Booster Shot: St. Thomas Carnival Queen dies in car accident

The 2009 St. Thomas Carnival Queen, Karence DeCosta, tragically lost her life just hours after her Secondary School graduation on June 8, 2009. It was reported that the 18-year-old lost control of her car and slammed into a pole around 2:15 a.m. on Veteran's Drive. According to reports, the male passenger in the vehicle was not injured.

Karence DeCosta was a new graduate of Charlotte Amelie Highschool. The native of St. Kitts and Nevis moved to the island of St. Thomas in 2006. She was a talented vocalist, referred to as "Song Bird" by those who knew her. She had plans to further her education at North Carolina A&T State University in the Fall. She also had high hopes of representing U.S. Virgin Island at the 2009 Miss World pageant in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Nurse Karen Etc would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Miss DeCosta as you mourn the loss of one of the USVI's brightest young stars.

Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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The Rounds: Byron Lee swaps in Chemo for Carnival

Good Evening Soca Lovers!

I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's rounds. Spring is definitely here. So carnival is blossoming all over this great continent…and beyond.

It all started last month when Byron Lee, who happens to be suffering from cancer, couldn't keep himself away from the 20th anniversary of Jamaica Carnival. The 73-year-old musician was in the middle of Chemo therapy when he climbed atop the big truck for some old time Tiney Winey with his band. On Friday, he finally returned to Miami for treatment.

May is gonna be a very festive season right here in Toronto with big time events like Gyal Farm, and the first ever 2-day long Soca or Die. But don't think we're the only ones pumping the soca. The rest of North America is joining right in.

More news from the International Reggae and World Music Awards: Montserrat's stunningly beautiful Jadine will sing and D Life from New York's Hot 97 will be offering a special LIVE soca mixdown for the crowd at the Apollo on May 4th. By The Way, Alison Hinds was also blessed with a nomination .

You think Trinidad is the only land of Oil and Music? Next weekend, Fiesta San Antonio begins. It's a 10-day multicultural carnival that's enjoying a little more Caribbean influence now that West Indians are flocking to Texas for oil jobs. It's touted to be one of of America's Largest festivals.

No doubt, America's largest festival WEEKEND has got to be the Memorial Day long weekend at the end of May. It plays host to Carnivals in Orlando, Atlanta, and San Francisco. Stay tuned to the Rounds for the highlights of each. With all those carnivals happening next month, Kes the Band is most excited to be performing in Los Angeles next month at the infamous Temple Bar. What can I say? big tings fuh we music!

Back in the Caribbean, St. Thomas ,Virgin Islands is ready for mas again. One of the biggest events on their calendar will happen on April 23rd at the Reichhold Centre for the Arts. Machel Montano and Xtatik will join VI based bands; Jam Tyme and the Bouncers Band for the annual J'ouvert Warm up. Jam Tyme has two new tracks for 2008 in "Champions" and "Jamming on the Road." And the Bouncers have already started to move the crowds with a chune called "Skip n Dip."

Over on another so-called Virgin Island, there's a producer by the name of Alton Bertie. You first heard me mention him months ago when I let you in on Shurwayne's big groovy tune for 2008. Bertie produced it after meeting Mr. Winchester in a Puerto Rico airport. And this weekend, the Tortola-based producer had to fly into the Trinidad airport to receive an award for Carnival Please Stay...the production that went on to win the 2008 Trinidad Groovy Soca Monarch title.

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Your comments are always welcome. So check out the Nurse Karen Etc blog online at triple http://www.mustardseeds.net/. Now back to de Docta!

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The Rounds - October 14, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. I hope allyuh had a safe and happy thanksgiving with family and friends. So, now are you ready for Christmas? I realize it’s a bit early to ask that question, but we had a few nights this week when I could have sworn that Santa Claus was on his way!
Mastamind Productions is getting ready for the holidays early as well. Tomorrow their brand new “Mastamind Christmas” CD drops. I’m talking about 15 tracks featuring songs by Leon Coldero, De Postman, Third Bass and others. Soca Parang, Classical Parang, and good old fashioned Christmas Carols too.
For Zan, Friday last was feeling more like Halloween. It must have been like a horror scene when the 26 year old soca singer, missed his long overdue court appearance, because - he slept in! If you remember, Zan was one of the soca rat pack who got mixed up in that Zen night club fracas back in April. Zan’s attorney told the magistrate that his client had worked until 6 a.m. that morning and was to go home, just to change his clothes for court. Apparently, Einstein took a little nap while he was there and missed the whole thing.
So, HERE’s the latest. Machel, Kernal and Benjai were there, and they all plead NOT GUILTY to the assault charges. Miss Magistrate seemed to share my festive mood, deciding to wait until sometime AFTER the carnival season to revisit the matter.
When thinking of yearly celebrations, there’s one that comes to mind, that FOR ME is way more exciting than all the others. MY BIRTHDAY! I’m a soca Scorpio and that means I will be celebrating life on November 3rd with about 35 hundred of my closest friends; Dr. Jay, Marxman, Umba d Shepherd and YOU. We going to KoolHaus on November 3rd for Soca or Die 7. And we feting till morning with Nadia Batson, Problem Child, Tizzy, Adrian Dutchin and more. Get your tickets before they sell out! Ah cyan wait!
MTV Tempo is celebrating a birthday in November TOO! Yes, the Caribbean music channel will be ringing in its second anniversary on November 6th.
If you’ve ever seen MTV Tempo, they’re on to a good thing. Little by little they are helping the music of the Caribbean cross the seas to audiences in all the islands. Lately, Shurwayne Winchester hooked up with a producer from another land thanks to TEMPO. Shurwayne and Alton Bertie teamed up on a song called “Carnival Please Stay”. Bertie is from the Virgin Islands. The duo met up at the Air Port in Puerto Rico on their ways home from the Rock the Tempo concert in St. Thomas.
The anniversary party features another all-start line up of hit makers in soca and reggae. If you can find a way to catch that broadcast, you can expect performances from Beres Hammond, Ziggy Ranking and Krosfyah (who coincidentally will be bringing the live accompaniment at Soca or Die).
I’m nurse Karen and those are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. If you feel like celebrating something, text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5, now back to the doctor! Now, back to de Docta!

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