Booster Shot: Serani takes on the Ban of Dancehall music in Jamaica

I was just surfing and came across this very interesting interview conducted by Fader with Serani. Now ah have to warn you the contents of this interview may have explict language be guided accordingly.

Personally, I am disappointed in Serani's view of soca stating "ALL soca is about SEX", when he collaborated on the 2009 track "All I Need"with Shurwayne , which had no sexual content. And it is alarming coming from an artist who is representing the views of many average Jamacians. It is safe to say that Carnival is not part of Jamacians Culture and so the depth of its history may be irrelevant to them. However, making such a blank statement in an interview of that magnitude is an eye opener.

Well ah make you be the judge, but you may come to my conclusion: the dancehall community is making soca music into their scapegoat for the issue facing them. They are frustrated that their own government is censoring homegrown dancehall and not "foreign" soca!

FADER TV: Serani
Uploaded by thefader

Peace & SOCA

Rochelle.

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Booster Shot: Study says certain music makes you dumb. We rank the worst!

Take a look at the graph below.  This is not my opinion, but I'd sure like to hear yours!

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The Rounds: Soca Makes You Stupid!

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds! He’s Ba-ack!  You already know, your man Dr. Jay and the KOS Family have returned from Trinidad Carnival, and last night they gave Toronto a memorable souvenir in the form of Dr. Jay’s Return Fete.  The crowd was bazodee off with performances from Mastamind, Ricky T, Zan, TC and De Boss, Iwer George.  We may have lost an hour last night, but ah feel we found it this morning, cuz I didn’t get home till about 6 am.  So, go figure!

            Here’s a strange one...a college student from California just published a controversial albeit unscientific report on music that makes you dumb.  The study compares and contrasts the musical tastes of American students and their SAT scores.  And guess what: students who prefer soca music over and above all other genres, have the lowest SAT scores on average! I could hear allyuh sucking your teeth from here.  Don’t shoot the messenger!  If you want to see where other styles ranked, check the blog.

            Today is International Women’s Day.  Trinidad and Tobago is celebrating the occasion with events taking place throughout the country in schools and community organizations. In Port of Spain, they held a 5K walk run which wrapped up with a performance from some of the nation’s top female soca artistes and an all female section of the TCL Skiffle Bunch Steelband.

A date has been set for the 28^th annual International Reggae and World Music Awards.  On May 3^rd, a bevy of Caribbean artists will descend upon  Jamaica, New York at the York College Performing Arts Center.  Leading the nominations in 2009 is Mavado with 8 nods, then Elephant Man and Beres Hammond with seven.  But our thing is soca, and yes we’re represented too. Machel Montano, who was a big winner in 2008, is definitely back in the ranks.

            Now that the traditional carnival season has come to an end, next stop Jamaica. Alison Hinds kicked off the Bacchanal Jamaica mas camp fete calendar on Friday with a grand performance for an ecstatic crowd.  Bacchanal Jamaica Carnival was started in 1988 by Jamaican soca empresario Byron Lee, who died of cancer just last year. The festival climaxes easter weekend under the  2009 theme: Gone Hollywood!

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds.  For more information on anything you’ve heard tonight, check me out online at the Nurse Karen Etc blog at triple w dot mustard seeds dot net.  And get your weekly dose of Soca News by downloading the Rounds Podcast from Soca Therapy dot com.  Now, back to de docta!

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On de Scene: St.Lucia Carnival 2009 Already Creating a Buzz!!

With Trinidad Carnival just closing off , St.Lucia is already gearing up for one of the best carnival season's yet, come July 15th to 21st . I know, we ONLY in March and the buzz has began.

Bands such as Just 4 Fun ( which is one of the top party bands on the island) has already announced their theme and open registration for repeat revelers, with no costume display out yet ! But certainly those revelers know, when costumes are unveiled the band will close in a matter of days; so of course the talk has began and no carnival junkie wanna miss out on this!

Also newly reformed band ROYALTIES XTREME have teased St.Lucians with the display of one of their potential costumes in a press release today in the YO magazine! Their theme this year is "Africa Our Soul" and the teaser was depicting everything the theme incorporates.And Yes ,I will make you be the judge as well...

Royalties Xtreme for Carnival 2009

In terms of music, there are expected to be early releases beginning this month on local radio stations in St.Lucia ,as well as famous international websites. As to which artist to look out for or which riddim you have to get as a ringtone and what collaboration is the best ; well you have to stay tuned and watch it all unfold here or make a trip to St.Lucia for another Simply Beautiful Mas!

I certainly am excited and anticipating a great Carnival season and as for Nurse Karen and Her Toronto Posse , hope ya ticket booked for St.Lucia Mas 2k9!

Peace
Rochelle

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Booster Shot: 2009 Mashramani Carnival Results

2009 Mashramani - Guyana Carnival Results
Band of the Year
1. Go Girls and Kairi Mystique
Depiction: “Western Bacchanal”
2. Carnival Corner
Depiction: "Mélé Mélanjé"

3. Thunder Bird
Depiction: "Fire and Ice"
J’ouvert
First Lapo Kabwit on the road -- The Gutter Lapo Kabwit
Best Pappy Show -- The Religious ones
Best Individual on the road - Rohan James
Best Sennsé on Carnival Monday - St. Joseph group
First Steel Band on the road - Real Steel Band

Best Jou ouvé group -- Newtown pre-school
The award for the lapo kabwit band which played the longest on the road - The Newtown Lapo Kabwit.

Calypso Monarch
1. King Karessah
Songs: ‘Pastor’s Rod’ and ‘Calypso too patriotic’.
“Best Stage Presentation” Award
2. Observer
Songs: ‘Shut up legislation’ and ‘EIO’
3. Tarina
Songs: ‘Endangered Species’ and ‘Gwayé’

Junior Calypso Monarch – Sheldon Alfred / De Professor
Soca Monarch
1. Shellon Garroway/Shelly G
2. Vanilla


Carnival Queen (Miss Dominica) – Kayan Toussaint
Carnival Princess – Chrislin Tavernier
Miss Teen Dominica – Kelcia Righton

Road March
“Rude” -- Vanilla

Costume and Float Parade (Regional)
Full Costume - Medium
1. Region Three
2. Region Five

Full Costume – Small
1. Region Ten
2. Region Four
3. Region Seven in third

King -- Region Ten
Queen -- Region Four
Individual Male -- Region Three

Full Costume – Large
1. The Culture Ministry
2. Sophia Cultural Association
3. Hits and Jams Entertainment Band

Full Costume - Medium

1. Health Ministry

2. House and Water Ministry

3. Region Three

Full Costume - Small

1.  Education Ministry

2.  Region 10

3.  Region 4

Non-Commercial Float
1. The Culture Ministry
2. The Body of Christ
3. Slingshot

Semi-Costume – Large
1. Slingshot
2. Body of Christ
3. Don Gomes


(non-commercial)
King of the Band - Health Ministry

Queen of the Band -- Culture Ministry

Individual Male - Culture Ministry

Individual Female - Ministry of Labout, Human Services and Social Security

Republic Bank Pan-o-Rama Steelband Competition

1. North Ruimveldt Multilateral School 

2. Plaisance Community High second. 

Junior Solo

1. Akeem Pompey of the Pan Groove Steel Orchestra

2. Michael Smith Jr of the Secret Vision Steelband

3. Allana Noel of the Secret Vision Steelband 

Senior Solo

1.  Michael Smith of the Guyana Police Force Band

2. Clayton Daniels of the Pan Groove Steel Orchestra

3. Ray Sparman of the Guyana Polica Force Band

Church Bands:

1. St Andrew’s Kirk Steelband 

2. One Steel Orchestra 

3. Central Assembly of God Steelband

Seven-A-Side:

1. Parkside Steel Orchestra 

2. Magnificent Seven 

3. Pan Groove Steel Orchestra

Pan Jazz Quartet:

1. Parkside Steel Orchestra

2. Pan Groove 

3. Pan Wave 

 Illuminated and Decorated Buildings Competition - Schools

1. St Ambrose Primary 

2. East La Penitence Primary

Illuminated and Decorated Group Competition - Non-Commercial

1. National AIDS Programme Secretariat 

2. Guyenterprise Advertising Agency

3. National Communications Network 

Illuminated and Decorated Group Competition - Commercial

1. Guyana Water Inc won

2. Neal and Massy Ainlim 

3. Bounty Meat Centre, Kitty.

 Adult Calypso Competition - Senior

1. Lester ‘Professor’ Clarke 

2. Roger Hinds, aka Young Bill Rogers 

3. Estelle Simpson

4. Derrick Mangal aka Bright Colours

Junior Calypso Competition

1. Abigail James aka Singing AJ 

2. Shenelly Hunte

3. Tenneicia De Freitas

HIV/AIDS Song Competition

1. Young Bill Rogers 

2. Martin Byrne aka Mighty Voter

3. Dawn Edwards

Chutney Competition

1. Rajesh Dubraj 

2. Sandella Craig

3. Harresh Singh 

4. Beeshan Jairam,  also voted the most promising artist

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