soca or Die

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Leave me a comment or two online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple W dot mustardseeds dot net. And be sure to download the rounds podcast from Soca Therapy dot com. Now, back to de docta!