The Rounds - March 24, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s rounds. It’s been a little while since I’ve been here at FLOW to talk to my favourite people in the world…but I’m back. Your Nurse Karen was taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful West African nation of Ghana as they celebrate their 50th year of independence. While on the continent I enjoyed body surfing on the other side of the Atlantic to cool off from the intense heat at Pram Pram Beach. I traveled to the Cape Coast Slave Castle where thousands of our enslaved ancestors were kept before they were taken to places like the United States, Jamaica, Haiti…and even my very own St. Vincent. I visited Kukum National Park, home to hundreds of Elephants, Giraffes and everything else you’d find in a box of animal crackers. I walked seven lengths of a rope bridge that was suspended from trees forty METERS in the air. I went to Kumasi, which is the capital of the Ashanti region. There I toured the Kings palace and I saw traditional Kente cloth being woven. In Accra, I toured the city , ate some of the tastiest Talapia and Red Snapper and danced till I could barely walk at a place called the Office. Spex would be happy to know that our brothers and sisters in Ghana are TRULY up to de time when it comes to Dancehall Music. Where soca is concerned, the local highlife music fills that gap quite nicely. The musical connection is obvious…and it does my heart proud to know that our Caribbean artistes are staying true to the centuries old rhythms that expose our undeniable African roots.
The anthem for the Ghana @ 50 celebrations is a song called “Birth of Ghana”. It was written in 1957 by Lord Kitchener, Trinidad and Tobago’s most frequent road march champion. All in all I had an amazing time, so thank you all for your well wishes by email and Myspace and in person. Trust me, I missed you just as much as you missed me…so I did my best to at least bring back some warmer weather. It was the least I could do.
That and catch you up on the latest in the worldwide soca scene, of course! Last night was Machel Montano’s historic 25th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. This is the first time the venue has been used to host a soca show and they managed to sell out the theatre for two shows on the same night. Machel Montano HD…Congratulations are in order for you. No one can contest… that camp has consistently offered some of the most memorable soca music over the years…and a stage show that simply can not be beat.
If you, like me missed the big event last night, you’ll be happy to hear that the show will be broadcast on BET and BET J in the upcoming weeks. There are four scheduled air dates, so consult your local listings.
Your West Indies Cricket team is still hanging in there as the host World Cup Cricket, in spite of the crazy atmosphere resulting from the murder mystery surrounding the the death of the Pakistani Coach. They won their last match on Friday against Ireland on Friday to top group D…and will square off against Australia on Tuesday.
I’m Nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. Send me your comments at soca at flow 935 dot com. Now back to the doctor.

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The Rounds - February 11, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s rounds. In case you’re still catching on, Dr. Jay done gone and lef we, for greener pastures…lit-er-al-ly. Instead of making you wine from 6 to 9, he’s off in Trinidad entertaining an entire country in a sleep deprived, drunken stupor. …and you better believe, I am well jealous. It’s alright -- this Sunday you’re among friends. You’ve got the one called Spex from de Riddim Track, plus Marxman AND Soca Sweetness of the Kingdom of Soca to keep your warm tonight.
And I tellyuh ladies, dat is not a bad deal at all right before Valentine’s day. So it may not be 30 degrees n’ Sunny in Toronto, but we definitely have some lovely reasons to smile.
Last Sunday was the International Power Soca and Groovy Soca Semi-Finals in Trinidad. Hear nah, every country in the West Indies has a Soca Monarch or Party Monarch or King or Queen or Some-Ting-So, but let’s face it… The international Soca Monarch Competition of Trinidad and Tobago is the most important competitive stage in the soca world! Besides the fact that Trinidad is the birth place of the art form, forget the fact that Trini carnival is the biggest in the region. This thing REALLY matters because up here in Toronto we are going to have to listen to the winning songs over and over and over again at every single soca fete between now…and Caribana.
So let the judges be warned. Allyuh can’t afford to make mistakes.
Now sometimes the competition is international in name alone, but this year was surely different. Minmi from Japan secured a spot in the Power Final for “Sha-na-na”…de Japanese wine ting, so did Barbados’ Barry Chandler.
In the Groovy section, Grenada’s Nnika Francis hopes to croon her way to the top. But to do that, she will have out-sing the BAJAN to be beat! Biggie IRIE came up with the top score and he .. .”Nah Goin Home”…till carnival DONE!
I know there has to be someone out there wondering how “dis bold face vincy gyul go be talking about de Soca Monarch race in TRINIDAD” without mentioning how the Trini artists fared on their home turf.
Two words: NADIA BATSON. If you were at Soca or Die 4 last year, you saw her command the STAGE with Kes the Band. If you were at Soca or Die 5, you saw her command the CROWD with the Big Artist Crew. If you were at Hasley Crawford Stadium on Sunday night you would have seen her command the judges with her performance of “My Land” featuring Kees Dieffenthaller which earned her a first place finish in the Power Soca Semis. Your Caribbean, Your Caribean,Your Caribbean Girl was not satisfied with just one victory, yuh know. On the groovy side, Miss Batson scored just three points behind Biggie Irie for an impressive second place. I had a chat with Nadia this week…and if you want to know more, you can check out the article on Torontolime.com
The finals take place this Friday night, when Shurwayne Winchester will defend the crown in both categories. It’s gonna be an amazing show with veterans like Crazy and first time competitors like Mr. Slaughter and everything in between.
Check fuh meh next week, and I promise to fill you in.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s rounds. Send your comments to SOCA at FLOW 935 dot com. Or send me chocolate and roses to the station. Spex dahlin’….back to you.

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