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 - November 18, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Here at Soca Therapy, we’ve put three birthdays behind us over the last couple of weeks, but we’re still in the mood to celebrate. I missed the opportunity to wish Destra a happy birthday last week. She rang in the big 3-0, performing here in Toronto, up at Palazzo…and from what I hear, age eh go slow her down at all.
Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade went down this afternoon, and I guess it’s safe to say, Christmas is just around the corner. If you’re getting that feeling too, you just might want to join Dr. Jay and Scrunter at Ella’s Banquet Hall next Sunday for the annual Big People Parang Show and Dance. Whether you’re looking forward to the holiday season or the carnival season, it’s definitely the right season for fun.
On Thursday night, one artist was having some fun at the expense of a radio DJ at Trinidad’s 96.1 FM. For reasons of confidentiality, I can’t tell you the names, but the story goes like this. An artist was frustrated over his lack of airplay on the popular station. He and a certain DJ have been criticizing each other verbally for a long time now, but it finally came to a head. The Artiste in question took matters into his own hands by vandalizing the offending DJ’s car with an ice pick, causing $15, 000 TT damage to the 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Police were called, and the soca singing hooligan offered to pay the bill…but ah I don’t think he earned himself ANY more air play.
It seems like DJ’s in Toronto have finally given Kevin Lyttle’s Turn Me On a break on the airwaves. The 2001 ragga chune emerged out of Vincy Mas and eventually took the world by storm….for like four years. But, It appears that Lyttle is still turning on fans in East Africa. This week it was announced that Kevin will be headlining a two night “Turn Me On” concert in Kampala, Uganda on December 7th and 9th, following a tour in neighbouring Tanzania. The show will also feature Spragga Benz and a cast of East African recording artists.
This week Alison Hinds took a short break from promoting her new album to type up an email to the Montreal Gazette. A little girl in Quebec was hit by a speeding car on the front lawn of her daycare on Halloween. Little Bianca’s favourite song was “Roll It Gal”. When Alison heard this, she said she was moved to tears. Hinds has a 3 year old daughter, and wrote the letter to send her condolences to the grieving family.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Please text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5, now back to de Doctor.

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The Rounds - April 15, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds.
After last week’s Big People Special Edition of Soca therapy, I have been digging deep in the dark vinyl crates of Calypso I grew up on. Jewels, ah tell you. We music sweet, and is not just Caribbean people who think so, you know.
People from all over the world have fallen in love with sweet calypso music and desire to share it just as soon as they do. That was happening at the ReelWorld film festival this weekend when “Calypso at Dirty Jim’s” was finally screened in Toronto. If you remember, I first told you about this when it was screened in Trinidad and then again when it played at Montreal’s Vues D’Afrique Festival. Dirty Jim’s Swizzle club was a legendary Calypso venue, and Cameroonian filmmaker Pascale Obolo found a way to make its memories last forever.
Last week Thursday was all about Calypso on film too. The Caribbean Studies program at U of T brought “Calypso Dreams” to Canada. It’s a 90-minute documentary directed by American filmmakers Geoffrey Dunn and Michael Horne. It stars The Mighty Sparrow, David Rudder, Calypso Rose, and Crazy and Scrunter and so many more…and if you missed it – it’s gone. No to fear, in August the film will be screened again at the Harbourfront Centre in a show that will feature Lord Superior, Brother Valentino and Singing Sandra.
Thankfully, filmmakers in the Caribbean are making movies too. I’m told, the Bridgetown Film Festival will kick off in Barbados from April 28th, to May 6th. 2007 will be the second year ever, and it’s grown so much already. Last year, all of the feature-length movies just happened to be produced by members of the organizing film group. This year, they steppin’ up. Entries came in from Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica.
On Friday, the Mighty Sparrow he-self was fighting for HIS music on the political plain. He paid a visit to Mayor Kenneth Ferguson and the San Fernando City Council. He’s wants to reform the way that calypso competitions are judged.
Another Trini living legend just got news he’ll be co-hosting the 26th annual Reggae and World Music Awards. On May 5th, Machel Montano and Doug E Fresh will be sharing the stage at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. If anyone has tickets to THIS show, gih de nurse a call. Oprah and Bono will be receiving humanitarian awards that night…and just like our music, the list of nominees is legendary.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Please send your comments to SOCA @ FLOW 935 dot com. Now, back to de docta.



Machel Montano
T&T’s Soca sensation Machel Montano and hip hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh will host the 26th International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMA) at the world famous Apollo Theater on Saturday, May 5th.


Also hosts and performing nominees for the night are Doug E. Fresh, Machel Montano, Luciano, Macka Diamond, Ce’Cile, Lady G, Gregory Isaacs, Tarrus Riley, Leon & The Peoples, Half Pint, B.B. Seaton & the Gaylads, Tony Matterhorn, Alaine, Dean Fraser, Gyptian, Da’Ville, Ruff Stuff, Katalys Crew, Mutabaruka, Ed Robinson, Winsome Benjamin, among others.

The official announcement of the nominees was released during recent press conference held at the world-famous Apollo Theater in New York by Martin’s International and Associates.


More than 150 entertainers and music industry professionals are nominated for the coveted IRAWMA, while others have been selected for special awards by music industry experts across the globe. Among the leading nominees are: Sean Paul and Buju Banton with nine (9) nominations each; Baby Cham six (6); Gyptian, Tanya Stephens and sound selector turned performer Tony Matterhorn with five (5) each; and Luciano four nods.


Oprah Winfrey and International Pop/Rock Star Bono will be given the Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award. Inductees to the IRAWMA Hall of Fame will be Boris Gardner and B.B. Seaton & the Gaylads.

Special Martin’s International and Associates Award of Honor will be given to:
Edmond “Bunny” Lee (King Jammy’s), Ed Robinson (E2 Recordings) and Don One Records. Special Producer’s Respect Award will be given to: Doug E. Fresh, Gregory Isaacs and Half Pint. Special Award of Appreciation will be awarded to: Winston “Niney” Holiness, Jerome Hamilton, WBLS 107.5 FM with Dahved Levy, Lorna Wainwright (Tuff Gong), Bobby (Culture Jam WVIP 93.5FM), and Dave Clark (Friends of Reggae).

Bacchanal season turns into home stretch
Friday, April 13, 2007

With four days until the climactic road march on Sunday, Bacchanal Jamaica is coming to an end for 2007, but this will be preceded, as customary, by the Bacchanal J'ouvert.
With the success of last weekend's Beach J'ouvert still fresh in the minds of many, attention is now being focussed on the final round of fetes leading into tonight's Bacchanal J'ouvert at the Mas Camp on Oxford. Bacchanal J'ouvert, with the theme Jonkanoo Jams, is presented in partnership with Coca -Cola DJ Switch from Trinidad and DJ Omar from 'resident' disco Sparkles will be providing the musical selections while Destra and her band Atlantik return to hold down the live end of the night and put revellers in a soca march mode.
The party starts at 10:00 pm and continues til morning. During that time, it will move to the streets, where revelers dance, sing and get painted til the wee hours of the morning.
Then the highly anticipated road parade,with performances by various local and international artistes. The road will be filled with beautiful colours, great music and happy people celebrating together. The Parade starts at 10:15am and ends around 6:30pm at the Mas Camp.
Of special note, the organisers say, is that there will be no after-fete at the Mas Camp this year. The Mas Camp will close at 8:00 pm after a brief cool-down period.

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The Rounds - November 26, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds.
As I prepared to come in today, I have to admit…I got a little bit confused. December begins in less than one week, but outside it’s looking like a boxing day picnic on Grande Anse Beach. So, I packed up some paper plates and some pelau and headed out to enjoy the balmy November temperatures.

Not far from the real Grand Anse beach in Grenada the entire Big Artiste Crew was trying a ting themselves. Thursday past was Michelle Sylvester’s birthday. She spent the evening singing her heart out at St. George’s University alongside all the regulars, plus Grenada’s own Mista Killa and Lavaman. Looks like Lava Man is now pon CAMPUS studying, rather than studying those gun and weed charges from the summertime. He and the other big artistes lent their big VOICES and big HEARTS to perform at a charity event at the beachside university.

The man who was deputy chairman of Trinidad’s national carnival commission is not lending his TIME to the planning process anymore. With Carnival just over two months away, the resignation of Ainsworth Mohammed came as a shock to the Trini media on Friday. Mohammed refuses to work with Culture Minister Joan Yulle-Williams and he’s not afraid to say it. For a while now she’s been at odds with the entire NCC board over how the festivities will be run in 2007. She’s got plans to tear down the Grand Stand staging area at Queen’s Park Savannah and replace it with a million dollar Carnival Centre. The board just wants everything to stay the way it is for one more year, since time is so short. Earlier this year the Chairman fled the board too, fed up as ever…so when the minister held a private meeting with the key carnival interest groups, excluding the NCC….Mohammed called it quits for good.

And you know what else is DONE? De big Digicel Rising Stars show. Is lucky ah have meh pelau , because otherwise I woulda have to eat my words. Last Sunday was the final showdown between Omar Rathurin of Antigua and SVG’s Kyron Baptiste. I told allyuh, I wanted to cast a vote for the Antiguan, but the Caribbean public held a different opinion and they phoned in en masse to prove it. St. Vincent and the Grenadines went on to win top prize for the second time in the two years the competition has been around. What can I say? Vincy sweet…sweet and nice!

The entire cast is all smiles though. While Kyron might be the only one leaving the show with a recording contract, all of them will get a taste of the Celebrity life on the Rising Stars holiday Album. Dr. Jay, you can gimme dat one fuh de Christmas. Tanks.

Down in St. Kitts, Alison Hinds is encouraging people to start their Christmas shopping at Courts. The new face of the “Get it Now” campaign has begun her regional tour, appearing in stores. In Basseterre, she didn’t perform, but she was there to witness a dance competition held in her honour. Independent ladies from all over were rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrolling it right to the check out line after getting autographs signed by the shining Bajan Star.

Toronto’s night sky was set afire last evening for the 40th annual cavalcade of lights, but we go blaze it up in de West End tonight for the Big People Parang Show and Dance. I hope somebody told Mr. Scrunter that Nurse Karen would like to hear him sing Anita (aye aye aye…don’t want no ham, don’t want no eggs...) oye oye oye. Whole day people been asking me about tickets and times and directions and WOY…why allyuh don’t you just go to http://www.socatherapy.com. That’s where to find out everything about everything. But if you just want to know if I go be there…you better believe it…just as soon as I hand back meh mic to Doctor Jay.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were doctor Jay’s rounds. Send me your comments at soca @ FLOW 935 DOT Com. Now back to de docta.

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The Rounds - November 19, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Hear nah, we’ve now passed the half way point in November and everywhere you go…it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Today, de people and dem done block of de whole of downtown so all the little children could gather to catch a quick glimpse of Santa. All now, I still didn’t see the man, but whenever he makes his official visit to the city of Toronto, I can’t help but look forward to the holidays.

Next weekend…it’s off to the Big People Parang Show and dance, for a helping of holiday music and fun -- Trinidadian style. Think about it… If Santa Claus doesn’t get you in that holiday kinda mood, then you probably need people like Marcia Miranda, Scrunter, Kenny J and Leon Coldero to do it for you. None of them would be riding in on a sleigh next Sunday…but de vibes and ting might send YOU riding home in a taxi.

Mista Vybe flew home from Toronto a couple of weeks ago and landed straight into the sound booth. After the amazing success of “Ting fuh de Road” this year, earning him the title of first ever Caribbean Soca Monarch, the pressure is on for Carnival 2007. But first, Vybe is working on some Parang he-self. It surprised me to learn that he wrote a soca parang for Hypa Hoppa…and took to the studio last week to add his high energy background vocals to the mix.
For those of you who don’t know…Hypa hoppa is what you would get if you took FLOW’s own Wayne Williams, Ian Andre Espinet and de one called SPEX, and threw dem into a blender. He’s the Program Director at Trinidad’s RED 96.7. He’s a top event promoter and the force behind the unrivaled Radio Active Sound System in TnT. Now that’s what I would call a one-man entertainment callaloo…who happens to have a degree in Mechanical Engineering too. So, just maybe he could actually design a blender big enough to fit all dem boys dey. All that being said, Ah can’t wait to tek a taste of de song, once it’s done.

You know what else I can’t wait for? I can’t wait for Canadian Cable companies to start broadcasting Caribbean TV shows. If you’re listening, Santa…I think that’s what I want you to bring me. Tonight, in just a few minutes….all the TV sets in the Eastern Caribbean States will be tuned in to the final showdown for the Digicel Rising Star Competition. The finalists have been widdled down to two. Only Antigua’s Omar Rathurin and St. Vincent’s Kyron Baptiste remain.
Now, it’s no secret that I wave my Vincy flag high and proud…but if I still had minutes on my digi-sim card, I’d be texting a vote for the Antiguan with the winning smile. He became my favourite after teenage soca songstress Danielle Veira left the show. Plus, I heard that tonight he’ll be singing “Hot and Groovy”…one of my all-time favourite songs.

Make no mistake….Rising Stars is an important competition. It’s the one that landed Barbados’ Kimberly Inniss smack dab in the middle of the soca limelight with last year’s second place finish. Down in Trinidad Synergy TV’s Soca Star is getting the same kind of attention…especially now that the winner for season two will receive a recording contract with hot boy producer Shawn Mastamind Noel. And if you ask me, dah is money in de bank. Which would sure come in handy for the holidays!

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Please send your comments to SOCA at FLOW 935 DOT COM. Now back to de docta!

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The Prognosis - December 25, 2005

Soca Prognosis
Karen Richardson
December 25, 2005
407

Good Evening Soca lovers and Merry Christmas too…
It’s your resident Nurse, Karen, bringing you your weekly PROGNOSIS….
It’s finally here! Christmas Day is upon us, and everybody getting nothing - but de best. People always telling me they’re sorry I have to work, but I don’t mind it at all. My rounds are just about done for the day, but I may have to get my stomach pumped, so I could eat a little more.

This just in: The very best ginger beer was tasted in Brampton only minutes ago. I think I better verify my sources.

St. Kitts and Nevis is still blazing with soca. Calypso finals are around the corner and they’ve whiddled the list of competitors down to seven. Christmas Eve marked the one of the hottest events on the carnival calendar: Party Monarch competition. The best local soca acts took to the stage. The women will have their moment in the sun on Tuesday night for the Female Calypso Bacchanal .

In Montserrat, they just named a new soca monarch too. But between carol singing and feting for festival, those people too busy to tell me who. Must be nice….

They’re not the only ones….While you’re at home fighting up for the last bowl of souse, the town of Bridgeport Connecticut is making plans to add a dash of Caribbean spice to their annual first night celebrations. Local pan men, the Royalty Steel Pan Band will be ringing in the new year in a program that includes reggae, Latin rock, jazz and Irish folk music. I doh so sure how to dance all ah dat…but a little pan never hurt anybody.

Everybody knows Marcia Miranda and Scrunter want a piece of pork for de Christmas. And by now, is more than one piece they done eat. But many west Indians, particulary Seventh Day Adventists and Muslims will not be boiling down a salty ham today. Choice Cuts butcher shop in Chaguanas, Trinidad made sure to stock up on pork-free alternatives this weekend. Whether its Wild meat, roast duck, curried duck, lamb chops, curried goat, baked chicken, stewed beef, stewed chicken…it’s a blessing to celebrate the holidays with the soca parang pumping and your belly full. As for me…I still looking for de ham. Merry Christmas!

I’m Nurse Karen, and that’s your weekly prognosis.

Send your comments to Soca at FLOW 935 DOT COM. Ah gone.
Now back to de Docta

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