Artist's View: Mista Vybe on Berlin Carnival

Nurse Karen and Mista Vybe, Trinidad ( June, 2008)

I was so excited to get this email from Mista Vybe! Berlin Carnival wrapped on Sunday, but it sounds like he is still having a great time in Germany repping hard for Trinidad and Tobago and soca music in general. You all remember Mista Vybe from his 2006 smash hit, "Ting 4 D Road", but the...

V - Versatile

Y - Young

B - Black

E - Entertainer

...has been crafting his unique blend of dub and smooth style soca joints for years. He has been grinding harder ever since. He is an avid fan of the soca genre, who pays close attention to the music released throughout the region. He knows the player in the game as well as I do!!! So, it is no wonder that he has recorded with top producers from Trinidad, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and Barbados alike.

As a member of the Big Artiste Crew. Patrick "Vybe" Gordon collaborated with the like of Nadia Batson, Terry Seales, Michelle Sylvester and his baby sis, Ms Alysha. They are all hard at work writing and recording new tunes for Trinidad Carnival 2010.

I respect him for his painstaking attention to detail, and insistence on flawless vocals. Call it professionalism. Wadeva! De man knows his way around a studio. Listen chunes on Myspace, and tell me if i lie! ( The word of the day is "Jab Jab")

Before I get carried away, did I mention that Vybe is in Germany?! I will let him tell you what he's up to.

Hi Karen,
As promised, I'm checking in with you with a quick update from Germany!

I've been hre since Friday morning working hard to keep the flag flying for Soca music and Caribbean Culture. It's so amazing how much Germans love up Caribbean vibes in general and the Soca/Carnival cultuer in particular.

I did two club shows both of which had crazy energy and wonderful crowd response. The first was in Wuppertal and the second was in Berlin. Both shows were off the chain, including plenty jumping and waving and even "big flags" (both Trini and German).Sunday was Carnival of the Cultures here in Germany and I was on the road with PurpleExplosion, which Berlin's top mas band in true Soca style. The band not only featured the usual "big truck" with Berlin's top Soca DJs and costumed masqueraders - even German moko-jumbies, but also showcased performances by myself and my good bredrin, London-based Soca star Scrappy (reigning Soca Monarch of Montserrat).

After the Carnival we barely had time for a quick change before going down to the Maria club to see an amazing performance by my brother in music, Maximus Dan. Also bounced up Jah Melody, Marlon Asher and their management along the way (big up Geron and the infamous Carl "Beaver" Henderson).

It's 6:04am Berlin time right now and myself, management and my German hosts (Threeks Sound - on of the top Soca soiund systems here) just got in from a loooooong night of studio work, followed by a stop at one of the top Caribbean Clubs here in Berlin.

There's tons of photos and videos to come from this trip, so the fans can stay tuned to your blog for links to those and follow me on twitter.com (look for @mistavybe), or just check my facebook and Myspace pages in the coming days...

Still have a couple more days here before I head back home to Trinidad.

Big up the Berlin Soca Massive who have shown us nothing but love. Stay tuned to Nurse Karen's blog as well as to @mistavybe on twitter.com as well as my Myspace and Facebook pages.

Oh - and look forward to new tunes from Mista Vybe for Vincy Mas AND St. Lucia Carnival 2009 - ABOUT TO BUSS soon!

Love and blessings from Berlin,
Mista Vybe: SUPERMODELROCKSTAR!

Big up yourself Mista Vybe! Thanks for the update. Looking forward to your pics and news! Tell Threeks Sound and dem Nurse Karen says "Guten Tag"!!!!!!

Thanks a mill.

Enjoy this fan clip of Mista Vybe on the truck performing "UP"

Love and Soca,


Nurse Karen

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Musician's View: HD's Dwain Antrobus on UCLA Jazz Reggae Fest

Shot from Cable and Wireless "Pork Lime" Barbados 2008

Left to Right: Kernal Roberts, bMobile Promo Girl, Dwaingerous, Zan and 

(Nurse Karen Etc's) Corey Graham 2.0 

Branching out!!! I Love it. Last weekend while there were three Caribbean Carnivals going on across the US of A, one of the top soca acts took their show west. Machel Montano and 4 members of his HD crew headed to sunny California to nice up the Caribbean entertainment content at UCLA's Jazz/Reggae Festival.

Hotta-fyah Bajan music producer and HD keyboardist, Dwain Antrobus aka Dwaingerous made the trip. He brought home this exclusive personal review of the UCLA experience.

If ya don't know Dwaingerous, hmmmm. I'm pretty sure you know his music! This is the man who solidified Machel and Patrice's heavy impact on Barbados Crop Over in recent years with riddims like; "Feel Nas", "Bad Boy", and plenty more! He's been around way longer than that though.

The 30 year old producer/musician has been touring with Xtatik (now HD) since 2002. He's a self taught pianist who picked it up watching is papa tap those keys as a child in Barbados.

As a youth, he attended Cobermere School, the same institution that turned out other Bajan celebs like pop star, Robin "Rihanna" Fenty and Bajan international saxophonist, Arturo Tappin. Now Dwain splits his time between Barbados and Trinidad, working on his various projects.

Fans:  link up with Dwaingerous on MySpace and Twitter.

Back to LA:

UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival 09 "A Culture of Change"
This was a two day festival, May 24th and 25th.
The 24th (JAM DAY) featured Erykah Badu, De La Soul, Leela James and other local acts.
The 25th (REGGAE DAY) featured Mavado, Peter and Mojo Morgan of Morgan Heritage, Machel Montano, Assassin, Cherine Anderson, Tanto Metro & Devonte.

Here's what Dwain had to say!

HD was well recieved as there was a strong Caribbean support among the 8000 that came out. We did a 30 min performance of the latest hits like "No War", "Unconditional Love", "Higher Than High", "One More Time", "Dance With You", "La Vida", "Bumpers", "Survivors", "It's Carnival".

Place was in total frenzy when HD hit the stage. Those who where sitting in their camp tents and blankets rushed towards the stage when the music started. It was officially party time. 

HD was the most energetic and one of the best performances of that day. Besides Mavado, this was the only time people actually pushed and gathered front stage to take in the perfomance.

Promoters were pleased with Machel's performance and was impressed with the 4 piece band (Darien Bailey, Shawn "Roots" Mitchell, Kernal Roberts and myself) and want to book for next year's event.

We nailed it! The crowd was lovely, the vibe was lovely. We just wanted to give the West Coast something different, and we did. They love us. We made some new fans. I love LA!"

- Dwain

Thanks Dwain!  It's very exciting.  I love to see soca music beginnin to till new soil.  Must be exciting to be a part of that.  Best wishes for another successful Crop Over season.  I know you've been hard at work.  Personally,  I love your new release from The Infamous Frank White, "Wine fuh me Gal".  Also, I'm waiting for you to confirm the rumors that HD's coming real hard this summer.  Will Zan be the new star boy?  We shall wait and see...

Me dear...thanks again for getting this to us!  Keep grindin'.

Love and Soca, 

(Nurse) Karen

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DJ's View: LP on Carnival Explosion (Atlanta)

Soca PEOPLE!!!! Here's your last installment from LP of G13 Sound International. Gotta say thanks once again for working overtime to get (Nurse) Karen (Etc) exlusive reviews of the Atlanta Carnival action. I almost feel like I was there. (Almost y'all! But being there woulda been WAYYYYY better!)

From my point of view, of all the fetes, Carnival Explosion had the most hype leading into the weekend. I can wager a guess why. Check this line up: Destra and her Band, Fay Ann Lyons, Bunji Garlin, Benjai, Trini Jacobs and Ziggy Ranking!

Here's what LP had to say...

Saturday, May 23, 2009: Carnival Explosion

This fete was a bit further from downtown Atlanta than Memorial Drive, but the T&T posse as well as the soca faithful made the journey out to Decatur after a long day at the Festival Village. DJ Stan from St Lucia and DJ Soca Diva from Miami started the warm up nicely until Giselle De Wassi One took the control and brought out Ziggy Ranking and Trini Jacobs for live performances. Patch took the stage to his hit, "Rum & Roti," followed by Benjai who delivered his big tunes such as "Over & Over," "Drunk Again," and "By De Bar," which also led to a guest performance by Bunji Garlin.

Denise Belfon took the stage next, giving a big performance of her classics such as "Wine & Bend Over" as well as newer tunes like "Bicycle Wine" and "Licks".
The crowd was now hype for the current road march and soca monarch queen Fay Ann Lyons. Fay Ann took the stage and delivered hit after hit, keeping the crowd running the entire time, ultimately ending in the 2009 T&T Road March, "Meet Superblue".

The crowd then waited for about an hour before Destra Garcia and her band took the stage at roughly 5:30am. Always worth the wait, Destra proceeded to deliver hit after hit such as "Bacchanal," "Jumpin," "We Say So," "Max It Up," "Bonnie N' Clyde," and "Fly", until unfortunately the owners of the venue shut the party down at about 6am. All in, the crowd seemed to enjoy the jam and still weren't ready to go home! Big up DJ Tony Tempo for really holding the event together from start to finish.

I was able to get great video of the first three Destra songs and upload it to youtube, check it out!

Whoa LP! Too bad it took them so long to set up. I mean, you can't get vex with a venue for shutting down at 6 am. But, when the last act not starting till 5:30, I feel that's something the promoter could have organized a little better. Just saying....

Thanks again for fixing us up with your on the scene account of your weekend in Atlanta. Hope you had the best time!

If you missed LP's earlier rundowns of the soca climate in Atlanta, click them below!

ACCBA Parade of the Bands
J'Ouvert Party by Krushmore Entertainment

If you enjoyed getting 411 from ATL, hit up LP on MySpace. Be sure to tell him I sent you!


Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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DJ's View: ACCBA Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Parade of the Bands

Saturday, May 22, 2009

Soca Lovers!  Here's dose number two from LP.  We taking a jump.  Read on for action from de road, Atlanta style:

Hi Karen,

Of the three separate Caribbean events taking place over Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA) event is the original and it never disappoints. Masqueraders lined up on West Peachtree St, and just shortly after noontime began their mas through downtown Atlanta.

Compared to other Carnival bands in many diasporas, the bands are slightly smaller than that of an average Toronto Caribana or Brooklyn Labor Day band, but they still bring a lot of energy and island pride.  

• In terms of energy, the Infusion t-shirt band was getting on bad all through downtown all the way to the festival village. 
• In terms of presentation, We Kinda Ting had the best display of costume mas, with a few sections of revellers followed by a t-shirt band as well.
  

By the time the bands reached Auburn Ave, the festival village was full of eager people ready to have a good time. As soon as the bands crossed the stage, however, the Carnival Village experienced a slight show delay due to inclement weather. As soon as the rain cleared about 20 minutes later, the event picked right back up where it left off. Various sound systems playing classic soca jams, and bands such as Impack2 (Brooklyn, NY) and Caribbean Music Farm (Miami, FL) delivering covers of current soca hits.

Soon after, the small island heavy bands WCK and Nu-Vybes band set the crowd into a frenzy with their signature sounds. Burning Flames, as always took the stage next and had the crowd of thousands singing along to every song and putting everything in the air. The event then finished with a huge Trinidad & Tobago showcase, featuring Ziggy Ranking, Trini Jacobs, Denise Belfon, Patch and Destra Garcia.

Watch Caribbean People!

Looks like a great parade. I hope you enjoyed yourself LP! Whey de dirt man? You meet a smallie? Wine up yourself? I guess we'll never know!

Photos and review courtesy of LP of G13 International

Thanks again, Dahlin!

Nurse Karen

P.S.  If you missed LP's blog about the Carnival J'ouvert Party, check the post HERE.  Next dose,  LP's review from the showcase at the end of the parade! Stay tuned...

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DJ's View: G13's LP on the 5th Annual Atlanta Carnival J'ouvert Party

Denise "Saucy Wow" Belfon at the J'Ouvert Party

Special treat soca freaks!  So, you know your girl was REAL looking forward to going to Atlanta for carnival this year.  It didn't work out.  Which happens to me A LITTLE TOO OFTEN for my liking!  What can I say?!!? News must share.  So, I pulled a few strings to get an on-the-ground account of the action from DJ LP from New York's G13 Sound System.  If your memory is short, you know him as the sound boy who gave you that too sweet Free Download Mad Decent Power Soca Mix earlier this year.  If you didn't get it before, handle that!  Yuh stickin'....

So, back to the point.  Atlanta Carnival is now.  LP is there - feting like a fiend.  Enjoying his long weekend!...and I here in Toronto doing my regular Sunday Soca Therapy thang!  So, you wanna know the vibes in ATL, right?  Who better to tell ya than a DJ who LOVEs soca?  He's on de scene... ( I hear de man link up to snap pics for Toronto-Lime too, busy guy!)

The man is a boss.  He gave me updates and pics from several events.  So, like a good nurse, lemme give you in small doses.  One today, another tomorrow.  Following? First up....J'OUVERT!!!!

LP, tell the people....

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hi Karen,

Hope all is well in TO.  Here's my rundown...

Although there were a few Wednesday and Thursday fetes, this is well known as the official launch for the weekend.  I reached Atrium on Memorial Drive around midnight. I was still early, but the vibes were flowing nicely as they do at Krushmore Entertainment events.  The soca room started to fill up around 12:30 a.m. and the crowd was treated to a very good mix of new and old classics from various islands care of Optimisque from Dominica, DJ Hottness from Atlanta by way of Guyana, DJ Kevy Kev from Orlando by way of St Kitts & Nevis, and ATL's #1 soca DJ Tony Tempo.  

Tony Tempo and Giselle De Wassi One

Atlanta is very well known for its small island massive, and of course the VI, SKN, and Dominica massive were front and center the entire night, supporting a lot of new USVI and SKN soca from bands such as UMB Soldiers, WCK, Small Axe Band, and Nu-Vybes band, selected by DJ Kevy Kev 

After the small island session, DJ Tony Tempo and Giselle Di Wassi One took full control for the rest of the night with 100% soca, including performances from Ziggy Ranking and Denise Belfon.  By the time the party was over, there were only a few hours until masqueraders were to line up along West Peachtree Street for the parade.

Ziggy Ranking at J'ouvert Party

Sounds like a nice session!!  Thanks for the review LP!  Next up : The Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association Parade of the Bands.  Check for the post in the morning!

Love and Soca, 

Nurse Karen

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DJ's View: Ms DJ Revz on Toronto Revellers Launch 2009

The Soca business is tough on females. The story is the same whether you are an artiste, promoter, or media person like me. I dunno if it's that West Indian men have a hard time believing that we come out to WORK just as hard as they do, or if it's that our natural hottie-hott mystique coaxes out their inner idiots, but one thing is for sure...we have to hold ourselves to an incredibly high standard in order to earn a little respect.

One female DJ, in Toronto raised her stock considerably when she signed on to be one of the official DJ's on the road for NBA player, Jamaal Magloire's oh-so-popular Toronto Revellers mas band. The band that swept Caribana Band of the Year in both 2007 and 2008, boasts 1200 revellers, and now a hot Guyanese-Canadian DJ named Ms DJ REVz!

She attended the 2009 presentation launch of "Brazil, Bacchanal in Rio." Read below to see what she thought of it!

At first thought, it was hard to see how the Toronto Revellers, “The People’s Band” would pull off a 2009 mas that could top their back to back wins as Band of the Year in both 2007 and 2008. Both “Viva Las Vegas” for their 2007 theme and “Alkebu’lan” for 2008 were very extravagant with unique, vibrant and sexy sections that generated quite a following and the ultimate recognition. Knowing that the “Revellers” put on some great shows and come up with some fabulous costumes, I was eagerly waiting for the launch of their 2009 theme. Their website proudly states “Brazil – Bacchanal in Rio will be a shimmering celebration of the colour and vibrance that is Rio Carnaval.” With Caribana just a few months away, soca fetes every weekend and mas camps in full swing, I was practically running out of the car when we got there. I was excited to see the band I would be working with for Soca Summer 2009 and I was in awe of the presentation, of the mas, and of the people that put such a great show together.

The Toronto Revellers band launching was held at “Events and Catering on the Park” at Leslie and Eglinton. When you walk into the huge event room the first thing that jumps out at you is the 50 foot, 2 metre high catwalk that juts out from the enormous stage area. That catwalk was the best thing I set my eyes on all evening and I’m not saying that because I wanted to go up there and walk it myself, even though the thought did come across my mind more than once. The catwalk was a great way of broadcasting the mas to the people. The fact that it was so long and so high gave the masqueraders the opportunity to be more creative in their movements and how they showed off the costumes. We were treated to a Capoeira Brazilian martial-arts dance group and Brazilian Samba dancers at the start of the event.

There are a total of 10 sections and in no particular order, they are “Dingolay”, “El Dorado”, “Pink Pleasure”, “Rio Tempo”, “Samba Dancer”, “Scandalous”, “Aye-Ya-Yaye”, “Heat in de Place”, “Moonlight over Copacabana” and “Soca in Rio”. You can just tell that a lot of work and creativity went into this mas from the bright neon pinks in “Pink Pleasure” to the fiery colours that make up “Heat in de Place”. My personal favourite was “Scandalous”, a costume that is on the slightly skimpy side and has blue and yellow as its main colours. Looking at the mas, you can not help but feel the energy of the masqueraders and of the people who are so hard at work trying to secure that 2009 title.

Soca is in my blood, and this is my second year as an official dj with the “Toronto Revellers”. I was at the mas camp in 2008 every Sunday giving them some soca music while they worked on the mas – and they worked very hard. There was always a friendly smile, always a small chat, and I am honoured and excited to be apart of the 2009 Toronto Revellers presentation. Not only am I working with people who have a passion for what they do, I am working amongst those that are committed to seeing “Bacchanal in Rio” receive the Band of the Year title for three years in a row. Good Luck Revellers! I will be seeing you in the mas camp and on the road!

xoxo
Ms DJ Revz!

For more pictures and information visit:
www.torontorevellers.com
www.toronto-lime.com

DJs on the road:
Ms DJ Revz
Soca Monarchs
DJ Remedy
TNT Sounds
Eternal Vibes

Congrats on the new gig Revz. See you on the road!

Love and Soca,

(Nurse) Karen

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Were you there? Give us your reviews on soca events this weekend!

Hey soca lovers!

How was your weekend?  Personally, I took it real easy.  Had a blast spending time with family and friends.  Big up to Rachael at C-Lightning dot com for her wikked bridal shower!  Never knew it could be like that.

There was so much going on this weekend, so I need the goods.  Where did you go? How was it? Let me know, and I'll post your reviews right here on (Nurse) Karen (Etc)

Fill us in about the events below, or something going on in your neck of the woods!

• Batabano Carnival - Grand Cayman
• St. Thomas Carnival
• St. Maarten Carnival
• Carnival Nationz "In Full Bloom" Band Launch 
• Barbados 1st Calvalcade
  
• Vincy Mas Launch

Have fun with it! We like to take a balanced approach here, so say whatever you really think, but keep the criticism constructive.

Here are the guidelines:

• Please type your review in the comment section below
  
• You must enter your name and email.  The email address will not be published. If you won't stand behind what you say, why should we?
• If you want to share pictures or video that you own, please include those links in your review!

Happy Writing!

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