On De Scene: Nicole David - Release de Tiger ! (Free Download)

Nicole David, deemed as the Queen of St.Lucia Soca, is making her mark as usual. But before I go into that, I must highlight that 2009 is turning out to be a fruitful year for this soca artist and Carnival isn’t even “officially” out de gate. I am talking about her making the line up of the St.Lucia Jazz festival with likes of Chaka Khan , Estelle, Beres Hammond, Teddyson John just to name of few. At the festival Nicole was able to show her versatility and adding her own flavour, surprising the crowd with her R&B renditions .

Nicole David at the 18th Annual St.Lucia Jazz (Sunday)

(Much Love to www.scruffyimages.com for this amazing shot )

Now back to de soca news, on Tuesday Nicole “Nikki” David's second single for Carnival was released and no disappointment there, de tune sounding real good. The first being "I eh Taking Dat", which is slowly becoming one of the women’s anthem for the season.

Rankin Morgan, one of the producers of Nicole’s “Release de Tiger” came on The Wave where he did a premiere of that track and from de first airplay, one thing I can say is “Roar”. Hope you all ready for de commotion that tune go make on de road and parties. This single was co produced by talented Leebo along with Rankin from the duo Rankin and Smokes In't. Today being only Thursday the tune has been getting great airplay and I am excited to see how it does beyond St.Lucia’s shores not only because it is the first official soca single from Rankin, but because Nicole for de past few years has not backed down and keep being consistent every single year .

As to whether she will be competing this year, it has not been disclosed nonetheless Niki has started 2009 great and no doubt the momentum will continue.

Here is de link to download this tune. And there is a special treat , I know sum DJ’s will enjoy this one . This file also has the instrumental, so guys enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Much Love!
Peace & Soca
Rochelle
www.twitter.com/rochellenoel

Read more...

The Rounds: Teddyson John sings with the greats at St. Lucia Jazz

In this edition:

• Soca/Calypso honoured at the 2009 IRAWMA's
• Callaloo and Toronto Revellers launch their 2009 Caribana Presentations
• Teddyson John sings with blues greats at St. Lucia Jazz
• Grenadian calypsonian charged with rape
• Sheldon Benjamin aka Shel Shok in hospital with cancer

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. First, lemme hit you with a big fat Happy Mother’s Day!

Last week, I mentioned that the International Reggae and World Music Awards were taking place in NY during soca therapy. Well, the results are in, so I have to big up one awesome Caribbean mom for her success. Congrats goes out to Alison Hinds for winning the award for Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer.

A handful of other soca related awards were bestowed as well. Machel Montano HD took Most Outstanding Stage Personality and Most Outstanding Show Band. Trinidad’s Calypso Rose won Most Consistent Entertainer. Antigua’s King Short shirt was inducted into the IRAWMA Hall of Fame. the Mighty Sparrow was honoured with the Master of the Caribbean Award, and Vincentian record mogul, Granville Straker received the Martin’s International/Inter-Culture Award of Honor.

Grabbed this shot of Calypso Rose for Toronto-Lime at the 2007 Soca Awards in NY

Back on the home front, Callaloo and Toronto Revellers now join the ranks of mas bands who have unleashed their 2009 themes on the city of Toronto. Marlon Singh’s Callaloo will be parading down the lakeshore with an India and Africa theme called :The Ganges Meets the Nile. All 12 hundred of Jamaal Magloire’s Toronto Revellers will be band # 6 presenting Brasil: Bacchanal in Rio.

With NBA Star and Toronto Reveller's Bandleader Jamaal MaGloire in Toronto, 2008

The big party in the West Indies right now is St. Lucia Jazz. Yesterday, Groovy soca artiste, Teddyson John gave crowds something to talk about when he took the stage to sing the blues. He performed on a bill that included music greats like George Duke, Jeffrey Osborne, and James Ingram.

Posing with Teddyson John in St. Lucia, 2008

Bad news out of Grenada, I mean really bad news. Maybe you’ve heard. The 2008 National Calypso Monarch, 24 year old Biko Lewis has been charged with the rape of a 15 year old girl. It was reported that the victim was on her way to church when the offended offered her a ride. Well, as you might guess, she never made it to her intended destination. Instead she was brought to a secluded location where the act was commited. Now word on sentencing yet, but I personally hope he pays big time.

On a rather somber note, Trinidadian soca producer, Sheldon Benjamin once known as Shel Shok was rushed to the hospital on Thursday due to complications resulting from his fight with Lymph Node Cancer. The 39 year old sample technician who has toured extensively with Destra and Machel Montano over the years has been privately battling the disease since November. But a mild heart attack and breathing difficulties brought his quiet struggle to the public sphere. We at soca therapy offer our sincerest thoughts and prayers out to Sheldon for a speedy and full recovery.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more information on any of the items mentioned this evening, check out the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot nurse dash Karen dot com.

Read more...

The Rounds - October 21, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. It’s another hot Sunday in Toronto, and to mark the occasion, I’ve brought you some equally hot news.
Guyana’s ministry of culture, youth and sport has decided to bring back the Guyana Music Festival that was first started in 1952. Next year, Guyana will play host to the Caribbean’s ideas expo, Carifesta Ten...and the government is praying for a cultural renaissance. The initiative aims to provide more support for the nation’s music industry, and better training for its next generation of entertainers.
St. Lucia’s 2007 groovy soca monarch is not just Goin Down de Road, he’s been jet setting over to gay Paree. Teddyson John and his pan-caribbean performance band, BlueMango just took their act to the 2007 Cibrations Caraibe Jazz festival in Paris France. The band whose members come from Barbados, Martinique, French Guiana and Saint Lucie, received rave reviews after opening for John Legend at the Internationally renowned St. Lucia Jazz festival earlier this year. And now it’s paying off. The group got to take their sound to a festival featuring Caribbean jazz expressions, in Euro’s afro-music mecca!
Another soca artist who’s NO stranger to having his business all over the world, was just invited to speak at Washington D.C.’s historical Howard University. Machel Montano was booked to provide the keynote address at a program called Soca 101, organized by the school’s Caribbean Students’ Organization. Invited, but de big star mussee catch a little stage fright. The educational event went on with no Machel to be seen. He sent his regrets, and I’m told he made an appearance on campus the next day to sign autographs.
When I think of Machel Montano, the last thing that comes to mind is SHYness! Whether he on stage sending a mampie flying in the air, or if he’s just proving dat he’s a real winer man, dat boy oozes confidence. On Friday, Machel and de HD family proved THAT to be true at the ever popular Zen night club, when a couple of bullet proof vested trini cops threatened to shut down de session. Why, you ask? LEWD CONDUCT! Everybody knows, is a regular day in the life of a roadmarch king when the artist gets on stage only to have the girls in the front row INSPECT THE QUALITY OF HIS FAMILY JEWELS. Machel tell de police to lock him up if they want to, but is not he fault de gyal dem getting on scandalous. In the end, the incident produced nothing but hearty laughter from all in attendance…and earned Mr. Montano Nurse Karen’s 2007 award for the King of Commess. Machel, I love you bad jed. You make my job so much easier.
Look out for him in 2008 with a brand new roadmarch contender called Unconditional Love, and a groovy follow up to One More Time that he previewed for the giggling crowd at Zen.
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.

Read more...