The Rounds: How soca artists spent Easter...

Originally aired on Sunday, April 4, 2010 on "Soca Therapy" on Flow 93.5 FM, Toronto with Dr. Jay and Marxman.

In this edition:

- Destra's first post preggers performance in Toronto. (Trinidad / Canada)
- Toronto Fire Fete (Canada)
- Edwin at Virgin Gorda Carnival (Barbados / BVI)
- Oscar B returns to Jamaica (Tobago / Jamaica)
- Artists observing Easter (Barbados / Jamaica)
- Changes in store for Crop Over 2010 (Barbados)



Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. It’s easter Sunday and it’s my hope that my voice finds you surrounded by family, friends and everlasting hope as you celebrate God’s promise of eternal life. If by chance you find yourself alone today. Think again. Dozens of soca artists are forced to be away from loved ones as they travel internationally to entertain fans.

I chose to spend last night with family, but the cast of Toronto Fire Fete spent a good chunk of the special weekend away from home. The show boasted Destra’s first show in T-Dot in almost two years. Not to mention, her first local appearance since she gave birth to little Xaiya!!! Yes gentlemen. She has her body back. And you know Destra, she’s definitely still thick in all the right places.

Destra back in all her glory on Saturday night (Photo by Soca Dread)

Patch created a gutter riddim Frenzy, selling pipe on Canadian soil. Terri Lyons, made her sweet voice known to Toronto. Trinidad’s Dynamic Duo JW and Blaze Palanced thru the city ...as is their custom. Skinny Fabulous let go the Vincy beast , etc, etc. My point is...Sometimes you gotta do what you got to do where you gotta do it, and if you find yourself away from the people you love this holiday. At least you have us ! (Awwww....)

JW and Blaze at another Toronto performance last month

Edwin Yearwood woke up today on the Island of Virgin Gorda after a well received performance at THEIR Easter Festival last night. There really is no place like home in Barbados, for him, but Management tells me that the seven thousand dollar a night villa they stayed in makes up for at least SOME of the inconvenience.

Tobagonian soca singer Oscar B left his fam in Tand T to returned to Jamaica for the first time in a long time. He lived and worked there as a singer in Byron Lee and the Dragonaires for eighteen years , having recorded such hits as Soca Tattie and Soca Butterfly. Beyond his excitement over taking to those familiar stages once again, Oscar says he’s looking forward to de bun and cheese!

If you’re not out painting the town red to the sounds of soca this weekend, trust me you’re not in the minority. Many artistes are deeply spiritual, and prefer to break their Lenten fasts with worship and thanksgiving in the traditional way. Dancehall/crossover icon Mr. Vegas wasn’t going to let anything keep him out of church this morning, and Bajan Party Monarch and Sweet Soca Monarch TC was heading to an Easter play when I chatted with her today.

Nurse Karen and TC at Trinidad Soca Monarch (Feb 2010)

Looks like she will be defending her crowns in a new venue this year, as the Those competitions will no longer be held at East Coast or Farley Hill National Park for that matter. The event will be rebranded “Soca Royale” , the wheres and whens of which are yet to be announced. Barbados Ministry of Culture just announced a slew of venue changes for the upcoming Crop Over season, including a new route for the Kadooment day parade.
I’ll be sure to get all the details on that for you in the upcoming weeks, but for now. Enjoy this blessed Easter, wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing. I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more info on the stories you heard today, visit me online at Nurse dash Karen dot com, or follow me, “Nursekaren” on Twitter. Now, back to de docta!

Read more...

Booster Shot: TC wins soca artist of the year at BMAs

Congrats to TC (Terrencia Coward) on copping a big award at tonight's Barbados Music Awards...(still in progress)

She will go down un history as the 2009 Soca artiste of the year  much to the surprise of many attendees.

Edwin Yearwood took the award for soca up-tempo single of the year.

Detailed results this week.



Love and Soca!

Nurse Karen



Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device

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Booster Shot: More on Barbados' Sweet Soca and Party Monarch

Nurse Karen with Sweet-Soca and Party Monarch Champ TC in Barbados (July 2009)

Found an article worth sharing about the big competitions held for Crop Over this past Sunday. Congrats once again to TC and Nathalee. So far, Woman is Boss for Crop Over 2009

TC does the double to join winners’ row

7/27/2009
Barbados Advocate
By Khalil Goodman
TERENCIA “TC” Coward brought ‘the riddim’ and made history – winning the both inaugural 98.1 The One/Banks Sweet-Soca competition and the Mount Gay/Lime Party Monarch yesterday.

Singing the song “Hot Sun and Riddim” in both competitions, Coward captured the two trophies and $32 000 in combined cash prizes. Neil Bernard and Nicholas Brancker produced track helped edge out TC’s tent mate, Natalie “Natahlee” Burke. She came second in both competitions singing “This is What We Do.”

Natahlee lost to TC by 20 points in the Party Monarch competition and by only one point in the SweetSoca.
To read on, click here

Nurse Karen with Sweet Soca & Party Monarch Runner Up, Nathalee Burke in Barbados (July 2009)
Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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On De Scene: TC is 2009 Barbados Party Monarch too?!!

Our very own Corey Graham has been on de scene awaiting the most anticipated Party Monarch results for the past few minutes . Barbados seem to be in soca mode with TC gaining the FIRST ever Crop Over Sweet Soca Competition and tonight she is the Party Monarch for 2009 .


Results :


1. T.C. - Hot Sun N Riddim




2. Nathalee




3. Red Plastic Bag



4. Khiomal


5. Mr. Dale

We're in the dark as to how the same song is permitted to take the title in two seperate competitions. Time to take a closer look at the NCF Rules!

Thanks Corey and we look forward to your review on the competition in the coming days. Congratulations to TC !!!







Peace and Soca



Rochelle

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Booster Shot: TC is inaugural Sweet Soca Champ

Here are the results from The first ever Crop Over Sweet Soca Competition!!!

(Special thanks to our own Corey Graham 2.0 who is at Farley Hill National Park in Barbados awaiting the Party Monarch results)

1. TC - Hot Sun N Riddim

2. Nathalee Burke - What We Do

3. Mikey - I in Dat

4. Mr. Dale - We Come to Party

5. Blood - Back It Up

Congrats to Miss TC. She's been doing this soca thing for a while now. It was my pleasure to finally meet her in person 2 Sundays ago at Caribbean Wet Fete in Bridgetown. We chatted about this season...and the chances of this very thing happening! She edged out Nahtalee Burke by just 1 point!!!


Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

P.S. Party Monarch results coming any second now!

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Booster Shot: Barbados Party Monarch & Sweet Soca Finalists Announced

Barbados - Party Monarch & Sweet Soca Contestants Announced

The anticipation.. the agony of waiting… feels like it's been a long haul, but finally the results are known. The finalists have been released for two of the most aniticipated competitions on the Crop Over calendar.

The eight finalists in the 98.1 The One Banks Sweet Soca Competition are:

Song Title Artiste

1. All Night Til Morning Statement

2. Back It Up Blood

3. Come Out Mr. Dale

4. Hot Sun and Riddim TC

5. I in Dat Mikey

6. Trouble Khiomal

7. What We Do Nathlee

8. We Come to Party Sir Ruel

RESERVE:

Winin' Zone Brett
----------------------------------

The ten finalists in the Mount Gay and LIME Party Monarch Competition are:

Tent Artiste

1. Bachannal Time Timmy

2. Celebration Time Donella

3. Celebration Time Khiomal

4. Celebration Time Lil Rick

5. De Big Show Nathalee

6. De Big Show Red Plastic Bag

7. De Big Show TC

8. Headliners Blood

9. Headliners Mr. Dale

10. Headliners Mikey

RESERVE:

De Big Show Kirk Brown

Crop Over

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On De Scene: Barbados' First Ever "Groovy Soca Monarch" Semi-Finalists.

Barbados is known around for the groovy soca, well the only non Trini to win the International Groovy Soca monarch was a Bajan in the form of Biggie Irie! It took a while in coming but finally in the year 200wine, Crop Over will see its first ever a Groovy Soca Competition. We seem to have to name things a little differently.

We call Soca Monarch - Party Monarch, Road March translates to Tune Of De Crop. We are keeping consistent and calling the Groovy Soca Monarch - the Sweet Ragga Competition.

Here is the list of semi-finalists. One of them is sure to create history this year being crowned the Groovy Soca Monarch.

1. All Night Til Morning - Statement.
2. Back it up - Blood
3. Busted William - Watts
4. Carnival Jooks - Lil Rick
5. Come Out - Mr Dale
6. Good Vibes - Lorenzo
7. Hot Sun and Riddim - TC
8. Hottie Hottie Gal - Tarah Holdipp.
9. I in Dat - Mikey
10. Keep Drinks Coming -Out Patients
11. Move Over - Tasha
12. Peter Pan - Peter Ram
13. Trouble - Khiomal
14. We Come to Party - Sir Ruel
15. What We Do - Natahlee
16. Wining Zone - Brett

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