Weblog for Caribbean music – Soca, Calypso, Pan and Carnival Culture – Est. 2003
Kurt Allen dethroned defending monarch Chalkdust on Dimanche Gras and became Trinidad & Tobago’s 2010 National Calypso Monarch. With his sharp-tongued political commentary “Dey too bright” he convinced the audience as well as the jury.
Kurt Allen’s winning Calypso Monarch performance on sunday night:
Sources: Trinidad Express, Bandwagonist
Yesterday it was already ten years since the one and only, the Calypso genius, The Grandmaster, Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener left this world.
At least his music stays with us forever and isn’t Carnival just the right time to commemorate this great man…
Congratulations to Ravi B who is the official Chutney Monarch 2010 with his tune “Ah Drinka”!
Second is Rikki Jay with his song “Barman”
Great songs, but isn’t it remarkable that Chutney seems to be firmly in the hands of male rum-lovers…
here are female reply tunes 
Carnival is coming closer and closer and today are the semi finals for the greatest annual steelpan event, the National Panorama competition in Trinidad & Tobago. 45 conventional bands (small, medium and large) are performing at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.
Even if you are not in Trinidad you have the chance to listen to the event live on panonthenet.com.
Below are the names of the steel bands and their tunes in order of appearance.
SMALL CONVENTIONAL BANDS
Steel Orchestras – Tune – Composer
1 Flamingoes – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
2 Tamana Pioneers – Pan on Fire – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
3 Antillean All Stars – Musical Fire – Atiba Sherwood
4 Arima Golden Symphony – Smooth Sailing – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
5 Panasonic Connection – Pan On Fire – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
6 Crescendoes Musicale – Pan War – Curtis Edwards
7 Codrington Pan Family- Pandemic – Cary Codrington
8 Tornadoes – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
9 Longdenville Claytones – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
10 Fascinators Pan Symphony – I Music – Len “Boogsie” Sharpe
11 Merrytones – Pan War - Curtis Edwards
12 Golden Hands – Dingolay – Winston Bailey (Shadow)
13 Tipica – Spreading Hands – Kenrick & Kenneth Headley
14 Laventille Serenaders – This Melody Sweet – Winsford Devine
MEDIUM CONVENTIONAL BANDS
1 Pan Elders – I Come Out To Play – Winston Bailey (Shadow)
2 Couva Joylanders – Smooth Sailing – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
3 Steel Xplosion – Radica – Kenneth Salick
4 Dixieland – Somewhere in Tobago - Amrit Samaroo/ Avis Bruce
5 West Side Symphony – Somewhere in Tobago - Amrit Samaroo/ Avis Bruce
6 Sforzata – Wild and Free – André White/ Kadeem Alleyne
7 Tokyo – Vibes – Jason “Peanut” Isaac
8 Valley Harps – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
9 La Brea Nightingales – Surrender – Mark Loquan/ Destra Garcia/ Ken Philmore
10 Sound Specialists of Laventille – Surrender – Mark Loquan/ Destra Garcia/ Ken Philmore
11 Katzenjammers - Lightning Strikes Twice – Alvin Daniell
12 Curepe Scherzando – Battle Zone - Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
13 Arima Angel Harps – Battle Zone - Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
14 Buccooneers – Surrender – Mark Loquan/ Destra Garcia/ Ken Philmore
LARGE CONVENTIONAL BANDS
1 Siparia Deltones – Pavement - Darryl Henry/ Kerwin Du Bois
2 Exodus – Pan In De Mas – Pelham Goddard
3 Renegades – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
4 Trinidad All Stars – Large Is Large - Leon “Smooth” Edwards
5 Our Boys - Something Special – Brian “Bean” Griffith/ Alvin Daniell
6 Fonclaire - Rewind – Mark Loquan/ Destra Garcia/ Ken Philmore
7 Invaders - Tell Dem - Arddin Herbert/ Ricardo Jones
8 Harmonites – Smooth Sailing – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
9 birdsong - Vibes – Jason “Peanut” Isaac
10 Pamberi – Sweetness - Winston Bailey (Shadow)
11 Desperadoes – Musical Magnum – Robert Greenidge
12 Redemption Sound Setters – Pan On Fire – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
13 Silver Stars – Battle Zone – Edwin Pouchet/ Alvin Daniell
14 Starlift – Pandemic – Cary Codrington
15 Skiffle Bunch – Pan On Fire – Winston Scarborough (DeFosto)
16 Phase II Pan Groove - Pan Army – Len Sharpe/Kernel Roberts
17 Tropical Angel Harps – Battle Zone -Edwin Pouchet/Alvin Daniell
A great many of the tunes played today are to be found on the 2010 Calypso Compilation – Something Special that is already available in all major download stores.
Source www.news.co.tt , www.panonthenet.com and www.pantrinbago.co.tt
The first release out of the Catalyst Music Camp for 2010:
“SPIRIT OF CARNIVAL” by MR. Slaughter
Produced by Tony Brown for Mad Architect Music and Michelle “Miche” Williams for Catalyst Music.
Press text by Mad Architect:
Mr. Slaughter has been captivating audiences since the early days of Xcaliber Sounds. Known as a man of multiple talents, he is one of the few disc jockeys to cross over into the performing artist arena. With hits such as Pokey, Carnival I Love You & Tic Toc, he has been an act capable of bringing unique and mesmerizing ideas to the soca market.
This year is no exception. His latest release, Spirit of Carnival, is a 2010 offering that fully engulfs the emotions, energy and flavour of carnival season. It has elements of Jouvert, groovy and ragga soca all in one cohesive presentation. Visualizing this song on the road Carnival Tuesday, one can imagine the Spirit of Carnival taking full possession and causing carnival bliss.
Spirit of Carnival was co-produced by Michelle Miche Williams for Catalyst Music and Tony The Mad Architect Brown for Mad Architect Music. This song is one of the first tracks from their new campaign entitled The Unity Sessions. The Unity Sessions is a project created by the two production camps in an effort to spread more unity amongst the soca genre. They hope that by showing that producers and artists can work together as a team, it would be the early model that would facilitate soca into a more world recognized and profitable genre of music.
Cooperation is the key for overall success says The Mad Architect. I was happy to work on this project. There was a lot of talent involved between all the parties involved. The creative energy was so high at points that it was hard to sleep while working on this. But we pulled through and I hope it shows what the power of working as a team can do. And this is only the first project. I am excited to see what the future holds for future Unity Sessions. This is truly what the Spirit of Carnival is all about. Coming together as one and celebrating life. I think in these days of economical and social turmoil, we forget what Carnival is really all about.
Mr Killa ruled the Spice Mas this year and won not only the Grenada Soca Monarch 2009 title, but also the Road March with his tune “Swing it away”. Congratulations!
And here you can see what you missed on Jouvert morning:
Video from http://www.brainstormgrenada.com
This year’s St Vincent Road March title winner is Problem Child with “Madhouse”. The winning tune was produced by Fryktion.
It is their 2nd Road March title in just three seasons, after winning in 2007 with “Party Animal”.
The video below shows Machel Montano’s tribute to one of the greatest Soca producers, Sheldon “Shel Shok” Benjamin, who finally lost the battle against cancer on Tuesday 9th June 2009.
He produced hits such as “Dance With You”, “In Your Timin Girl”, “Roll it Gyal”, “Madder Than Dat” and riddims like “The Best Riddim”, “Six Speed Riddim”, etc. He is gone, but his music will be around forever.
Recorded at Radio City Music Hall on 13th June 2009.
New video by Trinidad & Tobago’s superstar Shurwayne Winchester of his 2009 carnival hit “You” (Energy). Directed by S* Felix and Lisa Wickham.
One of the longest running awards ceremony in the world that honors reggae and world beat music, the 2009 IRAWMA took place at the state-of-the-art York College Performing Arts Center in Queens, New York on Sunday, May 3, 2009. It was a star-studded affair, emceed by Copeland Forbes and Tony Rebel.
The audience was entertained all night with exciting performances from some of the top names in Caribbean music, including Tarrus Riley, Calypso Rose, Beenie Man, Machel Montano, Alison Hinds,Tony Rebel, D’Angel, Gramps Morgan, Duane Stephenson and Barbee, all backed by the Dean Fraser Band.
The awards presentation saw some funny moments as fans screamed their choices and awardees teased each other.
Machel Montano walked away with two trophies (”Most Outstanding Stage Personality” and together with the HD Band: “Most Outstanding Show Band”), Calypso Rose was awarded “Most Consistent Entertainer” and Alison Hinds scored “Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer”!
Congratulations!
Neither the death of its greatest supporter, nor the financial problems and the official cancelation, nor the highjacking of an airplane at the same weekend were able to stop Jamaicans to celebrate a colourful mas with lots of soca music last weekend. Bacchanal Jamaica took place against great odds – it seems like the spirit of the late founder and supporter of the Jamaican carnival, Byron Lee, lives on and made this possible.
There were performances from the likes of Alison Hinds, Destra Garcia, Imij & Co. and Denise “Saucy Wow” Belfon on the Bacchanal stage.
Some beautiful photos can be found on toronto-lime [click!].
A new documentary film features the legendary singer Calypso Rose. She made musical history by becoming the first female Calypso Monarch and winning the Road March, too, being the first person holding both titles.
The now 69 year old resident of New York was born in Tobago and spends every Carnival season in Trinidad. Not even cancer stopped her from performing regularly and worldwide. She was on stage with stars like Michael Jackson and Harry Belafonte and her song “Fire in Me Wire” became a calypso anthem around the World and was recorded in eight languages.
According to the “Soca News” magazine, the film entitled “Rose, Calypso Diva”, follows Rose through her narrative and her travels, telling the story of her life, its influences and impact. It is scheduled for submission to various film festivals.
The Jamaica Carnival 2009 is the latest victim of the global financial crisis: the cancelation of the event that was about to happen next weekend (April 17-19) is now confirmed!
According to the organisation committee, 80% of Jamaica Carnival events depend heavily on sponsors and financial support. Due to the financial crisis it proofed impossible to raise enough funds for this year’s carnival. Furthermore the Jamaican Carnival has lost its founder and one of its strongest supporters in person of Byron Lee who died recently.
The next Jamaica Carnival is scheduled for 2011.
Sources: BBC, The Lime
Video of one the biggest road tunes of T&T Carnival 2009
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