The Rounds - November 25, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds.
There will be a grande parade in Tobago this Friday to usher in the 2008 carnival season. With 21 mas bands registered for the main event in that island, organizers are expecting this to be one of the best years yet.
If it’s gonna be the best across the board, there hah be some planned improvements right? Well in Trinidad, the preliminary round of the national schools soca monarch competition was held yesterday in Port of Spain. Soca in the School Bag 9 , as they call it, now has two separate categories for primary and secondary school students…so finally, some the small children have a fair shot at winning the prizes.
Here in Toronto, we recently fell victim to a cruel reality of Winter: SNOW! Well, today IS the 25th November , 2007…and that means just thirty more sleeps until Chist-mus Day. If that don’t put the fear of God in you, then let ME remind you that a true soca Christmas is not complete without Black Cake and Sorrel, Punch a crème and de Ham.. ...and the king of Soca Parang hesself….None other than Scrrrunter.
He’s in town tonight for a fast growing Toronto Holiday Tradition, the Big People Parang Show and Dance. The action is is at Ella’s Banquet Hall, and the show begins in just a few minutes. So bundle up and start de car.
If any of you out there need help getting your CREATIVE wheels turning, you can borrow a page out the book of Shawn Mastamind Noel. HE and Patch looked no further than Facebook to get the idea for their latest chune. “De Tail Gone” was inspired by a facebook group called “Save a Horse”. Yuh catch it yet? It’s dedicated to the thousands of women out there exaggerating dey heads with weave.
Seems like everyone’s full of New Ideas! Allyuh remember Peter C. Lewis? He used to share the stage with Machel Montano in de big band, Xtatik. Over the last few weeks, Dr. Jay has been treating your ears to his new song OVER AND OVER. Well I liked the song so much, I had to reach out and gih de man a virtual handshake. It’s been YEARS since Peter released a track, Afterall…de man real busy as CEO of Trinidad’s - Synergy TV station. Ever the business man, Lewis hit me back in record time to let me know that it doesn’t stop there. He’s got a brand new band, and your nurse will be the first to tell you all about it in the weeks to come.
I’M nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Please text your comments to 9-35-9-3-5. And let me be the first to say Season’s Greetings. Now, back to de Docta!

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The Rounds - January 29, 2006

Dr. Jay’s Rounds
Karen Richardson
January 29, 2006
390

Good Evening Soca lovers. I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds.
When I was a kid, I used to love tongue twisters. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers , She sells sea shell by the sea shore. How about this one….Try saying soca monarch five times fast. Say it with me nah!

Twenty-six artistes advanced to the semi finals of the TSTT International Soca Monarch Competition in Trinidad. That big showdown is happening tonight at Soca Broadway….and is only sorta international. The twenty-six were selected from a list of one-hundred-twenty-five artistes. Naturally most of the competitors are from the twin island republic, but FIVE will bring a little spice from Grenada.

Yesterday was the semi-finals for the Chutney Soca Monarch. This competition was officially added to the carnival calendar eleven years back. and Trinidad and Tobago Culture Minister, Eddie Hart says, “it has been growing leaps and bounds.” The excitement is building as they approach the finals on Saturday, February 11th. Of course…I’ll have to wait till the next day for the results. Since I go be jumping up at Doh Cry Ah Leaving. I guess I’ll call up one of you waited too long to buy a ticket. Sorry fuh you!

By next weekend Mas Domnik will be in full swing. That’s Dominica’s national carnival. It’s said to be one of the most original festivals in the Caribbean, possibly because Bouyon is the main party music. But they does be jumping up to de soca too. Don’t be fooled. I’ll bring you more on that next week.

For now its all about how many times I could say Soca monarch with out getting me tongue tie. You still counting?

More than fifty students participated in the preliminary round of the Schools Soca Monarch competition in T and T last weekend. The children sang their hearts out about everything from reducing crime to winning the world cup in Germany come June. I hear some ah dem pickney sound so good…they put a few adult soca artistes to shame. (shame, shame, shame)
Well we all know Flow 9-3-5 only has one reigning soca monarch, and it’s about time I let him get back to making you move…

I’m nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send your comments to Soca at FLOW 935 DOT COM. Now back to de docta!

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