The Rounds: Scrappy's new album, Bitts and the roadkill, etc

Originally aired on Soca Therapy on Flow 93.5 FM in Toronto (Sunday, November 22, 2009)

In this edition:
- Tobago will have a rep at International Soca Monarch (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Still no venue for ISM (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Caribana dates set (Canada)
- Scrappy releases compilation album (Montserrat)
- Lil Bitts' and the dead dog (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Happy Birthday Saucy Wow and Boy Boy (Trinidad and Tobago)



Good evening soca lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds!

Great news hit the beautiful shores of Tobago last weekend. The soca artists based there recently found out that the winner of their local Soca Monarch competition on January 17th will get an automatic bypass to the finals of the International Soca Monarch competition in Trinidad. Tobago joins the ranks of islands such as Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent who all enjoy seeded positions for their reigning monarchs. That means one less spot is open for Trinidad-based artists in the finals.

But all this soca monarch talk is probably still premature, considering the Caribbean Prestige Foundation still has not settled on a suitable venue for the 2K10 competition.

While we’re on the topic of Soca royalty, the 2005-2006 Montserrat Soca Monarch, Scrappy recently released a new album just in time for his island’s upcoming carnival season. Welcome to Montserrat Volumes 1 and 2 is a two disc compilation album showcasing STRAT’s top talents in both soca and reggae. But if you’re a big Scrappy Fan, he’s got a solo album set to drop any day now. It’s called “The Caribbean Dream”. Be sure to check it out.

Fast forward to Toronto Carnival 2010. Plans for next year’s Caribana are already beginning to take shape. Festival dates have been set for July 13 through August 1. Tell your family and friends!
Here’s something else you might want to tell your friends. Be sure to lock up your pets around Lil Bitts. I know I’m going to get in trouble for reporting this one. But today the artiste who is ironically promoting a single called “Careful” rolled over a dog with a car in Trinidad around 7 o’clock this morning. Lemme vouch for the girl and tell you, the accident was completely unintentional. After all, Miss Lady is barely big enough to hurt a fly let alone a dog. But sadly, the pooch did not make it.

As we approach the end of November, there’s no shortage of birthdays to celebrate. Denise “Saucy Wow” Belfon turns 41 on the 23rd, and on Tuesday, the 24th Machel Montano turns 35. Happy Birthday Soca Babies...we love you!

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more information on any of the things I mentioned tonight, please visit me online at triple w dot nurse dash Karen dot com, or follow all the news, commentary and my personal daily shenanigans on Twitter dot com slash nurse Karen. Now, back to de Docta.

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The Rounds: October is Calypso History Month!

Originally aired on Flow 93.5 FM's Soca Therapy with Dr. Jay de Soca Prince, Sunday, October 4, 2009

In this edition:
- MSU Carifest (USA)
- UK Soca Music Awards Results (UK)
- IMA names Kes the Band "Spotlight Artist" (USA)
- Roy Cape to be honoured at Word Creole Festival (Dominica)
- Ras Shorty I Tribute and birthday (Trinidad)
- Bomani's birthday (St. Vincent)

Good evening soca lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Doctor Jay’s Rounds. It’s October! We already know that next weekend is Thanksgiving and Miami Carnival. But are you aware that the entire month is Black History Month in the UK and Calypso History Month in Trinidad? If you ask me, the two go hand in hand. So let’s celebrate!

Yesterday 275 Caribbean Students in Texas took time out to educate the population of Midwestern State University about Caribbean Music and Culture at their campus “Caribfest”. Students from a variety of islands packed everything from Steelpan, and Soca, to yummy Caribbean treats into just a few hours of Carnival to show of their pride and power inspite of their very small numbers.

Last week during the Rounds, the London Soca Community got all dolled up in suits and dresses for the 2nd annual Soca Music Awards. Congrats go out to all the winners. Honourable mention to Scrappy for winning Best UK Soca Track, AND Best UK Male Soca Artist. Miss Desire took best UK female. The international acts voted ...The Best were Destra, Brother B and Kes the Band!

Nurse Karen with Nigel and Kees from Kes the Band (Toronto, 2007)

Speaking of Kes the Band, this past week, they were named and the 9th Spotlight Artist by the Independent Music Awards. Pretty great exposure for a Soca band!

For generations when Calypso and Soca lovers have thought of bands, and musicians, Roy Cape is one of the first names that comes to mind. Just found out that he will be receiving a special honour at this year’s World Creole Festival in Dominica. It’s the first time a country outside of Trinidad and Tobago has paid tribute to the veteran bandleader.

Nurse Karen with Roy Cape (St.Vincent, 2009)

As we continue to recognize soca history. The man who is considered by many to be the creator of the soca genre will be honoured by the Trinidad Unified Calypsonian’s organization. If Ras Shorty I was still alive today he would be turning 68 this Tuesday. So, a special tribute concert will be happening in San Fernando as part of Calypso History Month on that very day!

Before I go, happy belated birthday goes out to Bomani. He had a birthday on September 30th. Here’s hoping it was happy, happy, happy!

Bomani and Nurse Karen (New York, 2008)

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s Rounds. For more exciting soca news and my online journal from Miami Carnival, check me out online at Nurse dash Karen dot com. Now, back to de Docta!

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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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Booster Shot: Iwer George retiring as a soca artiste?

Warning: This one is debatable.  Even so, you heard it here first!

Last Saturday, the big event in Toronto was CVR Fire Fete.  The evening featured performances by: Scrappy, Kenneth Salick, Ricky T, Zoelah, Edwin Yearwood, Super Jigga TC, Skinny Fabulous, Blaxx, KMC and Red White and Black.  Geez, that was a mouthful.  A bunch of other artists were advertized, but those are the ones who actually performed.

Here's the big news.  Iwer George made a couple of big announcements during his performance backed by Red, White and Black.

Lemme sum it up.

• 2009 will be his last year releasing music as an artiste
• He wants to be the next President of Trinidad and Tobago
• He's going back to school to get his Master's

No doubt, the man said every word. 2000 patrons heard it too. Still, it appears I have a few items to confirm, before President George Maxwell Richards should start shaking in his boots.     I know how it goes when a room full of people jumping to your songs, that Carnival Jumbie starts to wine up with the Hennessy Jumbie...and your mouth could be possessed.

Stay tuned!

Love and Soca, 

(Nurse) Karen

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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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