The Rounds - July 22, 2007

Dr. Jay’s Rounds
Sunday July 22, 2007
Karen Richardson

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been here to tell you what’s new in the soca world…and I’ve missed allyuh so much.
I was down in St. Vincent for the 30th anniversary celebrations of Vincy Mas…and let me tell you...THAT WAS BACCHANAL. If you haven’t heard yet, Fireman Hooper is once again the soca monarch with a song called Charge. You should have seen him running up and down the stage dressed like a wizard, waving his magic wand. The whole crowd was spellbound...and so were the judges. Ranking him first overall for the third year in a row and the 6th time in his career. Second place went to Lively for “We Drinking”. I wanted Dr. Jay to fully appreciate the IMPORT of a song about mixing all of the local liquors together for a special carnival brew. So, I had every intention of bringing back a few of bottles for the soca prince to try….but unfortunately, by the time I had left St. Vincent the duty free shop at the airport was clean out of rum. Not a drop ANYWHERE!!!! Maybe that would tell you what kinda fun people had in the fetes. So I guess he’ll just have to get down there NEXT year to try it for himself. Miss Zoelah, is real excited about her upcoming show at KOS j’ouvert, especially now that she’s 2nd runner up for Soca Monarch of SVG.
For all you PROBLEM CHILD fans out there. Everybody get MAD…because this year HE is the ROAD MARCH KING. The tune is called Party Animal…and while a lot of people were unhappy that a song that heavily samples Kassav’s Zouk –LA took top prize for road -- There’s no disputing the fact that NO CHUNE was more popular.

Special Big Up to Jamesy P for hoisting me onto his J’ouvert truck. Seeing all of Kingstown wild and dutty in the early morning sun is a memory I will never forget. For these and other tales of mas and fun in the July sun, check Toronto-Lime this week for Nurse Karen’s Vincy Mas diary.
Last week the action jumped one island north to St. Lucia. Teddyson John took the crown for groovy soca monarch. And just as predicted, Ricky T’s Pressure Boom WALKED away with road march, playing two and a half times more often than the next tune: Blah Blah, by Kakal. But second place isn’t a bad finish for the newly crowned Power Soca Monarch if you ask me.
By all reports, this year’s Caribbean Soca Monarch Show was a big disappointment.

Congratulations, none the less, to St. Lucia’s own Ninja Dan for taking the crown. The organizers might want to look into the reasons why 4 of the twelve international competitors pulled out at the last minute. I’m no genius, but if I was an artist, I’d have issues if I found out that radio stations were actually PROHIBITED from playing MY foreign song until two days before the competition. That makes it virtually impossible to score big points for crowd support. I doh know…I’m just saying…
With Cropover and Caribana and Antigua Carnival just two weeks away, you can count on de nurse, to give you just what you need.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Text me your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5. Now back to de docta!

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The Rounds - July 1, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Today our great nation of Canada is celebrating one hundred forty years of togetherness...and being a Canadian of Caribbean heritage, that is something I can real celebrate. Here in Toronto, we have the best of the best…living side by side with all the cultures of the world. And we, de people of de Caribbean bring the beauty of our traditions and beautiful music to audiences that otherwise woulda neva know just how sweet it is!
And when you talk about sweetness the first thing that comes to your mind if you know anything about anything, is Soca Therapy’s own “Soca Sweetness” On Friday, music was flowing like golden honey up at de Ramada hotel in a sticky, but sweet celebration of ten years in de business. Congrats ba-by!
The togetherness vibes are building in St. Vincent as the whole country prepares for MY arrival. Well not so, but they celebrating 30 years of July Carnival over the next week…and I jumping on de next flight. Last night, Machel Montano closed out de fete at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex…where the talk of the night was Problem Child’s new tune “Party Animal”. The crowd was chanting “Oooo Oooo” all morning …and Machel joked that he might “quote-unquote” “borrow de idea” and take the tune to number 1. Well, they say imitation is the greatest form of flattery…but if yuh ask me, begging for a next lawsuit is the greatest form of dotishness. Over so, in Montreal, Carifiesta is back next weekend. If you need a little warm-up wine for caribana it go be nice.
St. Lucia is next up, as Ricky T’s “Pressure Boom” gets some added adrenalin thanks to a remix that features none other than Mister Vegas.
Another Lucian to watch is Q-pid…and is not just because she have a stomach like a six pack of Carib! The 27-year-old singer has four chart climbing singles this season including Tremors, which came about as an extempo freestyle on a riddim, Fire Waist, Outta Time Whine, and MAD…Again.
In the last 3 years the amount of soca songs that came out with “Mad” in the title is enough to make you wonder if insanity is ah part o we culture too. Over in gorgeous Barbados the decision makers at the CBC are giving me reason to confirm my speculations. If you were listening last week, you heard me mention a new tune called “Blaze it Up” by Jabae featuring Trinidad’s Mr. Vybe. Well, the brand new tune just got banned from the airwaves in Barbados due to questionable lyrical content. Well, if you’re asking the question…the problematic lyrics were “Sparkin’ Up de Flames”, but to many ears it sounds like sumting the good people at FLOW would prefer me not to repeat.
So we go leaved dat one alone as we look forward to finishing of this “weekend of togetherness” in style. Then we celebrate de soca way…is news from everything you heard today plus the latest from Soca 4 Summer, Caribana, Antigua, Grenada, Notting Hill and Brooklyn…so stay tuned.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s rounds for Canada Day 2007. Please text your comments to 9-3-5-9-3-5. Now back to de Docta.

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The Rounds - June 29, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. With one week to go till Caribana, the city is on fire with hot events blazing soca. All the entertainers are packing their bags, checking their passports and boarding their planes…because Toronto is THE place to be.
Last week, Trinidad was home to some major soca action. When radio station Soca 919, hosted their annual Soca for Summer Showcase. About a month ago I mentioned to you that this year’s concert marks the 20th anniversary of Iwer George’s career in soca. He’s the reigning soca monarch…AND the owner of that radio station. Well…after 20 years in the business, IWER GEORGE has called it quits…well…not HIM, but his name. The big man has retired his government name in favour of…THE BOSS. Ah hope de odda BOSS, Bruce Springstein is OK with DAT choice. Personally, I kinda like Iwer betta.(under my breath)
Since last Fall, the soca world has been mesmerized under the enigmatic spell of Machel Montano HD. Even die hard fans agree that this year’s stage show AND music showed a marked improvement over some pretty amazing years gone by. So next week, the HD posse will be on the road, At Lamport stadium AND at Fire Fete 6, but after that? who can be sure? What I do know is that the band has already finished writing and recording about EIGHTY percent of their NEXT album. Yeah, I’m talking about 2008. So, be sure and lap up the last of this year’s presentation…because before you know it, it will be time for something new.
Carnival vibrations sweep through the Caribbean all Summer long. So THIS weekend would have been a great time for a get-away. Whether in Antigua, Grenada or Barbados, Friday and Saturday were all about moving one step closer to crowning the next Monarch. Antigua’s groovy competitors have been narrowed down to 9. Claudette Peters leads the pack with “Go Claudette”.
On the UpTempo side, El A Kru’s Tizzy, is making another attempt to BOUNCE she way to that crown. At Grenada’s soca semi’s on Friday, the show mostly gave newcomers and emerging artists a chance to expose their music to a wider audience. But, some of my greenz posse will be happy to hear that favourites like Nnika Francis, Boogie B and Inspector are back in the running THIS year.
BIM is looking for a Party Monarch too and Barry Chandler has got some stiff competition. The 2007 music is sweet fuh so. So whether it goes to Khiomal, Hypasounds, Lil Rick, or Mr. Dale, All my Bajans can rest assured de title will be in good hands.
Well Toronto posse…this is we time. So save up your pennies and support the culture. Friday we going to KOS J’ouvert…and then it’s no sleep at all till Tuesday morning.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds . Please text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5. now back to de doctor.

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The Rounds - June 24, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. It’s a steamy Sunday night here in Toronto, and de music -- only makes it hot-ter! Yonge Street was set ablaze all weekend as thousands got together to celebrate PRIDE. And all of us have something to be proud about, ya know.
For the Guyanese listeners, you ought to be proud your nation is celebrating forty-one years of independent rule. For the Washington D.C. posse, yesterday was about displaying your colours on de road for the D.C. Caribbean Carnival.
If you made it to BLACKOUT last night, you MUST be proud you got to see KMC and RED, WHITE and BLACK in their first Toronto performance this year.
And if you were planning to take part in an annual summer tradition called Unite De Nations, you ought to be proud of ME for letting YOU know …it’s moving FROM Markham Fairgrounds TO Wild Water Kingdom. Trust me on dat!
Whatever circumstances you face in life, you have to big up your chest and luv yuhself. A couple a tick tings in Barbados are doing just that - as they fight for the rights of full bodied women who want to play mas. I’m sure you’ve noticed how skimpy carnival costumes have become over the years. Well imagine this. A popular Kadooment band called Baje international is under attack for only providing FIVE costumes for plus sized revellers in each of its eight sections. That’s only 40 costumes out of six-teen-hundred. Which ain’t right AT TALL (unless somebody tink I dotish enough to believe that only two point five percent of west Indian women have a lil extra something to shake.)
So de big girls and dem wont be jumping with Baje, but when they DO hit the road on Kadooment day, there’s no doubt they go take a jump to de sweet sounds of Jabae. This CropOver de Chandler brothers are coming strong as they prepare to release their first album - “Circle Evolution”. It’s a 14-track disc featuring reigning party monarch Barry Chandler and his Brother Bruce…now going by Bruce Wayne. Trinidad’s Mista Vybe is also lending his vocal stylings to de mix with a single called BLAZE IT UP, just released today.
Hundreds of youth in the Eastern Caribbean are vying for a chance to release their own albums as auditions for the third annual Digicel Rising Star competition are underway. Last week was St. Lucia. This week Barbados. And so it begins..the search that brought us Kimberly Inniss and Kyron Baptiste. Once again this winner will take home ten thousand dollars U.S. in cash, a recording contract and lots of fabulous prizes. The organizers say that next year they hope to open the competition to all Caribbean states where their services are offered….crowning a true Caribbean STAR…now that’s something we can ALL take pride in.
I’m nurse Karen and those were Doctor Jay’s rounds. Text me your comments @ 9-3-5-9-3-5. Now back to de docta!


Sparking up de flames!!

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The Rounds - June 17, 2007

June 17, 2007

Good Evening Soca Lovers, I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds for Father’s Day 2007.
It’s another hot weekend in the city. And when it’s hot, you have to find creative ways to keep that temperature in check. For some, that meant strolling down to Barbados on the water to see Rupee. While others preferred to chill out in they short pants on the Palazzo Patio for another soapy foam fete. No matter how allyuh stay cool…is good once you doing it with soca.
The coolest thing out of St. LUCIA right now is the Lehgo Me Riddim. This infectious production is the work of a guy named ACE who managed to get Bunji, Faye Ann, Qpid, Skinny Fabulous and Zoelah each to give it their own special touch. My personal favourite is a track called “Presha Boom” by St. Lucia’s own Ricky T. And is not just me who feel de chune wikkked, yah kna. EVEN though Lucian carnival is just barely underway, VP records is already in talks with Ace and Ricky T about putting that bad boy on the next soca gold compilation. If it dey dey…guess who go be first in line to buy it?
In case you ARE looking for new music to buy, you might want to consider the new Scrappy Album. In 2005/2006 Scrappy earned himself the Montserrat Soca Monarch Crown, but I’m sure some of my Montserratian crew would remember him as a two-time JUNIOR CALYPSO monarch. Well he’s all grown up now, and he’s celebrating his 25th birthday with the release of his third album “Soca Is Life”, out on Faluma Digital in Europe…and through iTunes everywhere else.
Speaking of Europe…Trinidadian Fireman Bunji Garlin is packing his bags for a seven city European tour alongside Germany’s biggest soca sound system…The Soca Twins. From June 28th -- July 10th Bunji will be racking up the air miles from Germany to France, Sweden to Italy. And iWayne ( you know - the reggae artist who said soca is devil music)…he go be home ..wid he Mummah.
On a more serious note, a budding soca artist died tragically on Thursday night in Trinidad. Eric Cyril Stephenson otherwise known as Sphinx was gunned down at home in Petit Bourg. You may remember Sphinx from songs like “Wine on You” from 2004 and his 2005 duet with Kes called “Doh Buss No Gun”. The talk is…that Sphinx was known to local police for drug trafficking, and witnesses of the shooting death say that he seemed to know his killer.
On thing I know – dat kinda schupitness has got to stop! Just turn up de sweet soca music and stay cool. Don’t let a little sunshine give you a hot head!
I’m nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Text me your comments at 9-3-5-9-3-5, now back to de Docta!

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