Are soca musicians underpaid? An insider said to The Sunday Punch that the drummers, bass players and other musicians only receive 10% of what the vocalists getting paid for a show.
Archive for January, 2006
Sheila Rampersad remembers Andre Tanker.
The semi-finalists for the International Soca Monarch held this sunday at Soca Broadway are:
[1] Rita Jones 441
[2] Explainer 427
[3] Mr. Vybe 416
[4] Nadia Batson 413
[5] Ms Aisha 406
[6] Iwer George 400
[7] Fay Ann Lyons 388
[8] Patrice Roberts 387
[9] Shurwayne Winchester 386
[10] Calypso Rose 384
[11] Sheldon Douglas [Grenada] 370
[12] De Fosto 368
[13] Sanell Dempster 374
[14] Terry Seales 366
[15] Derrick Seales 365
[16] Blackie 360
[17] Keisha Stewart 359
[18] Boogie B [Grenada] 359
[19] Singing Sonia 356
[20] Tallpree [G'da] 352
[21] Nnika [G'da] 347
[22] Baby Killa [G'da] 345
[23] Chris Garcia 338
[24] Gail Ann 335
[25] Patch 330
[26] Slimmy 327
The football team of Trinidad & Tobago, the Soca Warriors, have a new website: http://www.socawarriorstt.com. Besides information and news about the team, there’s also many other stuff: soca videos, flash games, computer wallpapers and tourist infos about Trinidad & Tobago.
Good news for all, who can’t go to Trinidad for Carnival this year: Many important events like the International Soca Monarch, Carnival On D’Promenade or the Chutney Monarch will be videostreamed live by TV6. The monthly subscription fee is $US 9.99.
[Overview on Trinidad Express | MediaZone subcription page]
Read an article by Terry Joseph (Trinidad Express) about Calypso on Dimanche Gras – the only event during carnival where you can see people sleeping in every row.
If calypso wishes to foist 24 songs upon the public, do it long before Carnival Sunday night and allow Dimanche Gras to return to a compact presentation that triggers rather than torpedoes the Carnival climax.
Hysyanz from St. Vincent has a new riddim out.The King Kong Riddim is produced by the Great Zee. Already blazing up the local radio stations, the King Kong Riddim features Problem ChilD, Skinny Fabulous, Lanlord, Justice, Icon, Skarpyon and a slew of other acts.
Dominica has released their carnival schedule for 2006.
As mentioned earlier, the band Nu Vybes won another roadmarch title this year in St. Kitts and Nevis. “Ting Lang” was sung by vocalist and bandleader Gregory “Mr. Mention” Hobson. This was Nu-Vybes’ 5th roadmarch title, with “Hand Signal” in 1997, “Street Style” in 1998, “Sugar” in 2001, “Step Up” in 2002 and now “Ting Lang” in 2005 (for a full roadmarch listing check the dhm wiki).
The band celebrations at home will have to be cut short as they are scheduled to perform during the carnival celebrations in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) where they are expected to play for the islands carnival day parades.
The Nu Vybes Band has many plans for this year and will be very busy to expand the bands popularity more extensively in the so called Big island markets of Trinidad and Barbados as well as the Windwards particularly Dominica and St. Vincent. The band has also indicated plans for a music video in light of the recent launch of MTV Tempo.
Liked the new single “Mal de Sambito” by the band The Same People (read our old article)? Now the full album is available online for download – and it’s free. Big album with many hot tracks from Venezuela’s finest calipso/soca band.
Reigning Calypso Monarch Hollis Liverpool aka Chalkdust’s “Ah In Town Too Long” is the National Action Cultural Committee (NACC) Calypso of the Year 2005.
[Trinidad Express | Photogalleries 1 2]
One of Antigua’s finest soca bands Da Bhann has renamed to Da G Bhann. With Samantha a new female vocalist has joined the band. A year ago Da Bhanns singers Sleepy and Claudette CP Peters left the band and formed Taxik.
[Antigua Sun]
Roadmarch for St. Kitts Carnival is Ting Lang by The Nu Vybes Band International.
Moreresults and a photo gallery.
TTGapers and IslandEvents report about rumours, that Elephant Man and Beenie Man will perform as guest artists at the Soca Monarch 2006 competition, held on February 24th in Port-of-Spain. Are Trinidadian artists not good enough anymore?
The new St. Kitts party monarch champion is Konris Maynard, who dethroned last year’s champion Smiley.
1. Konris Maynard – Sunday J’ouvert
2. Smiley – Big Friend
3. King Siah – Obeah Man
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