The Rounds - October 21, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. It’s another hot Sunday in Toronto, and to mark the occasion, I’ve brought you some equally hot news.
Guyana’s ministry of culture, youth and sport has decided to bring back the Guyana Music Festival that was first started in 1952. Next year, Guyana will play host to the Caribbean’s ideas expo, Carifesta Ten...and the government is praying for a cultural renaissance. The initiative aims to provide more support for the nation’s music industry, and better training for its next generation of entertainers.
St. Lucia’s 2007 groovy soca monarch is not just Goin Down de Road, he’s been jet setting over to gay Paree. Teddyson John and his pan-caribbean performance band, BlueMango just took their act to the 2007 Cibrations Caraibe Jazz festival in Paris France. The band whose members come from Barbados, Martinique, French Guiana and Saint Lucie, received rave reviews after opening for John Legend at the Internationally renowned St. Lucia Jazz festival earlier this year. And now it’s paying off. The group got to take their sound to a festival featuring Caribbean jazz expressions, in Euro’s afro-music mecca!
Another soca artist who’s NO stranger to having his business all over the world, was just invited to speak at Washington D.C.’s historical Howard University. Machel Montano was booked to provide the keynote address at a program called Soca 101, organized by the school’s Caribbean Students’ Organization. Invited, but de big star mussee catch a little stage fright. The educational event went on with no Machel to be seen. He sent his regrets, and I’m told he made an appearance on campus the next day to sign autographs.
When I think of Machel Montano, the last thing that comes to mind is SHYness! Whether he on stage sending a mampie flying in the air, or if he’s just proving dat he’s a real winer man, dat boy oozes confidence. On Friday, Machel and de HD family proved THAT to be true at the ever popular Zen night club, when a couple of bullet proof vested trini cops threatened to shut down de session. Why, you ask? LEWD CONDUCT! Everybody knows, is a regular day in the life of a roadmarch king when the artist gets on stage only to have the girls in the front row INSPECT THE QUALITY OF HIS FAMILY JEWELS. Machel tell de police to lock him up if they want to, but is not he fault de gyal dem getting on scandalous. In the end, the incident produced nothing but hearty laughter from all in attendance…and earned Mr. Montano Nurse Karen’s 2007 award for the King of Commess. Machel, I love you bad jed. You make my job so much easier.
Look out for him in 2008 with a brand new roadmarch contender called Unconditional Love, and a groovy follow up to One More Time that he previewed for the giggling crowd at Zen.
I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Please text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5, now back to de doctor.

Read more...

The Rounds - June 29, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. With one week to go till Caribana, the city is on fire with hot events blazing soca. All the entertainers are packing their bags, checking their passports and boarding their planes…because Toronto is THE place to be.
Last week, Trinidad was home to some major soca action. When radio station Soca 919, hosted their annual Soca for Summer Showcase. About a month ago I mentioned to you that this year’s concert marks the 20th anniversary of Iwer George’s career in soca. He’s the reigning soca monarch…AND the owner of that radio station. Well…after 20 years in the business, IWER GEORGE has called it quits…well…not HIM, but his name. The big man has retired his government name in favour of…THE BOSS. Ah hope de odda BOSS, Bruce Springstein is OK with DAT choice. Personally, I kinda like Iwer betta.(under my breath)
Since last Fall, the soca world has been mesmerized under the enigmatic spell of Machel Montano HD. Even die hard fans agree that this year’s stage show AND music showed a marked improvement over some pretty amazing years gone by. So next week, the HD posse will be on the road, At Lamport stadium AND at Fire Fete 6, but after that? who can be sure? What I do know is that the band has already finished writing and recording about EIGHTY percent of their NEXT album. Yeah, I’m talking about 2008. So, be sure and lap up the last of this year’s presentation…because before you know it, it will be time for something new.
Carnival vibrations sweep through the Caribbean all Summer long. So THIS weekend would have been a great time for a get-away. Whether in Antigua, Grenada or Barbados, Friday and Saturday were all about moving one step closer to crowning the next Monarch. Antigua’s groovy competitors have been narrowed down to 9. Claudette Peters leads the pack with “Go Claudette”.
On the UpTempo side, El A Kru’s Tizzy, is making another attempt to BOUNCE she way to that crown. At Grenada’s soca semi’s on Friday, the show mostly gave newcomers and emerging artists a chance to expose their music to a wider audience. But, some of my greenz posse will be happy to hear that favourites like Nnika Francis, Boogie B and Inspector are back in the running THIS year.
BIM is looking for a Party Monarch too and Barry Chandler has got some stiff competition. The 2007 music is sweet fuh so. So whether it goes to Khiomal, Hypasounds, Lil Rick, or Mr. Dale, All my Bajans can rest assured de title will be in good hands.
Well Toronto posse…this is we time. So save up your pennies and support the culture. Friday we going to KOS J’ouvert…and then it’s no sleep at all till Tuesday morning.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds . Please text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5. now back to de doctor.

Read more...

The Rounds - June 10. 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Let me start by saying today is THE perfect day on soooo many levels. The sun is glowing like a ripe slice pineapple. The weather nice and about half the West Indians in the city just got a chance to see Machel Montano HD perform live at de Harbourfront. Did I mention that the show was F-R-E-E-?
Ah feelin’ higher dan high, and it’s really no surprise. That carnival feeling has been going real strong all week-end. Tampa, Florida is taking they mas to the road right now, but whether you love soca, meringue or samba, Toronto is DE place!
Last night the Buzzzzz was over at Captain John’s when the K.O.S. family rocked the boat for Soca Sweetness very own annual yellow and black fete. Now that don’t mean is only Asians and Africans get to go, that’s just the colours you had to wear. So, if you found that CONFUSING, I’ll give you two more chances to get your wardrobe right. Say it with me now: Blackout AND….Whiteout. I think you get the point. Tickets are on sale now, so look sharp and fix up.
Dr. Jay de Soca Prince was looking sharp Monday night when he won the Stylus DJ award, for best Soca DJ. That’s twice in two years. Just like when he take home de hardware at the Soca Awards for best INTERNATIONAL DJ two years straight. And guess who’s nominated again! Let the voting begin. Remember we doh call he de Prince fuh nuttin’.
One of St. Vincent’s reigning roadmarch KING’s is getting set to enter the carnival season in royal style. Nookie Man Jamesy P has a new album hitting the streets on June 16th. Look out for “Work of Art” in stores everywhere. The album features the new groove BASHMENT that already has fans at home wondering if another chip-and-wine tune might take the road. I guess we hadda wait and see.
Guyana’s former Soca Monarch KING Adrian Dutchin is looking to extend his kingdom to the blue waters of Bimshire. What I mean to say is Barbados. The cutest crooner ever to call Guyana home will be performing with mega-band Krosfyah for the 2007 Crop Over season. You can hear him do his thing on a track called “Impossible”, that’s currently one of Dr. Jay’s Prescription picks. Take a listen and tell me wey yuh think!
As the vibes keep building steady for Toronto Carnival, is pure excitement! Borokeete International launched their 2007 presentation on Friday, with a little help from the KOS family.
And over at Tribal Knights, I’ve just confirmed that Trinidad’s Power Soca Monarch Iwer George WILL BE ON THE ROAD with the brand new mas band. Iwer, Blazer Dan and a hell-of-lot of DJs! For the latest in Caribana competitive action check the mas camp listings on Toronto-Lime.com
Now back to our lead story. At the top of the rounds I expressed unparalleled jubilation for having seen Machel and he band flatten harbourfront this afternoon. The successful show was a happy ending to a very trying week. After weeks of investigations and press conferences and speculation and rumours, charges were finally laid in regards to the incident at Zen night club in Trinidad. De one involving aggressive partygoers, a spilt drink and a fist fight. Righto! I’ll be the first to tell you Machel eh go want to talk about this so I will. Trinidadian rat pack Machel Montano, Kernal Roberts, Benjai, and Zan were slapped with 5 charges in relation to the events. Bail was granted for the sum of $50 thousand TT for Machel and Zan, $30 Thousand for Benjai, and $25 Thousand for Kernal. The case will hopefully go to trial next month. But guess really eh care? You got it. I just happy I get to do de Jumbie dance this afternoon!
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Please send your comments to soca a Flow 935 dot com. Now back to de docta!

Read more...

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!

Read more...