The Rounds: October is Calypso History Month!

Originally aired on Flow 93.5 FM's Soca Therapy with Dr. Jay de Soca Prince, Sunday, October 4, 2009

In this edition:
- MSU Carifest (USA)
- UK Soca Music Awards Results (UK)
- IMA names Kes the Band "Spotlight Artist" (USA)
- Roy Cape to be honoured at Word Creole Festival (Dominica)
- Ras Shorty I Tribute and birthday (Trinidad)
- Bomani's birthday (St. Vincent)

Good evening soca lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. It’s October! We already know that next weekend is Thanksgiving and Miami Carnival. But are you aware that the entire month is Black History Month in the UK and Calypso History Month in Trinidad? If you ask me, the two go hand in hand. So let’s celebrate!

Yesterday 275 Caribbean Students in Texas took time out to educate the population of Midwestern State University about Caribbean Music and Culture at their campus “Caribfest”. Students from a variety of islands packed everything from Steelpan, and Soca, to yummy Caribbean treats into just a few hours of Carnival to show of their pride and power inspite of their very small numbers.

Last week during the Rounds, the London Soca Community got all dolled up in suits and dresses for the 2nd annual Soca Music Awards. Congrats go out to all the winners. Honourable mention to Scrappy for winning Best UK Soca Track, AND Best UK Male Soca Artist. Miss Desire took best UK female. The international acts voted ...The Best were Destra, Brother B and Kes the Band!

Nurse Karen with Nigel and Kees from Kes the Band (Toronto, 2007)

Speaking of Kes the Band, this past week, they were named and the 9th Spotlight Artist by the Independent Music Awards. Pretty great exposure for a Soca band!

For generations when Calypso and Soca lovers have thought of bands, and musicians, Roy Cape is one of the first names that comes to mind. Just found out that he will be receiving a special honour at this year’s World Creole Festival in Dominica. It’s the first time a country outside of Trinidad and Tobago has paid tribute to the veteran bandleader.

Nurse Karen with Roy Cape (St.Vincent, 2009)

As we continue to recognize soca history. The man who is considered by many to be the creator of the soca genre will be honoured by the Trinidad Unified Calypsonian’s organization. If Ras Shorty I was still alive today he would be turning 68 this Tuesday. So, a special tribute concert will be happening in San Fernando as part of Calypso History Month on that very day!

Before I go, happy belated birthday goes out to Bomani. He had a birthday on September 30th. Here’s hoping it was happy, happy, happy!

Bomani and Nurse Karen (New York, 2008)

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s Rounds. For more exciting soca news and my online journal from Miami Carnival, check me out online at Nurse dash Karen dot com. Now, back to de Docta!

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Booster Shot: TUCO pays tribute to Father of soca, Ras Shorty I

It's Calypso History Month in Trinidad! Pretty cool, huh? It's also Black History Month in the UK, so I'm gonna do my part to give you guys a mini-course in soca's roots. Taking notes?

You all know the name Ras Shorty I? The late Garfield Blackman was a Trinidadian Calypsonian, and pan arranger. In our day he is highly respected as one of the key persons behind the development of Calypso's most popular variant, SOCA.

Next Tuesday (October 6, 2009), The Trinbago Unified Calysponians Organisation (TUCO) - North Zone will honour the deceased music icon on Harris Promenade, San Fernando. TUCO will be hosting a Vintage Kaiso Show.

If Ras Shorty I were with us today, October 6th would have been his 68th birthday. So, if you're in Trinidad and you love soca, you should check it out. The show starts at 8 pm.

Love and History!

Nurse Karen

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The Rounds - October 22, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lover’s I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Happy Diwali to one and all!!! Two weeks till Soca or Die 5 and I’m ready to light it up. Can’t lie. We celebrating Doctor Jay’s Birthday and he shipping up half of the Caribbean to do it. Mr. Vybe, Peter Ram, Benjai, Lil Rick, Michelle Sylvester, Kimberly Inniss, Nadia Batson, Barry Chandler ( hold on, let me catch me breath) Ms. Alysha, Problem Child, Terry Seales …and Mr. Isaac Blackman. Woy woy!

I better start doing meh stretches from now. It go be a whole set of jump and wave and bump and wine. And I could barely wait. Birthdays are the perfect time for celebration. I find most people don’t make time to celebrate life and I hadda ask you…what on earth are you waiting for?

Last month Kimberly Inniss celebrated her 25th birthday at the Weiser’s Bar in Barbados. The evening was a celebration of all the blessings that have come her way in recent years. She cut the cake with special man in her life, her little son, Malik. The evening was also the launch party for her first album “Come with me”. The CD fuses soca and reggae together in a unique way – A way that shows off Kimberly’s gifts as a songwriter, composer and arranger.

I’m thinking those mussee de same gifts that landed her a second place finish in last year’s Eastern Caribbean Digicel Rising Stars competition. She came second to a gospel artist from St. Vincent, but Kim is not suffering at all. Exposure from the TV show has made her a household name in Barbados and an inspiration to young girls as well. Ah feel she go be inspiring a whole lot of young men come November 4th too. Hips and ting mesmerizing…(steups) Dr. Jay, … fadda raise up yuh bottom lip.

A few days prior to OUR big birthday fete Trinidad will be hosting a major celebration of its own. The COTT Music Awards will be happening at Queen’s Hall on November the second. COTT is a copyright organization so, it honours songwriters and composers. And many of them are coming to Soca or Die Five. Nadia Batson is up for Female Songwriter of the year and Best Groovy Soca. Michelle Sylvester is up for best new songwriter.

I checked the list for Reggae and Dancehall and was surprised that I didn’t’ see Isaac Blackman’s name on the list. Sometimes I have to remind myself to be patient. Blackman’s song may have blazed right up to the ceiling of all the music charts in T&T, but it’s still too new for any nominations. Blackman happens to be the son of Ras Shorty I. If you’re a true soca lover then, you’d know that Shorty is credited as the man who first created the soca sound , a blend of African and Indian rhythms that we all love so much. So, his son is singing something groovy that’s sounding like reggae. I wouldn’t sweat it too much. He has good music in his blood…and that is enough for me.

Blackman is definitely not the only artist making music most people wouldn’t have expected. What about Ms. Alysha? Her sound is not your typical candy wrapper sweet. This girl is considered the baddest female lyricist, bringing a hardcore ragga style to her music in a way we usually only hear from men. This month Ms. Alysha lent her voice to the new Thunder Cat Riddim which also features Maximus Dan and Jadee…and next month she’ll be lending she voice to sing me and de docta happy birthday. I hope hear allyuh singing too.

I’m nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send your comments to soca at flow 935 dot com. Now, back to de doctor.

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