The Rounds: Soca Monarch prize money slashed

In this edition:
- Trinidad Carnival Update (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Barbados Music Awards (Barbados)
- Toby Dee wins St. Croix Party Monarch (USVI)
- Slammer Cutter video launches this week (Canada)
- Birthdays:  Don Trent  (Barbados), Nigel Nicholas (St. Lucia)


Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Uh Oh, big trouble for little Trinidad. Has anyone else noticed that Carnival 2K10 has not officially launched? Usually, Trinidad and Tobago’s National Carnival Commission puts a formal start to the festivities sometime before the close of December.

But even though there’s tons of new music, thousands of costumes in various states of construction, and high priced plane tickets are running low. It’s not officially carnival time in T&T. On Friday, The Ministry of Culture made a few announcements explaining a few budget cuts that will effect the way carnival is done this time around.

I won’t run it all down for ya, but I will say this. It just became 37 per cent less lucrative to be a soca artist. The Top Prize for the international soca Monarch competition will be reduced in 2010 from $1 Million TT to the equivalent of $100 000 US. That’s basically TT 400 grand less.

There’s a little good news though. The prize for Groovy Monarch has gone up 25 per cent, but it’s still peanuts in comparison. None the less a positive step for the more commercially viable expression of soca.

The Barbados music community is celebrating its achievements in 2009 at the 5th annual Barbados Music Awards. The fancy pants gala pays tribute to late pop superstar Michael Jackson (who isn’t Bajan, in case you were wondering) …it will feature performances from people like Edwin Yearwood, Jaico, and Fantasia Barrino of American Idol fame. But the most interesting guest in my opinion is Jo Jackson…as in Michael’s Daddy. Huh? Check my blog this week for the results.

Slammer Cutter and Nurse Karen in Trinidad ( Feburary 2009)

Good news, Toronto’s Slammer Cutter has completed his video for "Bad Weather". You’re gonna love seeing the “HangOver Man” dressed up like a weather man. Awww, so cute!!! Check for "Bad Weather" online on YouTube and Facebook this Wednesday.

Toby Dee is smiling ear to ear this week as he celebrates his Party Monarch win at Cruzian Festival last Sunday. He remains the only Monarch in St. Croix history, having won the title all three years since the competition was added to the carnival.

Before I go, allow me to wish happy birthday to groovy artist Don Trent from Barbados who will be 24 on Thursday. Then Friday we send some birthday love to St. Lucia as artist / producer Nigel Nicholas of Slaughter Arts turns 29 on January 15.

Nurse Karen and Nigel Nicholas in St. Lucia (July 2009)

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more info on any of the storied I’m following, check out Nurse dash Karen dot com or follow me, Nurse Karen on Twitter. Now, back to de Docta!


Love and Soca!

Nurse Karen
Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NurseKaren

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Booster Shot: Toby Dee wins St. Croix Party Monarch for the 3rd year in a row!

Congratulations to Toby on his 3rd consecutive Party Monarch win in St. Croix.


Check out this video of the winning performance!



Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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The Rounds: The Baron robbed at Piarco airport

Good Evening Soca Lovers and Happy two-thousand and wine.  I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds.

Congratulations on arriving in the New year safe and sound.  Now that 2008 is over, let us try and leave all that badmind ting behind.  I'll tell you what I mean. Trinidad's silky voiced veteran crooner Baron, appeared to be the unfortunate victim of theft on December 28^th.  It happened at Trinidad's Piarco airport on his way to Toronto to perform at a New Year's Eve fete.

  If you've ever seen the Baron perform, you know that he likes to sport a treasure trove of gold chains around his neck.   According to his manager, the entertainer placed a pouch containing the items on the counter when visiting the washroom. The lost jewellery is reputed to have a value of $75 Thousand TT, which is about  $15 grand Canadian.  Naturally, the man was NOT too pleased about that. It's real sad, the jewellery represented a personal collection amassed throughout his lifetime in the music business. This year people, take my advice...Don't worry about who have and who does not.  Achieve a little something and get your own.

  St. Kitts and Nevis chipped its way into 2009 by closing out their carnival season with a bang.  For the second year in a row, Grand Master's band copped the road march prize with the song "A Want Whale" from its 2008 album "Whaling Season".  You could bet there's some kinda double meaning in THAT.  Last year's road march was Boom Bam Bam. That song received a soca awards nomination in the Best Uptempo - Male Category. This is the sixth road march for Grand Master's Band.

If one of your resolutions is to finally make that trip to the mecca of Caribbean carnival next month or even to save a little money, boy have I got some bad news for you.  In spite of the global economic crisis beginning to rear its ugly head in these parts, the cost of carnival fetes is actually going up.  Many suspected that ticket prices would be made available at a discounted rate, however in most cases, they have either stayed the same or increased in price.  One example would be the popular Beach House All-inclusive which has gone up from $600 TT to $800 in 2009.  (That's One hundred and $160 CDN for one fete. )  I don't care how open the bar is...I don't even think Dr. Jay could drink his money's worth.

Before I go, I promised that I'd let you know what happened at Crucian Christmas Festival Party Monarch Competition in December.  Personally, I resolve to always keep my promises.  So here goes...Toby Dee successfully defended his title with  "Hands High" and he continues to be the Party Monarch of St. Croix.  But remember that anything is truly possible with a brand new year ahead.  Over in Montserrat, Rondell Meade managed to flatten his more experienced competition by capturing the Soca Monarch crown on his very first attempt.  He got the crowd hyped and happy with his performance of My Festival, placing him ahead of former Road March King Flying Dove and US-based crossover artist Kulcha Don.  

I'm Nurse Karen and that was your first edition of Dr. Jay's Rounds for 2009.  Why not start something new this year, and follow the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustard seeds dot net for more juicy soca-related information.  You'll be happy you did.  Now back to de docta!

Karen L. Richardson
a.k.a "Nurse Karen"
Entertainment Writer

Visit my soca blog (Nurse) Karen (Etc) at http://mustardseedmedia.blogspot.com

Subscribe to "The Rounds Podcast" http://www.socatherapy.com/podcast/therounds.xml
Got iTunes?  click http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=278264462 to subscribe to The Rounds in iTunes!

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The Rounds: Nadia Batson opened a new boutique in Trinidad

Good Evening Soca Lovers,


I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. Before I get started, I want to offer you my sincerest apologies for leaving you hanging last week. As I was making my rounds last Sunday, there was a family emergency that I had to come first. I really appreciate your understanding, ant the prayers and support of everyone who rallied around us, and I'm happy to say everything is cool and copacetic.

As we think of family, especially at this festive time of year, there are a couple of important anniversaries that the world-wide soca family is marking this week. Tuesday coming will make two years of marriage for Bunji Garlin and Faye-Ann Lyons.

Faye-Ann and Bunji in St. Vincent in July

This past Friday will made four years since the tragic passing of Burning Flames frontline vocalist Onika Peaches Bostic. Had she survived the tragic car accident that led to her untimely death, Onika would be celebrating her 29th birthday on December 23rd. Peaches, we still remember your spirit, your smile and your songs. You will be dearly missed.

Awesome news out of Trinidad for Miss Nadia Batson! The Caribbean Queen launched a business in the Trincity Mall last Tuesday. Her new boutique is called Fashion over Style, and in spite of hard economic times, it seems like the opening was even more successful than she anticipated with stock flying right off the shelves. I say, congratulations on the new business venture. Wishing Nadia prosperity in abundance for 2009!

With Nadia at Soca or Die in Toronto last month

As I speak, our Crucian friends are gearing up to kick off the second annual St. Croix Party Monarch Competition. The 2007 winner was Toby Dee. He's back to defend his crown against 13 Monarch hopefuls including Omari Ferrari. Check back with me soon. I'll tell yuh what happens.

So much to say...precious little time. But if you're curious, it's stuff to do with....Patrice Roberts and Mavado. Mm hmm! Machel Montano and Universal Music. Mm hmm! A video that's pure "Fyah" from Kevin Lyttle and a "Tight" one from Peter Ram.

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. If you want to follow these and other interesting soca industry news and gossip, check me out online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustard seeds dot net. And never miss the rounds. Download the podcast to go at socatherapy dot com slash podcast. Now back to de docta!

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The Rounds: New Possibilities for 2008

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. We’re two weeks into 2008, and the year is full of possibilities. January 2nd was jump up day in St. Kitts. You already heard it! Grand Master’s Band song called Boom Bam Bam unexpectedly beat out Small Axe Band and King Konris for road march.

In St. Croix, they started a new tradition at Cruzian Christmas Festival. They proved that anything can happen when they crowned their first ever Party Monarch. Congrats goes out to Toby Derima aka Toby Dee of the Xpress band for wowing the judges with his performance of Hands High.

In Trinidad, the possibilities are endless for carnival 2008. The hype has begun for the International Power and Groovy Soca Monarch competitions. The Caribbean Prestige Foundation released the list of semifinalists this week. From the looks of it, the competition is becoming more international than ever! Tizzy is repping Antigua. Mr. Dale, Peter Ram AND Lil Rick made the cut for Barbados. For Grenada, Nnika Francis is back, along with Luni Sparks and Electrify. Then there’s St. Lucia boasting 4 semifinalists in Ricky T, Teddyson John, Allan Piper and Mariann. Then for meh Vincy peeps, it’s Problem Child, Jamesy P and Zoelah.

Highlights on the home turf include the return of Bunji Garlin, who’s in the semi’s with his wife and she daddy…my boy…SuperBlue. Seem’s like Crazy made an impact on the veterans last year cuz Rootsman is trying a ting for 2K8.
Understand, the 62 semifinalists still have to duke it out to see who will compete against defending champs Biggie Irie and Iwer George for this year’s crown. There will only be ten competitors in each category on February 1st. I’ll keep you posted.

It’s going to be a fantastic year musically. January brings us the Air Jamaica Jazz fest January 24th to 27th, and the Barbados Music festival on the 27th too. Then all attention shifts to the soca mecca of Trinidad and Tobago, where the music is coming out fast and furious. With plenty of surprises yet in store.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5 or check me out on Nurse Karen Etc at triple W dot mustardseeds dot net.

Now, back to de docta!

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