The Rounds: Kevin Lyttle's New Song with Flo Rida

Good Evening Soca Lovers,



Season's Greetings. It may be cold outside, but wherever soca music is pumping…it's hot, hot, hot! St. Kitt's and Nevis is especially steamy this time of year as they celebrate their annual Carnival. This year's festival is aptly themed "Nuff Riddim, Plenty Lime."Local favourites like d'Vybz Band International, are now starting to release their music for the carnival season that official reaches it's climax on New Year's day. Vybz will dropping it's '08/'09 carnival album next week. So be sure and check for it.

Speaking of albums… Kes the Band will have a new offering for 2009. The first release is a song called "The Feeling". It's a tribute to Trinidad's musical heritage of Calypso. It has a bit of an 80's retro feel in its construction, all mellowed out with the silky vocals of lead singer, Kees. The new album drops in January.

Nurse Karen and Kees in Toronto

The first lady of Kees the band is none other than the stunningly talented, Miss Nadia Batson. Today is her 32nd b-day and were sending out positive vibes to Nadie as she rings it in. Happy Birthday Girl!

With Nadia Batson in Toronto last month

You've heard me talking a little bit here and there about Kevin Lyttle's Japanese album. Well he's been working on projects for this side of the Pacific Ocean too. A track called Anywhere surfaced on the internet about two weeks ago. It features Flo Rida and Po Boyz…and it's definitely more R&B than soca or anything else. Kevin says the song was originally scheduled to hit airwaves come January, but there is some talk about pushing out sooner because of the leak.

Nurse Karen and Kevin Lyttle in St. Vincent last June.

Over in Trinidad, Kernal Roberts has taken a new step to revive the memory of his legendary father, the late, great Grandmaster Lord Kitchener. Angustura made the controversial decision to cast Roberts in a modern remake of a well-known local television commercial in which Kitch strums the first few bars of "Drink Ah Rum". The original commercial first aired in the early nineties, but in 2008, Kernal who is an accomplished song-writer and musician in his own right, plays his father. A task which comes pretty naturally considering the amazing resemblance. The new ad campaign was lauched last week Friday at a White Oak Staff Lime in Trinidad. Adesh Samaroo and Machel Montano were also present.

With Kernal Roberts in Miami

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Look for me online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog, at www.mustardseeds.net. And download the Rounds podcast to go at http://socatherapy.com/podcast. Now, back to de docta!

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The Rounds - December 31, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Old Year’s Night 2006. As we move forward to 2007, here are nurse Karen’s top ten tips for success.

1. Make love your priority…
A couple weeks ago Dr. Jay started referring to Bunji Garlin by his wife’s maiden name. Only…she wasn’t his wife yet. The nuptials finally took place last week Saturday...and I’ve heard it was more like an all-inclusive fete than a wedding. Faye-Ann and Bunji sang for their guests and they ate everything from stewed pig, to wild meat. If the amount of food at a wedding is any indication of a couple’s love for each other, this marriage will last forever.

2. Always have a plan.
It looks like Trini Culture Minister Joan Yulle Williams still hasn’t found a suitable Chairperson for the National Carnival Commission with the main event less than two months away. For 2007, do yourselves a favour and plan ahead. Your good reputation is too valuable not to.

3. Aspire to achieve.
Dr. Jay and I believe YOU deserve success in 2007. So, when opportunity knocks, open de door…but only if your house is in order. Bajan singer/songwriter Shontelle Layne was more than ready to answer last week when she signed a 7-album recording contract with Universal/Motown. That’s the label that promotes Damian Marley and Chamillionaire. The young law student at the University of the West Indies won party monarch in 2006 with Nathalee Burke for her song Colours and she also wrote “Roll” for Alison Hinds.

4. Embrace change
If you’re afraid to try something new, take a lesson from Freddie MacGregor. In 2006, the Grammy nominated reggae artist produced his first documentary film…and in 2007 he will be releasing his own soca song featuring Bunji Garlin. If you don’t believe me, check for him on the road in Fun Station 4’s brand new mas band, Pulse8. Freddie will be in a section called “Cocktails: You Shake – We Stir”

5. Act your age
I don’t mean you must act older, just behave bet-ter. Do like Rootsman and use all your success and wisdom from the past to bring you more blessings in the future. Rootsy celebrated 30 years as a calypsonian in 2006, and for 2007 his new tune Soca Jumbie is proving to be one of the most requested new releases for Trini carnival.

6. Pursue your dreams
I grew up in the 80’s, watching the bands go by on University Avenue. I remember music with a message being part of the Caribana soundtrack. I remember wearing t-shirts that said free Mandela, and meh momma telling me not to go in certain stores because they got rich off of Apartheid in South Africa. And so I remember a song called Shaka Shaka that came out in 1988.
If someone were to tell me then, that it would be 19 years before Bally would pursue his music fulltime, I woulda laugh in they face. Well allyuh…when God give you a dream, it’s for you to wake up and live it. Finally, Bally retired from his job at Customs and will be advocating Calypso music as the public relations officer for the Trinidad United Calyposonians Organization.

7. Share your education
When you know something, believe you me there’s someone out there who wants to learn. Finally the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education is offering workshops on Soca Music in the school system. Starting Friday, each school can send three students and one teacher for a course on how to become a soca performer, focusing on song lyrics as a tool for reading.

8. Find balance
It’s not easy to have it all….unless yuh some kind of soca prince or someting so. But, if you want the most out of life you have to work hard. Parang Soca songstress Marcia Miranda spent years working as a flight attendant for BWEE while working on her music. So, as you face your trials in the upcoming year - remember…you CAN have it all.

9. Make a lasting impression
You may be young, you may be small, but if you play your cards right, the world will remember you. Look at the Soca Warriors football team. Trinidad is the smallest country to ever play in the FIFA World cup and now two streets in Germany are getting a name change to celebrate that victory. So if you ever make the trip to Rotenburg, meet me at the corner of Trinidad and Tobago. I’m sure you could find some inspiration there.

10. Make time for fun
Our friends in St. Kitts are ringing in the new year at a “Night of Stars Gala and Ball.” Partygoers will be treated to music by Small Axe band and d’Vybz band all night long. Then tomorrow morning they’ll be jumping up through the streets of Basse-Terre…and there’s nothing wrong with that!

I’m nurse Karen, and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Old Years night 2006. Have allyuh-selves a good time tonight, and I’ll see you in 2007. Send your comments to SOCA at FLOW 935 DOT COM. Now back to de docta!

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The Rounds - December 17, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s rounds. When you listen to Caribbean music, it’s no secret that the most anticipated tradition of the holiday season (besides the music itself) is the food. There are so many special treats that only make an appearance once a year. You name it! If you like sweet - we’ve got it. Savoury - but of course! Drinks…well you hadda ask Doctor Jay about dah one. He would know better than me.

Every Caribbean country has its own special Christmas traditions…but they’re all lots of fun, so text me with your dinner invitations. Whichever day you’re cooking, I’m free!

Last week I mentioned that St. Kitts carnival is a Christmas tradition for THAT country. It’s well underway and new band D’Vybz International is beginning to make its mark. Well, they’re not schupid either. When carnival time coincides with Christmas, de bands and dem don’t stick when it comes to getting their CD’s out. After all it is the season for giving! They just launched their inaugural album “No Turning Back” which will be the sound track for masqueraders jumping up with Inferno.

My people in Montserrat are in the swing of carnival too. And Scrappy is back to defend last year’s Soca Monarch Crown. His new CD “Dreams are Reality” comes out tomorrow….but the first track Carnival S.O.S. is already lighting up the airwaves.

All this talk about CDs has me realizing, if I just buy original soca music, it wouldn’t take much to cross a few more names off my Christmas list…So I’m thinking my mommy would enjoy a jamoo cd featuring Religious Soca songs like “Christmas with the Blackmans” performed by Isaac Blackman and his siblings.

Meh tanty Hetty is a romantic, so I would get her “Christmas With You” by H20 Flow. And I think meh friend Keston would enjoy a Ma$tamind Christmas, since he grew up in Siparia near the producer Shawn Noel - and he love he black and sorrel…and parang more than anybody else!

Traditionally parang songs are sung in Spanish and addresses religious themes like the birth of Christ. The music has changed over time and a politician for Barataria/San Juan doesn’t like where it’s going. In Trinidad parliament on Thursday, Dr. Fuad Khan called for a ban on a Christmas hit by Damian Joseph, stating that some of its lyrics may be derogatory to persons of Chinese origin. The artist whole heartedly disagrees. Since last year, he has performed the tune for the Chinese Association with no complaints whatsoever and he even won 2006 Soca Parang OF THE YEAR for the composition at the COTT awards. All that being said, I still ent go tell you de name of de song. Because Nurse Karen may be many things, but I am certainly not offensive.
If you don’t like soca, suk you ma-whey!!!….Those are not my words, that is the work of Ian Alvarez aka Bunji Garlin…a similarly non-offensive soca icon who will be starting a new tradition in February 2007. On Carnival Saturday in Trinidad, from now on Bunji will be hosting his own annual concert.

So, there’s a new event to check out, if you’re heading down for the big show…so you better get used to it. You may find your self breaking with all kinds of TnT carnival tradition for 2007. It seems that the construction happening at Queen’s Park Savannah will really change the face of Carnival this go round. The Panorama finals will take place down South in San Fernando instead of in Port of Spain. Nothern Steel bands are upset with the decision, BUT I FIGURE it’s nice that the pannists down South could finally hold on to THEIR gas money for a change.

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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