Nurse's Lounge: Vincy & Grenadian Hype - Toronto!

Nurse Karen and Pupa Leendi

Few people realize that in spite of my public persona as veritable Queen of the Soca Dancehall (LOL), I like to stay in. My Toronto crew can attest. I do go out, but I'm noticeably absent at a lot or great events too. I dunno, I just like my bed or something.

Last Friday, even though every ounce of my being ached for the familiar conforst of home, I partied. I partied kinda hard too! (Jumping and ting, what a site)

For me the hot spot was a show called Vincy and Grenadian Hype, held up at Fusion Lounge, near Jane and Wilson. I live pretty much in the downtown core, so it takes a special push to get me to pump enough gas in the ride to make it to them parts. Special push came from DJ Tarrus of the Vincy Soca Dans. He popped up on my MSN, right around the time I was starting to kiss all my "tweeters" goodnight. I got a stern reminder that I missed their big show in NY the weekend before, and I'd better not flake out on the Toronto appearance. Point taken.

The event featured a cast of artists Toronto seldoms sees together. From Grenada it was veteran artiste, Inspector and multiple-time Carriacou Road March champ, Pupa Leendi. From St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there was the nookieman Jamesy, six time soca monarch Fireman Hooper, and "D'Crowd Motivator" Luta.

I got up to Fusion about 1 am-ish. I dolled up, cuz it wasn't supposed to be heavy fete night for me. Just wanted to suss the show, say hello to the artistes and go on my merry way (back to sleep). That's not the way it went down.

When I arrived, a steady flow of patrons queued up at the entrance. A couple of Toronto Police were hanging around making easy dough. I ran into Andy Lavia outside. We had a great chat about all things soca. Dunno if it was planned, but he ended up being the MC for the night. I need to get those kind of jobs!

I'm pretty sure our lime continued outside until after 2. When I got inside, the crowd barely even seemed to notice that the artistes weren't even in the building as yet. The action on the dance floor was the kind of wildness that you would expect from Spice Mas J'ouvert of Vincy Carnival events like "Slippery When Wet". For some the stage doubled as a King-sized mattress, for others the floor was good enough. Never seen that kind of behaviour in Toronto before....EVER!

DJs Fusion and Tarrus juggled from Jamaican Dancehall to soca from the two featured islands plus a healthy dose of ditties from Barbados, Trinidad, and Antigua too.

Finally it was show time. Grenada was up first! Pupa Leendi...who most of you know from "Rum ooooooooooye, wey you dey?!!!" got all the roots coloured flags waving high and proud. A couple of lyrical improvisations gave the man's songs a parental advisory warning much higher than that required for liquor references, if you know what I mean. Eh hem... Sometimes I wonder if I'm old enough for this stuff.

Next was Inspector. It was great to see him command the crowd. I really appreciate witnessing performances by persons who've been in the game for a while. I remember seeing him at a Carifiesta show in Montreal. That could have been 10 years ago. WOW!
He performed is set to an ecstatic audience. For obvious reasons, the Grenadian crowd was loving it a little more than the Vincies...until, he did something no one expected. Inspector got the DJ to give him a one drop...to which he performed classic Vincy soca songs from the like so Poorsah and Becket. If you see exitement!

Nurse Karen with Inspector

Why can't I remember who was next? I believe it was Jamesy P. Boyfriend came dolled up looking like somebody's groomsman. He had everybody singing along from start to finish.

Luta! Love him or hate him, you can't deny that the man knows how to hold a crowd's attention. From the girls rushing the stage to test the wine, or the freestyle verses of "Busy Tone". Luta shows the Greenz crew some love by dropping some Lavaman verses in his set. Lava was advertised, but I haven't got the story on that. In my opinion, Luta was a true show stopper.

Nurse Karen, (pit stain), and Luta

Time was running out at Fireman hit the stage. I was already privy to some of his outrageous antics in the VIP, so one could expect nothing less as the dreadlocked mad man approached the stage shirtless. I can't lie, I lost all my poise and composure when he did "Anaconda". I didn't expect that. So, I had a little more jump left for "Spirtual" and "Rags Invasion". He brought back a few great Vincy Mas memories for me.

Towards the end of the set, the security team just didn't look like they were having fun anymore. It was getting awful close to 3:30 am...so by the time Tarrus took the mic to do his song, the lights were on.


But you know what happened next.... PARKING LOT LIME. Thanks for getting me out gents. It was a real fun show, keep doing your thing!

Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

P.S. The same night there was a huge b-day bash for DJ Jester. I'm very sorry I wasn't able to make it. He's a buddy of mine, that I appreciate in so many ways..and have the utmost respect for. I know the party was amazing, and so would have loved to be there for the fun. Lots of continued blessings! K.

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Booster Shot: Mr. Killa is Soca King!

This just in...Mr. Killa managed to swipe the soca monarch title away from Luni Sparks and Electrify earlier tonight in Grenada.

Congrats to Mr. Killa for his winning performance of "Swing it Away"

Swing It Away - Mr killa

See the results below!

1. Mr Killa, 408 points

2. Luni Sparks and Electrify, 374 points

3. Zingo, 320 points

4. Randy Isaac, 316 points

5. Inspector, 314 points

6. Maximillion, 308 points

7. Otis, 302 points

8. Croqueta, 296 points

9. Mr Legs, 292 points

10. Soca Banton, 291 points

11. Lava Man, 285 points

12. Brother B, 277 points

13. De Hammer, 271 points

14. Sheldon Douglas, 260 points

15. 4 Brass, 259 points

16. Soca Sterlin, 206 points

Peoples' choice : Lava Man

Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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Booster Shot: Unnofficial Grenada Soca Monarch Finalists

Grenada posse...

Here's the unofficial list of 15 finalists who made the cut for 2009 Spice Mas Soca Monarch. The results below reflect what was read out during the live to air broadcast on WE FM last night. Please consult www.spicemasgrenada.com for the official list:


1. Mr. Killa 220
2. Randy Isaac 210
3. Inspector 209
4. Lavaman 209
5. Maximillion 204
6. Sheldon Douglas 204
7. Zingo 202
8. Mr. Legs 192
9. Croquetta 191
10. 4 Brass 191
11. Soca Sterling 189
12. Brother B 187
13. Soca Banton 187
14. D Hammer 186


Congrats to all 14 competitors! They will go up against defending Soca Monarch title-holders, Luny Sparks and Electrify on Friday, August 7, 2009

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Booster Shot: Order of Appearance for Grenada Soca Semis

Little update for ya! Tonight is the semi-finals for Grenada Soca Monarch. The list I posted earlier in the week was simply who got through. There are 31 semi-finals, but only 15 will pass through to the finals. The list below shows when each artist will perform. The show begins tonight at 8 pm Greenz time.

Here's the order of appearance:


GCC / LIME SOCA MONARCH SEMIFINALS 2009
1. MINEY
2. BOOGIE B
3. BROTHER B
4. SHORTPREE & TRINA
5. MR. RAZOR
6. PUPA LEENDI
7. D HAMMER
8. RANDY ISAAC
9. GOLDMINDZ
10. BLOODFIRE
11. MR. LEGS
12. INSPECTOR
13. 4 BRASS
14. LAKAY
15. SOCA STERLIN
16. SOCA BANTON
17. MR. KILLA
18. TOUCH IT
19. CROQUETA
20. SUPERSTAR
21. BOYZIE
22. TERROR KID
23. MAXIMILLION
24. LAVAMAN
25. KAGE
26. OTIS
27. SHELDON DOUGLAS
28. PAPA JERRY
29. ZINGO
30. GENERAL PEPE
31. BLACK BLINGERS

Reserve – MUSTIC

I'm told there will be temporary live stream available so you can watch a test stream of the Grenada Carnival action live at:
http://www.spicemasgrenada.com/

You can listen to the whole show live HERE

Check it out, and lemme know!

Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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Booster Shot: Grenada Soca Monarch Semi-Finalist named

On July 24, 2009, 30 semifinalists will compete to see who gets throught to the GCC LIME Soca Monarch finals. The semifinal will take place on July 24th at Victoria Par in Grenville.

Among the 30, there are four newcomers, two women, and six former road march winners. So, I don't need to tell you it's serious competition.

Does your favourite artiste still have a chance?

4 Brass
Boogie B
Boyzie
Brother B
Croqueta
D Hammer
General PP
Gold Mindz.
Inspector
Junior Blood Fire
Kage
Lakay
Lava Man
Maximillion
Mr. Killa
Mr. Legs
Mr. Razor
Miney
Otis
Randy Isaac
Papa Jerry
Pupa Leendi
Sheldon Douglas
Shortpree & Trina
Soca Banton
Soca Sterling
Super Star
Terror Kid
Touch It
Zingo

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The Rounds - August 12, 2007

August 12, 2007
Dr. Jay’s Rounds
Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Everytime time Caribana finish, I feel as though summer nearly done. Once my skin get bun up from playing mas, I figure it’s time to roll over and await the inevitable cold season. Well, not so on the sunny shores of the Caribbean. De hottest time of the year, NOW start!
Monday was the Grand Kadooment in Barbados, the final climax on the Crop Over calendar. Mas players were a little upset that the big parade was soaked with rain, but they made the most of it anyway. The soppy weather slowed down the pace from a jump to a chip, and Mr. Dale went home as road march king for Soka Junkie.
Over in Antigua Lord Satalyte made up for his second place finish at soca monarch...by leaving all competition in his dust come Carnival Tuesday. Antigua’s new road march is a chune called OK Papi. It’s one them songs nobody knows the right words for, but they love it bad!
For all the carnivals this year, we got to enjoy seeing a few new faces in the limelight. Seems like the people have spoken and it’s time for something new. Down at Spice mas they tried something new LAST week, when they held the first ever Village soca monarch competition. Ten soca artists were selected to represent their home towns, competing for soca supremacy. The inaugural Village Soca King is Lavaman with his smash hit Ah Cyah Hear. He beat out Tallpree’s “Trees” and Berbice with “Traffic”.
Gouyave posse, I hate to say it, but you weren’t placing in the village show, and the luck wasn’t THAT much better on the national stage. Mr. Killa has been officially dethroned of both his soca monarch titles. At the Groovy competition, Wednesday , Killa had to give his crown to last year’s Calypso King, Finley “Scholar” Jeffrey. Landing himself with a measely 8th place finish for his country-style soca tune, Rider.
This weekend, insult was added to injury as Killa had to settle for third place in Power Soca behind Luni Sparks and Eliectrify and Inspector.
Up here in Ontario, some of us continued to jump up at Hamilton Caribbean carnival yesterday. Glue guns and safety pins gave last week’s Caribana mas a last hurrah in the sunlight. If your feet, still have a little bounce left next weekend…head over to Ottawa for the grand finale of Caribe-Expo…The parade is on Saturday, just be sure and dry clean yuh costume!
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 docta!

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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.

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