The Rounds: Edwin Yearwood is not dead!

Good Evening Soca Lovers

I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. So Doctor Jay, I know your birthday just passed and ting, but I have a little bad news for you to start off today's Rounds. There's a new Soca Doctor on the scene...and he's actually got a DEGREE to prove it. Five-time Trinidad Calypso Monarch BLACK STALIN was given an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies last week. He becomes the third Calypsonian to earn that title after The Mighty Sparrow and Chalkdust.

I really can not understand when this became the vogue thing to do. But somebody needs to tell me how and when it became OK to spread rumours about people's death. The latest soca star to fall victim to bachannal of the grandest scale, is de Bajan General, Edwin Yearwood. Last week rumours were spreading across the Caribbean region that the lead vocalist from Krosfyah had breathed his last. Truth be told the man had been laying low, but certainly not-six feet under. He was simply down south in Trinidad recording a remix to Nah Missing Me and performing with Bunji. Yearwood heard the rumour for himself from a source in Antigua who informed him that the GRAVE tale was spreading like wildfire in Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia AND Trinidad. It even had his poor mama worked up. But...de man is alive and well. So well, that he's hard at work preparing his second solo-album with VP Records...which we should see in 2009.

Posing for a snap shot with De General in Manhattan (2008)

Grenada's Brother B is getting ready to drop an album too. The full length album will be the rookie release for the man who brought you "A Little Wine" . The last time I mentioned him in the rounds, the artiste was recovering from a car crash in St. Georges. He's now back to full health and strength and ready to take his career to a higher lever. Check your west indian outlets for "More Fire" on November 21st.

Before I go, here's some news I am so excited to finally be able to share! Bunji Garlin and Faye-Ann Lyons are expecting a little soca baby. Maybe you didn't hear me right! Faye-Ann is pregnant. When I saw her in Miami she looked as beautiful as always, but you couldn't deny her decision to wear loose shirts and hoodies at all her gigs (in 30 degree celsius weather), left a lot of people speculating...including moi! So, Thursday night, she performed in Port of Spain at Zen...and the baby bump was spotted outright by local Trini media. At four months, the reigning road march queen is amped at the prospect of motherhood. Baby Alvarez will make his or her grand arrival in April 2009. The couple claims they intend to honour all of their Trinidad carnival engagements. I can't wait to see my girl mashing up the stage with her big fat belly!!!!

Pregnant Faye-Ann, all covered up in Miami(October 2008)

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. For more info on everything you've heard here, surf on over to Nurse Karen Etc at triple W dot Mustard Seeds dot Net. And if you haven't started downloading The Rounds Podcast, it's not too late. Get it at Soca Therapy dot com, or just search "Nurse Karen" on itunes!

Read more...

The Rounds: Rudder gets patriotic with Bunji and Faye-Ann

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. I don't mean to start off with bad news, but it just occurred to me that for all the students listening. The start of the school year is just a little more than a week away.

In Trinidad with Shawn "Ma$tamind" Noel and Natasha Andrews Noel (February 2008)

But don't let that depress you. These days school is full of all sorts of wonders! For instance, Brooklyn New York's Coskel University is sponsoring the last of their summertime soca unplugged series tonight. The event is called De Tamarind Seed Sessions. Throughout the warm months it has played host to people like Shawn Mastamind Noel, Kevon Carter and Trinity....but tonight it's all about learning your history. Dane Gulston will educate the people on pan, and music legends like Crazy, Black Stalin and Lord Nelson will all join the jam session.

Take a look at the video I compiled from Labour Day Carnival 2007. I also attended the 4th annual ISO Soca Awards. You'll notice clips featuring Crazy and Trinity as well as Dane Gulstan on pan...

From History we move to Civics. How many of you know that Trindad and Tobago became and independent republic on August 31st, 1962? That means next Sunday marks the 46th anniversary.

Down in Trinidad, Ian Wiltshire of Island Style Music thought of the perfect way to mark the occasion. He got David Rudder, Faye-Ann Lyons and Bunji Garlin in studio to record a patriotic new song called "3 Colours"

Your "Nurse" with Bunji and Faye-Ann in St. Vincent (July 2008)

Some of you know Ian as the man behind the international Glow carnival fetes and annual Glow soundtracks. This past year, Ian decided to take a break from releasing a new Glow album due to decresing soca music sales across the board. His Canadian distributor (JBS records) wasn't so happy about this and convinced him to compile a "best of" album instead. Well we all know how those things go…all your favourite hits, plus a couple of updated remixes for good measure. 3 colours actually started off as a 2008 refix of Trini 2o de Bone. But lo and behold when creative people get together, innovations are bound to happen. It was co-produced by Ian Wiltshire, Ibo Joseph and Alan Brizan.

There's yet one more surprize in store when the song comes out this week. Ian tells me the intro and samples feature an iconic voice from Trinidad's past. He won't say who…but if you find any political figures listed in the multiple choice, that would be my guess!

Still with me students? Time for Geography. Soca Summer has landed firmly on London England this weekend for Notting Hill Carnival. Everybody's over there…well, except for me this year.

<
Nurse Karen goes to London and Notting Hill Carnival (2007)

<

But that's OK, next weekend when the action moves to New York, so do I! It's all about the Brooklyn West Indian Day Parade. And after Labour Day, my young musical apprentices, it's time to hang up the dancing shoes and study your books!

Enjoying the vibes on Labor Day Monday 2007

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Please leave me your comments online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustardseeds dot net. Never miss a beat when it comes to soca news….download The Rounds Podcast at Soca Therapy dot com.

Read more...