The Rounds: Ma$tamind joins Shurwayne's Band!

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

 

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds, for Super Sunday 2009!  I don’t know a thing about American Football, but I’m pretty good when it comes to Carnival.  So let me tell you who’s in the game.

Dominica’s national carnival, Mas Domnik officially opened yesterday.  The festival began with an event known as The Real Mas.   Dominica is one of very few Caribbean territories that has never moved their celebrations from the traditional pre-lenten season, which makes them the underdog in the carnival playoffs against Trinidad and Tobago.

Last Thursday, Val Cuffy,  the Executive Director of the Dominica Festivals Commitee announced that he thinks now is the time for a discussion on changing the dates, as most of the other islands did more than 25 to 40 years ago.   Personally, I don’t mind if they do, cause then I can finally make that trip.

Another nation on the Caribbean Sea celebrating carnival right now is Guyana.   Last night the sweet sounds of soca got locals ready for Mashramani 2009 at the Soca Monarch Semi Finals.  The finals are set for the National Park on February 15^th.  Word on the street is that reigning soca monarch Adrian Dutchin will NOT be defending his crown.  So, somebody else is gonna have to kill the ladies with winery that night.

Oh by the way, Adrian’s Krosfyah bandmate Khiomal, who is equally talented in the waistline celebrated his birthday on Wednesday.  In case you forgot,  Khiomal Nurse (no relation to yours truly) is the reigning Party Monarch of Barbados.  His win at Crop Over earned him automatic entry to the Power Soca Monarch finals in Trinidad, going down on February 20^th.

Speaking of Trinidad...lemme give you some Chutney Bacchanal!  On Wednesday, just eight out of 33 artists were selected to advance to the Chutney Soca Monarch finals.  There were some upsets in the judges choices, leaving well known acts like Adesha Samaroo out of the final competition.  So, the artists took the matter into their own hands, staging a demonstration outside the San Fernando office of the organizers, Southex Promotions complaining about unfair judging.  I can’t comment on how fair it was since I haven’t seen the performances nor have I seen the criteria, but that’s precisely the problem.  The artists don’t know what they’ve been judged on either!  

I do know, however, that producer turned artiste, Shawn "Ma$tamind" Noel, made it to the finals with Patch for their chart topping Chutney Soca, Rum and Roti.

As we enter the end zone, I’d just like to say....Da Ma$tamind is making big leaps this year, having just announced that he has joined Shurwayne Winchester and YOU as a frontline vocalist for the 2009 season. I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds.  For more info on everyone and anything to do with soca, check me out at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustard seeds dot net.  And Grab the rounds as a podcast from www.socatherapy.com/therounds. Now back to de docta!

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The Rounds: Kevin Lyttle's New Song with Flo Rida

Good Evening Soca Lovers,



Season's Greetings. It may be cold outside, but wherever soca music is pumping…it's hot, hot, hot! St. Kitt's and Nevis is especially steamy this time of year as they celebrate their annual Carnival. This year's festival is aptly themed "Nuff Riddim, Plenty Lime."Local favourites like d'Vybz Band International, are now starting to release their music for the carnival season that official reaches it's climax on New Year's day. Vybz will dropping it's '08/'09 carnival album next week. So be sure and check for it.

Speaking of albums… Kes the Band will have a new offering for 2009. The first release is a song called "The Feeling". It's a tribute to Trinidad's musical heritage of Calypso. It has a bit of an 80's retro feel in its construction, all mellowed out with the silky vocals of lead singer, Kees. The new album drops in January.

Nurse Karen and Kees in Toronto

The first lady of Kees the band is none other than the stunningly talented, Miss Nadia Batson. Today is her 32nd b-day and were sending out positive vibes to Nadie as she rings it in. Happy Birthday Girl!

With Nadia Batson in Toronto last month

You've heard me talking a little bit here and there about Kevin Lyttle's Japanese album. Well he's been working on projects for this side of the Pacific Ocean too. A track called Anywhere surfaced on the internet about two weeks ago. It features Flo Rida and Po Boyz…and it's definitely more R&B than soca or anything else. Kevin says the song was originally scheduled to hit airwaves come January, but there is some talk about pushing out sooner because of the leak.

Nurse Karen and Kevin Lyttle in St. Vincent last June.

Over in Trinidad, Kernal Roberts has taken a new step to revive the memory of his legendary father, the late, great Grandmaster Lord Kitchener. Angustura made the controversial decision to cast Roberts in a modern remake of a well-known local television commercial in which Kitch strums the first few bars of "Drink Ah Rum". The original commercial first aired in the early nineties, but in 2008, Kernal who is an accomplished song-writer and musician in his own right, plays his father. A task which comes pretty naturally considering the amazing resemblance. The new ad campaign was lauched last week Friday at a White Oak Staff Lime in Trinidad. Adesh Samaroo and Machel Montano were also present.

With Kernal Roberts in Miami

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Look for me online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog, at www.mustardseeds.net. And download the Rounds podcast to go at http://socatherapy.com/podcast. Now, back to de docta!

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