The Rounds: Wanna have a baby for Tyrese?

In this edition:
- August 1 is Emancipation Day
- Tortola Emancipation Fest 2009 (Tyrese, Shurwayne Winchester and YOU)
- Barbados Road March Results
- Antigua Road March Results
- Grenada Soca Monarch Results

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Caribana is over, but don’t worry bacchanal posse...the season is far from over. This month, the jump up moves through Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, Edmonton, Hamilton, Hartford, Barrie, and that’s not all!

In Many Caribbean territories, the celebration of Carnival is closely linked to the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire. That happened on August 1st, 1834 - that’s one hundred and seventy five years ago.

The 1st day of August or first Monday in August is recognized as Emancipation Day in Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and Bermuda. Trinidad and Tobago was actually the first country ever to declare that date a national holiday. And even here in Ontario, our government officially started recognizing it just last year. So if that’s not a good reason to celebrate...YOU tell me what is.

In Tortola, British Virgin Islands, Emancipation Festival 2009 wrapped up this weekend. They had a action packed week complete with j’ouvert, fetes and road parades. Last night the big event was a concert featuring Taurus Riley, Tyrese and Shurwayne Winchester. Fans gave mixed reviews on the event stating the Tyrese was out of place using profane language on stage and actually asking women in the audience if they wanted to have his baby. (um...no comment). Shurwayne and YOU’s performance was A-OK until an audience member decided to wet down the saxophonist during his solo. All’s fair in love and soca, i guess...but the sax man, Alton Bertie is a Tortola native...and I don’t doubt the hometown crowd got their kicks outta keeping him humble.

Nurse Karen with Shurwayne Winchester in Toronto 2008

Monday was Kadooment Day in Barbados. Edwin Yearwood reigns victorious as the 2009 Tune of the Crop Road March Winner for Middle ah de Road. Mikey’s chune “I in dat” was good enough for 2nd place, and Calypso vet RPB came 3rd with Something’s Happening.

Carnival Tuesday in Antigua was a splash of colour and revelry that saw Red Hot Flames capture road march with a ditty called Trade March. Newly crowned Party Monarch Tian Winter came second with Soca Rebel, and Claudette Peters’ Flying Colours took the 3rd spot.

Grenada Posse! Guess who’s wearing the Soca Monarch crown this carnival!?!!? Mr. Killa is back. He left his competition in the dust with this performance of Swing it Away. Defending champions Luni Sparks and Electrify, and Zingo had to settle for a distance second and third.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds, for more juicy details on everything mentioned tonight, check me out online at Nurse dash Karen dot com, or follow ME,,,nurse Karen on Twitter, now...back to de Docta.

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Booster Shot: Barbados Kadooment Road March Results

Edwin Yearwood rocking the crowd at Broward Carnival 2008

You can blame Edwin Yearwood for a whole lot of bad behaviour on the road at Kadooment Day in Barbados yesterday. His monster jam "In De Middle Ah De Road", played most ofetn at judging points...making Mr. Yearwood the 2009 Road March / Tune of de Crop winner.



Next in like was Mikey with "I in Dat"

Third was Pic of the Crop / Calypso King Red Plastic Bag with "Something Happening"


Love and Carnival,

Nurse Karen

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Booster Shot: Edwin is Peoples' Monarch again!

Congratulations...De General, Mr. Edwin Yearwood continues to be a favourite in the hearts of Barbadians.

The Starcom Network of radio stations allows the general public to vote for the artist and song they believe to be the top tune of Crop Over.

The field was narrowed down to two great selections:

Mikey - I in Dat
Edwin Yearwood - Middle of de Road

The Crop Over frontline vocalist was able to amass 82 per cent of the vote. Mikey, weighed in with just 18 per cent. Edwin wins $25,000 as a result. He demonstrated class and great sportsmanship by offering $10,000 of his winnings to his opponent. Awwww, isn't that the sweetest thing?

Congrats goes to Edwin! His song happens to be one of my favourite uptempo soca tunes of 2009. If you don't know it, it'll grow on ya!

Middle A De Road (2009 Barbados Crop Over) Http://www.myspace.com/krosfyahband - Edwin Yearwood


Love and Soca,


Nurse Karen

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Booster Shot: More on Barbados' Sweet Soca and Party Monarch

Nurse Karen with Sweet-Soca and Party Monarch Champ TC in Barbados (July 2009)

Found an article worth sharing about the big competitions held for Crop Over this past Sunday. Congrats once again to TC and Nathalee. So far, Woman is Boss for Crop Over 2009

TC does the double to join winners’ row

7/27/2009
Barbados Advocate
By Khalil Goodman
TERENCIA “TC” Coward brought ‘the riddim’ and made history – winning the both inaugural 98.1 The One/Banks Sweet-Soca competition and the Mount Gay/Lime Party Monarch yesterday.

Singing the song “Hot Sun and Riddim” in both competitions, Coward captured the two trophies and $32 000 in combined cash prizes. Neil Bernard and Nicholas Brancker produced track helped edge out TC’s tent mate, Natalie “Natahlee” Burke. She came second in both competitions singing “This is What We Do.”

Natahlee lost to TC by 20 points in the Party Monarch competition and by only one point in the SweetSoca.
To read on, click here

Nurse Karen with Sweet Soca & Party Monarch Runner Up, Nathalee Burke in Barbados (July 2009)
Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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Booster Shot: TC is inaugural Sweet Soca Champ

Here are the results from The first ever Crop Over Sweet Soca Competition!!!

(Special thanks to our own Corey Graham 2.0 who is at Farley Hill National Park in Barbados awaiting the Party Monarch results)

1. TC - Hot Sun N Riddim

2. Nathalee Burke - What We Do

3. Mikey - I in Dat

4. Mr. Dale - We Come to Party

5. Blood - Back It Up

Congrats to Miss TC. She's been doing this soca thing for a while now. It was my pleasure to finally meet her in person 2 Sundays ago at Caribbean Wet Fete in Bridgetown. We chatted about this season...and the chances of this very thing happening! She edged out Nahtalee Burke by just 1 point!!!


Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

P.S. Party Monarch results coming any second now!

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Booster Shot: Barbados Party Monarch & Sweet Soca Finalists Announced

Barbados - Party Monarch & Sweet Soca Contestants Announced

The anticipation.. the agony of waiting… feels like it's been a long haul, but finally the results are known. The finalists have been released for two of the most aniticipated competitions on the Crop Over calendar.

The eight finalists in the 98.1 The One Banks Sweet Soca Competition are:

Song Title Artiste

1. All Night Til Morning Statement

2. Back It Up Blood

3. Come Out Mr. Dale

4. Hot Sun and Riddim TC

5. I in Dat Mikey

6. Trouble Khiomal

7. What We Do Nathlee

8. We Come to Party Sir Ruel

RESERVE:

Winin' Zone Brett
----------------------------------

The ten finalists in the Mount Gay and LIME Party Monarch Competition are:

Tent Artiste

1. Bachannal Time Timmy

2. Celebration Time Donella

3. Celebration Time Khiomal

4. Celebration Time Lil Rick

5. De Big Show Nathalee

6. De Big Show Red Plastic Bag

7. De Big Show TC

8. Headliners Blood

9. Headliners Mr. Dale

10. Headliners Mikey

RESERVE:

De Big Show Kirk Brown

Crop Over

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On De Scene : Caribbean Soca Monarch 2009 TONIGHT!

Carnival Sunday and though it is overcast in St.Lucia, the celebration will continue. This morning I attended the dipping of the positions for tonight's event ; Caribbean Soca Monarch.

Cultural Development Foundation graced the media, artists and everyone else present with some words on the growth and influence of this competition. A few artists scheduled for tonight's event will be absent due to flight delays. Which leaves a total of 10 competitiors (including the reigning Caribbean Soca Monarch King, Ricky T).

The 10 listed in order of numbers which they drew at the function will compete in front of 7 judges (from around the region) and of course the soca enthusiasts which will flood the Mindoo Philip Park this evening.


1. St.Vincent and the Grenadines - Skinny Fabulous (De Beast Leggo)

2.Grenada - Herminey “Miney” Victor (1000 Masqueraders)

3. St.Lucia - Ilah Man (I want my Money Back)

4. Barbados - Michael “Mikey” Mercer (Explosion)

5. St.Lucia - Ricky T (Like a Jumbie)

6. Guyana -: Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts (Ah Coming)

7. St.Lucia - Q pid (Relieve Me Pressure)

8. Trinidad and Tobago -Street disciples (Take a Wine and Hush you Mouth)

9 Grenada -Lyndon “Pupa Leendi” Adams (Rum Oye)

10. Dominica -Chester “Daddy Chess’ Letangs (Ready or Not)

The show begin after the King and Queen of the Bands scheduled for 8 p.m.. And we will be bringing LIVE COVERAGE of the enitre event (King and Queen of the Bands and Caribbean Soca Monarch)!

So WATCH LIVE !


Peace and Soca
Rochelle

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On De Scene: Barbados' First Ever "Groovy Soca Monarch" Semi-Finalists.

Barbados is known around for the groovy soca, well the only non Trini to win the International Groovy Soca monarch was a Bajan in the form of Biggie Irie! It took a while in coming but finally in the year 200wine, Crop Over will see its first ever a Groovy Soca Competition. We seem to have to name things a little differently.

We call Soca Monarch - Party Monarch, Road March translates to Tune Of De Crop. We are keeping consistent and calling the Groovy Soca Monarch - the Sweet Ragga Competition.

Here is the list of semi-finalists. One of them is sure to create history this year being crowned the Groovy Soca Monarch.

1. All Night Til Morning - Statement.
2. Back it up - Blood
3. Busted William - Watts
4. Carnival Jooks - Lil Rick
5. Come Out - Mr Dale
6. Good Vibes - Lorenzo
7. Hot Sun and Riddim - TC
8. Hottie Hottie Gal - Tarah Holdipp.
9. I in Dat - Mikey
10. Keep Drinks Coming -Out Patients
11. Move Over - Tasha
12. Peter Pan - Peter Ram
13. Trouble - Khiomal
14. We Come to Party - Sir Ruel
15. What We Do - Natahlee
16. Wining Zone - Brett

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On De Scene : Caribbean Soca Monarch Finalists Announced

Well this is de show dat pushes St.Lucia Carnival up to a higher gear , talking about the Caribbean Soca Monarch. The list of competitors are in so here it is at your disposal. There are a few islands whose arists have not been confirmed by CDF. But according to them , towards the end of next week they should be announced. So for now here is the list of artists that will join the 2009 St.Lucia Soca Monarch along with 2 other St.Lucian aritsts on July 19th at the Mindoo Philip Park. Boy I excited bout this show , saw at least two of the artists in Trinidad and they delivered! I am certain it will be a Great Show!



Caribbean Soca Monarch

Mikey - Explosion (Barbados)


Tino - So High (BVI)


Daddy Chess - Ready or Not (Dominica)


Miney - 1000 Masqueraders (Grenada)


Pupa Leendi - Rum Oye (Grenada)

Vanilla - Ah Coming (Guyana)

Rondell Meade - ( Song not Confirmed) (Montserrat)


Skinny Fabulous -Head Bad (St. Vincent)


To be announced (St Vincent)


Benjai - Drunk Again (Trinidad & Tobago)


To be announced (Anguilla)


To be announced (Antigua & Barbuda)


Nurse Karen, I know you itching to change your flight schedule. No worry ah go get on bad for two or for de whole Team!

Peace & Soca
Rochelle

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On De Scene: Top Crop Over tunes at Brewsters Road

(L-R) fan, cG 2.0, Lil rick,Katrina Chandler (Country Life Ent), Dwaingerous

Hi y'all,

I am walking out of Brewsters Road now (at 7:30 am) and felt the need to make sure the worldwide soca crew are aware of the clear hard hitters in the Crop Over parties thus far.
This was the launch of the Barbados 246. I didn't get to see the entire show they put on, so I can't comment. I was busy making sure all my TV crew were sorted for the night and there were one or 2 issues that caused me to miss the stage show.

I didn't hear the crowd raving or oohing and ahhing at the performance as much as I expected. But, I can tell what happened after 4 am when we stopped filming and I joined the party.

In de middle of the road - Edwin Yearwood
Riddim section - Mikey
See me and don't see me - Salt

These are the ones I heard get rotated over and over again, people saying the Edwin tune has the Road March based on what has been released so far.

The highlight for me at this time was to see some of the artistes- Khiomal, Mikey, Lil Rick, etc who performed on the 246, come into the crowd and get on bad. I mean get on bad! Mikey leading the charge of his riddim section in the party. Lil Rick was one that really had a blast and the DJ Alvin "Soca Superman" Toppin alongside Pete Rock playing a Lil Rick session and Rick running through the crowd and getting challenged by any and everyone...
It was good to see the promoters, media and other players involved in the season actually getting a moment to enjoy it all.

It was true Brewsters Road Crew style at 6:30 in the morning.

Let me take this time to offer my condolences to Trevor a member of the Brewsters Road Crew who lost his mother recently. Wishing you and your family all the best man.

To those of you with the opportunity to enjoy one or more of these Caribbean summer carnivals, from the words of Rupee - "Enjoy yourself in the mas cause you never know this could be your last."

Soca is us,
Corey Graham 2.0

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The Rounds: Khiomal is new Barbados Party Monarch!

Good Evening Soca Lovers,


I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds.


The Caribbean bade farewell to yet another Carnival this past week. St. Lucia was ablaze on Monday and Tuesday with Ricky T taking his 3rd roadmarch in a row. If you've been keeping score, that was Container in '06....

, Pressure Boom in '07

and Wheel and Come Again swept everything in '08. That's right my people. He managed to win Lucian Power Soca and Caribbean Soca Monarch too.

So let's recap:

St. Lucia Roadmarch goes to Ricky T, Herb Black's Suzette ranked number 2 and Ilah Man's "Mad So" rounds out 3rd place.

As for the Caribbean Soca Monarch, Bajan Soca Junkie, Mr. Dale grabbed the trophy for 3rd. Lucian Wildman, Ilah Man came second, and Ricky T - number one again! Ricky's girlfriend is expecting their first little one in a matter of weeks. At the Power Soca finals, she told me that the baby started kicking as soon as daddy's victory was announced. Sounds like the whole family will be jumping for joy for a very long time.

Today Barbados corwned a Party Monarch and it's not 2007 defending champion Lil Rick the Hypa Dog. So Congrats goes out to Khiomal Nurse. The Crown looks good on you Babes. In second place was Mikey, and 3rd place goes to the lovely lady Nathalee Burke.

Nurse Karen with Khiomal in Toronto

Lil Rick had to settle for 5th. Word on the ground is that Peter Ram gave and excellent performance. It's clear that the Pyramid entertainment camp put a lot of energy into staging "Carnival Praise" complete with a gospel-style choir led by Biggie Irie. Ram is pretty unhappy about what was reported to be a 14th place finish, as evidenced by his refusal to give interviews following the release of the results.




Closer to home, ScotiaBank Caribana is off to a very positive start, right here in Toronto. Last night's Calypso Monarch competition was a sold out affair. And by sold out I mean patrons turned away at the door and ting. So, let this be a lesson to everybody. Buy up your tickets in advance. Caribana events a sell off!...and make a profit.

Congratulations to Toronto's new Calypso queen. Macomere Fifi dethroned 2007 Monarch, Structure. Fifi's song "Barrack Obama" ( a very popular theme for Calypsoes this year) was also awarded honours for Best Presentation and Best Vocal Rendition. Her other selection Take Back we country earned recognition for Best Melody and Best Arrangement. She can thank Winston Maingot and Oswald James for that.

Congrats also to De Carra for an impressive second place finish and Structure, you're still on the boards! Kudos on third place.

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Please check out the Nurse Karen Etc blog at mustardseeds dot net for more information on any of the news you've heard here. And remember you can always get the Rounds to go at Soca Therapy dot com. Now back to de Docta!

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