The Rounds: Biggie Irie to Release his first album

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

If you ask any true soca afficionado why this music hasn't hit big in the mainstream, most of them will tell you this: soca is extremely seasonal and often never gets the chance to grace the sandy shores of neighbouring islands. Well, good news soca lovers, it's beginning to look like that might change!

The Caribbean is growing smaller now that two West Indies produced music TV programs have been licensed to air across the region. About two months ago, Barbados-based ALT entertainment announced that it's 5-year old music video countdown program called "Roamin" would begin to air in 25 new territories, after striking a deal with a CBS affiliate station. The show features reggae and soca music videos, and showcases the local youth-culture of the islands they visit. Every Thursday night viewers in the States, Central America and the Spanish and French Caribbean will finally have a chance to find out what WE ting is all about!

This week, little-old Montserrat celebrated a similar milestone.... The Warren Cassell show will focus on live performances by Caribbean artistes. Claudette Peters, The Mighty Sparrow, Edwin Yearwood and Kevin Lyttle are all slated to appear in season one. The program will air in 17 countries.

Looks like Caribbean integration is happening all around. When it comes to the music, you can't help but notice that regional differences aren't quite so simple to pick out on first listen. That even extends to themes. Earlier this year, Bunji and Hunter had a big hit in Bring It…and I recently found out that two Bajan artistes plan to celebrate the virtues of RUM this year too.

Contone is one of them. He has big TINGs up his sleeve with a song that samples Rehab by Amy Winehouse.

Biggie Irie brought the Caribbean together in 2007 when he became the first foreigner to win the Groovy Soca Monarch crown in Trinidad. Right now he's busy compiling his first ever soca album. For Crop Over he will release 5 new songs. "Break Away" and "Bigg Girlz" are two groovy tunes produced by Dwain Antrobus, the guy who brought us Wining Season and Assume De Position last year. The last 3 songs in production with Chris Allman. Biggie's songs will start to hit the airwaves by the end of May.

South of the border the month of June is National Caribbean American Heritage Month. So, the community of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida will be getting together to celebrate the 14th anniversary of UNIFEST. It's a pan-Caribbean festival organized by the Greater Caribbean American Cultural Coalition. On June 1st, Leon Coldero, Nigel Lewis and Juliette Mills will be bring the soca vibrations.I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Leave me your comments at the Nurse Karen Etc Blog at triple W dot mustardseeds dot net. Now back to de docta!

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The Rounds - April 4, 2007

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Karen L. Richardson

Good Evening Soca Lovers! I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. This evening, I’ve decided to exercise my civic duty to educate you all about democracy. As your nurse, is not just de health of your body I worry about. I does tink about all kind a ting...like when the sun is shining round and yellow like the middle of a juicy pineapple, you are FREE to go for a little drive and pump up soca therapy loud loud, so everybody would know how happy you are. And last week, it was your RIGHT to curse winter for overstaying it’s welcome. And yuh see what happen when you speak up? Talk done.
It seems like the seasons are changing for West Indies Cricketer Brian Lara too. After seventeen year’s as the team’s premier batsman, the record-breaking 37-year old has called it quits. I know it must be some of you who doh watch cricket. As fuh me, I stopping now. After seventeen years of drooling after that man, I think it’s time I pick up my bot-tom lip and get on with life.
Our very own Dr. Jay is also moving onward and UPWARD, just like we’ve come to expect. The nominations for the 2007 DJ Stylus Awards have just come out - and Dr. Jay has made the list in three categories: Toronto DJ of the Year, Radio Mix Show DJ of the Year, and of course, Soca DJ of de YEAR! Surf on in to S-T-Y-L-U-S GROUP dot C-A to vote.
Our West Indian friends south of the border have now officially begun their campaign to increase their own political participation. The grass roots initiative is called “Soca D Vote” and I first told you about it last year. On April 14th, Trini-born Artist and Producer Nigel Lewis put out a new Soca D’Vote riddim to give a lil spice to de group’s message. With a US presidential election on the horizon for 2008, I gotta big them up for making their sweet voices heard.
Down in Trinidad and Tobago, it’s speculated that the national elections will take place THIS year….and a stellar cast of Calypsonians are armed and ready to mobilize the voters. Randy Glasgow Productions is staging the National POLITICAL Calypso Monarch competition, and some of the republic’s best have signed on to compete. So look out Cro Cro, Cardinal, Pink Panther and Aloes….the Calypso King of the World just confirmed that he will be throwing his hat into the row. But forget the competition, I feel sorry for the political candidates. Nothing stings worse than a tongue lashing from a calypsonian. It’s not forgotten like yesterday’s news, eh. Dat is a cuss that could grow into a public flogging with thousands of voices beating you steady as they sing along to de chune, over and over. Now, DAT is democracy!
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. This week, text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5. Your input is your impact. Now back to de docta!

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