The Rounds: Soca Monarch chief judge dies of heart stroke, etc...

The Rounds: Originally aired on Flow 93.5 FM's Soca Therapy with Dr. Jay De Soca Prince on Sunday, January 31, 2010

In this edition:
- RIP Roland Gordon (Trinidad)
- Results of Soca Monarch Semifinals (Trinidad)
- Ravi B is 2010 Chutney Soca Monarch (Trinidad)
- Dominica delays its soca monarch show by 3 months (Dominica)
- Ricardo Drue added to "The Orchestra" frontline (Trinidad)
- Happy Birthday Khiomal, Blood (Barbados), Maximus Dan (Trinidad)

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. Last Sunday's soca monarch semifinals in Trinidad left a lot of people hanging for nearly 4 days. People all over the Caribbean were waiting to find out which acts would eventually get to compete for top honours at 2010 International Soca Monarch Competition. As it turns out results were delayed due to the emergency hospitalization of Roland Gordon. He was the chief judge last week, and also happens to be father of Groovy Soca finalist "Chucky". Two days after critiquing the performances of more than 80 competitors, Gordon suffered a life threatening stroke, and on Thursday, sadly he died. Our deepest condolences go out to all who are affected by his sudden and very tragic passing.

The list of finalists can be found on my blog, but I'll mention a few highlights. As you may have heard, you won't see Bunji or Benjai on the Soca Monarch stage this year. They had no interest in competing this time around. However, you will see JW and Blaze performing their smash hit "Palance". Tallpree will be playing a wikked jab on Fantastic Friday, but fellow Gutter Riddim rider Patch whose song "Pipe" is a phenomenon unto itself...didn't make the final cut. Neither did Toronto's own Slammer Cutter...but we've got some representation in Kerwin Du Bois, who will be making an appearance in the Groovy Category

Nurse Karen and Tallpree in Miami (Oct 2009)

In other Monarch news. Chutney Soca Monarch went down last night, and I've got your top three! in third place was Moses Charles with "Indrani". Veteran Rikki Jai placed second with "barman", and the 2010 Chutney Soca Monarch is cutie pie Karma front man Ravi B with "Ah Drinka"

Let's see, what else when down this week? Oh yeah, well Dominica announced that they won't be staging a soca monarch show for carnival 2010, which is happening over the next few weeks. Instead the event has been moved to the end of May. Reigning soca Monarch Daddy Chess, however, will be competing in Trinidad on February 12th.

Peter C. Lewis in Miami (Oct 2010)

Ricardo Drue has just been named frontline vocalist for Peter C. Lewis' band, the Orchestra. Lewis is ready to pass on the torch...and believes this bright upcoming star is the man for the gig.

Belated greetings go out to Khiomal of the big band Krosyfyah. He rang in a birthday on Thursday (28th). Trinidad's ultimate fighter, Maximus Dan celebrated his earthstrong on Saturday, January 30th, while bajan soca veteran Andy "Blood" Armstrong will celebrate tomorrow on February 1st.

Birthday Boy Khiomal in Miami (October 2009)

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. for more info on all ah dat and more, check me out online at Nurse dash Karen dot com, or why not follow me...Nurse Karen on Twitter. Now, back to de Docta!

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Eye Unit: Patch - Pipe

Um....so, there's a "pipe" video.  One of the most popular songs on the Gutter riddim now has a video aid.  Oh boy!   I have one question though.   We all know this song isn't about plumbing, but what does he mean when he says;

" I have the pipe that straight, I have the pipe that bend, to give you the right pipe to solve yuh problem"

It was troubling enough to think the man had to resort to selling pipe, but if he has different shapes and ting....who else pipe is he selling?

Nothing left to say here...

Enjoy!



Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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The Rounds: Ma$tamind joins Shurwayne's Band!

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

 

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds, for Super Sunday 2009!  I don’t know a thing about American Football, but I’m pretty good when it comes to Carnival.  So let me tell you who’s in the game.

Dominica’s national carnival, Mas Domnik officially opened yesterday.  The festival began with an event known as The Real Mas.   Dominica is one of very few Caribbean territories that has never moved their celebrations from the traditional pre-lenten season, which makes them the underdog in the carnival playoffs against Trinidad and Tobago.

Last Thursday, Val Cuffy,  the Executive Director of the Dominica Festivals Commitee announced that he thinks now is the time for a discussion on changing the dates, as most of the other islands did more than 25 to 40 years ago.   Personally, I don’t mind if they do, cause then I can finally make that trip.

Another nation on the Caribbean Sea celebrating carnival right now is Guyana.   Last night the sweet sounds of soca got locals ready for Mashramani 2009 at the Soca Monarch Semi Finals.  The finals are set for the National Park on February 15^th.  Word on the street is that reigning soca monarch Adrian Dutchin will NOT be defending his crown.  So, somebody else is gonna have to kill the ladies with winery that night.

Oh by the way, Adrian’s Krosfyah bandmate Khiomal, who is equally talented in the waistline celebrated his birthday on Wednesday.  In case you forgot,  Khiomal Nurse (no relation to yours truly) is the reigning Party Monarch of Barbados.  His win at Crop Over earned him automatic entry to the Power Soca Monarch finals in Trinidad, going down on February 20^th.

Speaking of Trinidad...lemme give you some Chutney Bacchanal!  On Wednesday, just eight out of 33 artists were selected to advance to the Chutney Soca Monarch finals.  There were some upsets in the judges choices, leaving well known acts like Adesha Samaroo out of the final competition.  So, the artists took the matter into their own hands, staging a demonstration outside the San Fernando office of the organizers, Southex Promotions complaining about unfair judging.  I can’t comment on how fair it was since I haven’t seen the performances nor have I seen the criteria, but that’s precisely the problem.  The artists don’t know what they’ve been judged on either!  

I do know, however, that producer turned artiste, Shawn "Ma$tamind" Noel, made it to the finals with Patch for their chart topping Chutney Soca, Rum and Roti.

As we enter the end zone, I’d just like to say....Da Ma$tamind is making big leaps this year, having just announced that he has joined Shurwayne Winchester and YOU as a frontline vocalist for the 2009 season. I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds.  For more info on everyone and anything to do with soca, check me out at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustard seeds dot net.  And Grab the rounds as a podcast from www.socatherapy.com/therounds. Now back to de docta!

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Booster Shot: Trinidad 2009 International Soca Monarch Semi-Finalists Announced

The Caribbean Prestige Foundation annouced the names of the semi-finalists for the the 2009 bMobile International Soca Monarch competition yesterday in Trinidad.

The Semi Finals will take place on February 8th at the Arima Velodrome. Groovy begins at 4p.m., followed by the Power Soca Monarch.

Here's what you came here for:

Please note: This list does not include the reigning Soca Monarchs and Party Monarchs from around the Caribbean who have been guaranteed a spot in the finals on Friday, February 20th. Therefore five places in the finals have been reserved for Claudette Peters, Khiomal, Luni Sparks and Electrify, Ricky T and Skinny Fabulous.

Groovy Soca Monarch Semi-Finalists

• Alicia Lee
• Ansel Joseph
• Benjai
• Biggie Irie
• Blazz
• Cassie
• Cedonia
• Chucky
• Edwin Yearwood
• Erphaan Alves
• Esther Dyer
• Farmer Nappy
• Faye-Ann Lyons
• Fireball
• Gary Jackson
• Hunter
• Iwer George
• Kerwin Du Bois
• Patch
• Nadia Batson
• Patrice Roberts
• Pelf
• Peter Ram
• Sean Caruth
• Shal Marshall
• Shyann Bailey
• Skhi
• Sugar Raye
• Tracey D
• Tizzy
• Zan
• Zoleah
  

Power Soca Semi-Finalists

• Anslem Douglas
• Benjai
• Berbice
• Blaxx
• Blaze & JW
• Blazer Dan
• Choppa
• Faye-Ann Lyons
• Ivy
• Iwer George
• Jermeeka Mundy
• TC ( The King of Swag)
• Knycky Cordner
• Lil Bitts
• Nadia Batson
• Ninjitsu
• Nnika Francis
• Olatunji
• Patrice Roberts
• Russell Cadogan
• Shurwayne Winchester
• Soca Tech
• Terri Lyons
• Tony Prescott
• Trevor Gore
• Tyra Matthews.
  

Quick comments:

Interesting to see Faye-Ann Lyons name included in the mix, considering that just last year she told the media that she would no longer enter her name in future Soca Monarch competitions. By media I mean the Trinidadian media and myself, when I interviewed her for the cover of WE magazine about one week after Carnival. Beyond that, Faye-Ann will be just shy of 8 months pregnant on the date of the semi-finals. The decision to enter is indeed surprising, but she's been receiving rave reviews for her mid pregnancy performances thus far.

For those of you who don't know the name Terri Lyons, that's Faye-Ann's sister, yes people another one of Superblue's girls. She's been releasing songs for the last few years, however, she hasn't had much success with that. However, Terri is quite gifted in the area of dance, having worked with the Black American Circus in New York.

I would love to see your comments. What do you think about who's up there and who's missing?

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Booster Shot: Christmas is here early thanks to Ma$tamind

Shawn "Mastamind" Noel and Natasha Andrews Noel are back at it again with upcoming release of their latest compilation album, A Ma$tamind Christmas 3. If you love parang, parang soca and all things that say west indies style Christmas, you might as well start early.

You know that I don't devote a post to every and any album that comes out. But hear nah, this release might as well be a Christmas miracle! As I write this, Ma$tamind Productions Business Manager Natasha-Andrews Noel is at home recovering from some very serious surgery. I do know the details...but I doh feel dat is everybody business! So, the completion of this album is a miraculous feat given the circumstances of her condition.

The Ma$tamind, Myself and Natasha at Island Style's Dawn Fete in Trinidad 2008

Here's what I can tell you: The album will be available on www.trinidadtunes.com on November 7th. The usually do a great job getting their merch on itunes and amazon too. So...save your pennies and support.

Here's who you'll hear crooning on the album:

Fuki (sister of Eddie Charles)

Krissy Grant (St. Lucia)

Lady Tantalizer

Leon Coldero

Merc

Mr. Shammi

Naki

Patch

Peter De Royce

Simple Dread

Third Bass

...and of course....that ever-so-sweet Shawn "Ma$tamind" Noel (the man responsible for producing all the tracks. Word is this former Asylum keyboardist gives his first solo singing performance on a track that was co-written by he and his wifey!

(Kudos on your COTT award nods, by the way!)

Here I am at Broward Carnival 2008 with Leon Coldero, who is featured on A Ma$tamind Christmas 3

Be sure to give it a listen, and follow through with your pocket book.

Tasha...get well soon babes!

For more on this amazing couple and their company, take a look at the article I wrote about them just last year for WE Magazine

Ma$tamind Productions: Making Beautiful Music Together

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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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