Artist's View: Mista Vybe on Berlin Carnival

Nurse Karen and Mista Vybe, Trinidad ( June, 2008)

I was so excited to get this email from Mista Vybe! Berlin Carnival wrapped on Sunday, but it sounds like he is still having a great time in Germany repping hard for Trinidad and Tobago and soca music in general. You all remember Mista Vybe from his 2006 smash hit, "Ting 4 D Road", but the...

V - Versatile

Y - Young

B - Black

E - Entertainer

...has been crafting his unique blend of dub and smooth style soca joints for years. He has been grinding harder ever since. He is an avid fan of the soca genre, who pays close attention to the music released throughout the region. He knows the player in the game as well as I do!!! So, it is no wonder that he has recorded with top producers from Trinidad, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and Barbados alike.

As a member of the Big Artiste Crew. Patrick "Vybe" Gordon collaborated with the like of Nadia Batson, Terry Seales, Michelle Sylvester and his baby sis, Ms Alysha. They are all hard at work writing and recording new tunes for Trinidad Carnival 2010.

I respect him for his painstaking attention to detail, and insistence on flawless vocals. Call it professionalism. Wadeva! De man knows his way around a studio. Listen chunes on Myspace, and tell me if i lie! ( The word of the day is "Jab Jab")

Before I get carried away, did I mention that Vybe is in Germany?! I will let him tell you what he's up to.

Hi Karen,
As promised, I'm checking in with you with a quick update from Germany!

I've been hre since Friday morning working hard to keep the flag flying for Soca music and Caribbean Culture. It's so amazing how much Germans love up Caribbean vibes in general and the Soca/Carnival cultuer in particular.

I did two club shows both of which had crazy energy and wonderful crowd response. The first was in Wuppertal and the second was in Berlin. Both shows were off the chain, including plenty jumping and waving and even "big flags" (both Trini and German).Sunday was Carnival of the Cultures here in Germany and I was on the road with PurpleExplosion, which Berlin's top mas band in true Soca style. The band not only featured the usual "big truck" with Berlin's top Soca DJs and costumed masqueraders - even German moko-jumbies, but also showcased performances by myself and my good bredrin, London-based Soca star Scrappy (reigning Soca Monarch of Montserrat).

After the Carnival we barely had time for a quick change before going down to the Maria club to see an amazing performance by my brother in music, Maximus Dan. Also bounced up Jah Melody, Marlon Asher and their management along the way (big up Geron and the infamous Carl "Beaver" Henderson).

It's 6:04am Berlin time right now and myself, management and my German hosts (Threeks Sound - on of the top Soca soiund systems here) just got in from a loooooong night of studio work, followed by a stop at one of the top Caribbean Clubs here in Berlin.

There's tons of photos and videos to come from this trip, so the fans can stay tuned to your blog for links to those and follow me on twitter.com (look for @mistavybe), or just check my facebook and Myspace pages in the coming days...

Still have a couple more days here before I head back home to Trinidad.

Big up the Berlin Soca Massive who have shown us nothing but love. Stay tuned to Nurse Karen's blog as well as to @mistavybe on twitter.com as well as my Myspace and Facebook pages.

Oh - and look forward to new tunes from Mista Vybe for Vincy Mas AND St. Lucia Carnival 2009 - ABOUT TO BUSS soon!

Love and blessings from Berlin,
Mista Vybe: SUPERMODELROCKSTAR!

Big up yourself Mista Vybe! Thanks for the update. Looking forward to your pics and news! Tell Threeks Sound and dem Nurse Karen says "Guten Tag"!!!!!!

Thanks a mill.

Enjoy this fan clip of Mista Vybe on the truck performing "UP"

Love and Soca,


Nurse Karen

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The Rounds: International Calypso Monarch is coming!

(Originally aired on Soca Therapy on Flow 93.5 FM, Sunday, May 31, 2009)

In this edition:

• Berlin Carnival
• Vincy Soca Dans Launch
• St. Lucia Carnival press launch
• TUCO planning an International Calypso Monarch Competition
• RIP Lady Guymine
• Sheldon Benjamin out of hospital
• Alison Hinds holding web design contest

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds!

This was a busy week in the soca world as the Summer carnival season begins to unfold in fine style. Berlin Germany lit up with some hot soca action this weekend, for its Carnival of Cultures. Thanks to Germany’s number #1 soca sound, the Soca Twins, people like Kevin Lyttle, Maximus Dan, Marlon Asher and Jah Melody made the trip to Europe to take part in the festivities. I thought I should note that all dem man dey was on truck number NINETY SEVEN in the parade of the bands. Is it just me, or does that mean, Carnival in Germany is much bigger than we would have expected?

Nurse Karen with Germany's Soca Twins

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Friday evening a group known as the LIME Vincy Soca Dans gave a huge free show in Heritage Square for all their fans. Record numbers turned up to see Luta, Jamesy P, Fireman Hooper and Tabia perform one of their first full length sets together for the season. Katalyst flew in from Barbados for a special appearance to perform her new duet with Luta. Great reviews so far!

Meanwhile in St. Lucia, the CDF held a press launch for St. Lucia Carnival 2009 on Friday. They announced an increase in police presence this year to ramp up security at all official events....dot dot dot....beginning Monday. Monday is the official start of Lucian carnival . The fun starts at 3pm in Castries. Mas bands will be out registering revellers. Sponsor will be bombarding the people with promotions and the like, then some time around 5 pm, the performances will start. Local Calypso and Soca acts will feed the hungry crowd right into the night!

Speaking of Calypso, the Trinidad Unified Calypsonians Organization has begun wheeling and dealing to put together an International Calypso Monarch Competition! The idea is a to create a larger platform for Calypsonians throughout the region to showcase their art. A memorandum of understanding was signed last week to launch the inaugural event this October in Sint Maarten! They decided that a date in the Fall would be a better choice than waiting for the 2010 Trinidad Carnival season, since October falls after almost all of the Caribbean based carnivals have concluded. Sounds like somebody’s thinking down there.

The Guyanese calypso community around the world is in a more sombre mood this weekend as it mourns the passing of one of its true cultural ambassadors. Female Calypsonian, Monica Chopperfield aka Lady Guymine died on Thursday of natural causes. I first told you about her health issues last September when a group of West Indians in New York, including Winston Soso and Sugar Aloes came together to raise cash for her medical costs. Lady Guymine made her debut as a Mashramani Calypsonian back in 1965. Her talents were noticed by The Mighty Sparrow, who invited her to Trinidad to perform in his Calypso tent. She did so for two years. Then continued her nearly 4 decade career touring the Caribbean, and the US. I want to offer my condolences to the entire Chopperfield family for their loss at this time. May the legacy live on!

Before we get stuck on the bad news, here’s something to make you smile. Music producer, Sheldon “Shel Shok” Benjamin came home from hospital on Thursday. If you remember he’s recovering from Cancer affecting the lymph nodes. He’s doing much better, and will hopefully be well enough to attend the LIFELINE benefit concert in his honour and aid at Club Zen this coming weekend.

Before I bounce, I know the times are tough. And a few of you out there might be looking for a job! I got some good news. Soca queen Alison Hinds is in the market for a new design for Alison Hinds dot com. SO, if you think you can handle de wuk. There’s a contest going on right now. Email black coral contest at gmail dot com to enter. You’ve got till June 8th. Good Luck!

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more information on all the items you heard today. Find me online at Nurse dash Karen dot com, or nursekaren on Twitter and I’ll be happy to fill you in. Now, back to de docta!

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The Rounds - June 17, 2007

June 17, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Father’s Day 2007.
It’s another hot weekend in the city. And when it’s hot, you have to find creative ways to keep that temperature in check. For some, that meant strolling down to Barbados on the water to see Rupee. While others preferred to chill out in they short pants on the Palazzo Patio for another soapy foam fete. No matter how allyuh stay cool…is good once you doing it with soca.
The coolest thing out of St. LUCIA right now is the Lehgo Me Riddim. This infectious production is the work of a guy named ACE who managed to get Bunji, Faye Ann, Qpid, Skinny Fabulous and Zoelah each to give it their own special touch. My personal favourite is a track called “Presha Boom” by St. Lucia’s own Ricky T. And is not just me who feel de chune wikkked, yah kna. EVEN though Lucian carnival is just barely underway, VP records is already in talks with Ace and Ricky T about putting that bad boy on the next soca gold compilation. If it dey dey…guess who go be first in line to buy it?
In case you ARE looking for new music to buy, you might want to consider the new Scrappy Album. In 2005/2006 Scrappy earned himself the Montserrat Soca Monarch Crown, but I’m sure some of my Montserratian crew would remember him as a two-time JUNIOR CALYPSO monarch. Well he’s all grown up now, and he’s celebrating his 25th birthday with the release of his third album “Soca Is Life”, out on Faluma Digital in Europe…and through iTunes everywhere else.
Speaking of Europe…Trinidadian Fireman Bunji Garlin is packing his bags for a seven city European tour alongside Germany’s biggest soca sound system…The Soca Twins. From June 28th -- July 10th Bunji will be racking up the air miles from Germany to France, Sweden to Italy. And iWayne ( you know - the reggae artist who said soca is devil music)…he go be home ..wid he Mummah.
On a more serious note, a budding soca artist died tragically on Thursday night in Trinidad. Eric Cyril Stephenson otherwise known as Sphinx was gunned down at home in Petit Bourg. You may remember Sphinx from songs like “Wine on You” from 2004 and his 2005 duet with Kes called “Doh Buss No Gun”. The talk is…that Sphinx was known to local police for drug trafficking, and witnesses of the shooting death say that he seemed to know his killer.
On thing I know – dat kinda schupitness has got to stop! Just turn up de sweet soca music and stay cool. Don’t let a little sunshine give you a hot head!
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5, now back to de Docta!

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The Rounds - June 3, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. The music you and I love, might come from an archipelago of tiny caribbean territories, but its impact stretches beyond the seas, and over the airwaves, touching the entire world. As we start to get ready for Caribana here in Toronto, is important to remember that “we ting” was meant to be shared.
Last week the sweet sounds of soca music weren’t only heard at the Memorial Day carnivals in the States. In jolly old england a group of the queen’s subjects in Preston were jumping up too. In Berlin, Germany carnival swept the streets clear of bigotry and hate as 600,000 danced together as one for the 9th annual Carnival of Cultures parade. Theirs is a multiethnic event, but it was based on caribbean style masquerade…and the main music - is soca.
Back in the Caribbean, the official opening of St. Lucia Carnival is happening as I speak. This year they taking a practise jump today to ready de people for the road come July 16th and 17th. New for 2007, my Lucian posse can look forward its first ever Groovy Soca Monarch competition.And an “inter-commercial house” steelband competition. That just means they holding a panorama type ting for bands sponsored by different workplaces. One of the best aspects of Lucian carnival has always been the OECS soca monarch competition. Last year they opened the show up to competitors from the entire caribbean and Mista Vybe was crowned first ever Caribbean Soca Monarch..for “Ting for d Road”. Well, they bringing it back this year and I cyan wait!
The next thing ah cyan wait for is the Carnivalissima festival at de harbourfront centre. Carnival is not unique to the caribbean, but naturally we do we ting in an extra special way. Next weekend, the carnivals of the world will come to together for three AWE INSPIRING DAYS of fete! (evil laugh) I know allyuh tink I making joke….but is true! Some of you people don’t go no way unless Doctor Jay trowin’ a pah-tee. But I feel I could get allyuh to haul sum-TING fuh dis one.
Machel Montano HD will be giving a FREE 90-minute show at de Harbourfront Centre this coming Sunday at 4 pm. You better don’t stick on dat! If you get a little jumbie, Sunday would be the perfect day to exorcise it. Then the next week, we going right back for Barbados on the water!
If you prefer to celebrate carnival culture from the comfort of your own home, there’s a new book you might want to check out that could help you just that. Good news, not all the Trini’s in NYC are planning pyrotechnics at JFK! Some will be attending the US launch of John E. H. Barry’s comprehensive catalogue of ALL the Soca and and Calypso Monarchs EVER crowned at Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The text is called “The Finalists” and it will be launched in Brooklyn this Thursday and the Caribbean Literary and Cultural Centre in the Flatbush Library. Ummm….pardon me? Any body know if Toronto have a Caribbean Cultural Centre…and if is no…why de HELL not? I digress….
Well, one thing I know we DO have, is music…and it’s time we get back to de wining.
I’m nurse karen and those were Doctor Jay’s rounds. Text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5. Now back to de docta!

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