National Panorama Semi Finals Results for 2K10

National Panorama 2010 Semi-Final Results

Once again the Savannah was on fire with Pan in Yuh Pwefen! Sweet pan as Trinidadians like to say and it was one that was full of the usual 'ole talk and bacchanalia' that is the norm for barrel lovers. The judges never know what they are doing but are always right when "my band" makes it to the big stage. This will never change. However, most people don't realize or simply don't want to accept the fact that the people judging the steel band music have always been right with the final results. Simply because we "find that the music sounded sweet" does not mean that the band scored well in the judging categories that the judges are marking on the score sheets. Indeed, the judges decisions are final (so be it) but the fact remains that  every Trinidadian feels that he/she knows better resulting in a barrage of reasons to scratch our heads. We need to understand that the judges really respect the art form and will always do their best to give a fair assessment of the performance. Indeed we all have our biases but I believe that the professionalism of these people supersedes their prejudices ensuring just results.

Here are the results of the semi finals that took place on Sunday.
Ten (10) steel orchestras in each category will move to the next round in two separate Finals (bands in blue move on to the finals)

Large Bands:

1 Petrotrin Phase 11 Pan Groove Pan Army 277

2 PCS Silver Stars Battle Zone 273

3 TCL Group Skiffle Bunch Pan On Fire 272

4 Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Large Is Large 266

5 Solo Harmonites Smooth Sailing 260

5 WITCO Desperadoes Musical Magnum 260

5 Caribbean Airlines Invaders Tell Dem 260

8 NLCB Fonclair Rewind 259 9 rbtt Redemption Sound Setters Pan On Fire 258

10 bp Renegades Battle Zone 257

11 T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Battle Zone 256

12 Sagicor Exodus Pan in the Mas 255

13 Starlift Pandemic 254

14 Pamberi Sweetness 242

14 Our Boys Something Special 242

16 Petrotrin Siparia Deltones Pavement 238

17 Birdsong Vibes of a Mad Man 235

Medium Bands:

1 Steel Xplosion Radica 270

2 Valley Harps Battle Zone 269.5

3 NLCB Buccooneers Surrender 267

4 Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille Surrender 266

5 Katzenjammers Lightning Strikes Twice 263

5 Curepe Scherzando Battle Zone 263

7 Carib Dixieland Somewhere In Tobago 260

8 Couva Joylanders Smooth Sailing 257

9 CLICO Sforzata Wild & Free 254

9 West Side Symphony Somewhere In Tobago 254

11 Alutrint La Brea Nightingales Surrender 250.5

12 Tokyo Vibes of a Mad Man 249

13 Pan Elders I Come Out To Play 248

14 Arima Angel Harps Smooth Sailing 247.5

Small Bands:

1 Laventille Serenaders This Melody Sweet 267

2 Merrytones Pan War 260

3 Crescendoes Musicale Pan War 255

4 Golden Hands Dingolay 253

4 Arima Golden Symphony Smooth Sailing 253

6 Tamana Pioneers Pan On Fire 250

7 Tornadoes Battle Zone 248

8 Panosonic Connection Pan On Fire 241

9 Fascinators Pan Symphony I Music 239

9 Codrington Pan Family Pandemic 239

11 Flamingoes Battle Zone 232

12 Antillean All Stars Musical Fire 229

13 Longdenville Claytones Battle Zone 226

14 TIPICA Spreading Hands 225

Chutney Monarch Finals

The wild card in the decision making process for the Chutney Monarch finals was the text voting that was allowed from where ever a phone call could be made. Indeed the music has evolved with elements of Soca and Chutney and Hindi blending to create a music that is unique to Trinidad inside out - "We Ting!"

T&TEC Gayatones provided the music and it was very good indeed.  The entire show was well staged and could rival the International Soca Monarch in a few years.  Talk about progress and growth... the rest of the music community should take note because the people really came out and supported this show. 

Here is the order the artistes that made the finals performed:

  1 - Kenneth Salick - KES 

  2 - Ravi Bissambhar - RAV 

  3 - Omadath Maraj - OMM

  4 - Derrick Seales - DES 

  5 - Soca Elvis - ELV

  6 - Lalchan Babwah (Hunter) - HTR

  7 - Andy Singh - ANS

  8 - Neesahn Prabhoo (Hitman) - NEP

  9 - Kris Persad (KI) - KIP

10 - Heeralal Rampartap - HER

11 - Rikki Jai - RIJ

12 - Moses Charles - MOC 

The results are as follows:

   First Place - Ravi Bissambhar 9,527 votes

   First Runner Up - Rikki Jai 4,872 votes

  Second Runner Up- Moses Charles

  4. Kris Persad (KI)

  5. Omadath Maraj

  6. Lalchan Babwah (Hunter)

I must tell you that the winner was unexpected at such a large margin. I personally believe that most people believed that Rikki Jai won the competition tonight.  However, the performance of the younger Ravi B and the popularity of the band Karma (that he performs with) may have been the engine that drove home the votes for the eventual winner.Congratulations to the producers of the show, it was fantastic!

Rikki Jai - "Bar Man"

New Machel Montano HD- Not Going Home (2010 Trinidad Carnival)

Not Going Home - Machel Montano HD

Produced By Keron "Sheriff" Thomson, Of Machel's New Album "Album 34"

Trinidad and Tobago's Groovy/Power Soca Monarch Finalists

The Caribbean flavor has expanded and by extension the International standard has been set this year and as a result we could very well see a winner coming from one of the islands of the Caribbean other than Trinidad and Tobago  this year, 2K10. Who is your favorite artiste and what is your opinion about Fay Ann's chances of repeating as champion again?

International Groovy Soca Monarch Finalists 

Defending Champion is Fay Ann Lyons Alvarez (Trinidad and Tobago)

Kerwin Dubois (Trinidad and Tobago)

Shurwayne Winchester (Trinidad and Tobago)

Patrice Roberts (Trinidad and Tobago)

Chucky (Trinidad and Tobago)

Rikki Jai (Trinidad and Tobago)

Zoelah (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)

KMC (Trinidad and Tobago)

Lil Bitts (Trinidad and Tobago)

TC (Barbados)

Nnika Francis (Grenada)

Ainsley King (Trinidad and Tobago)

International Power Soca Monarch Finalists

Defending Champion is Fay Ann Lyons Alvarez (Trinidad and Tobago)

Blaze and JW (Trinidad and Tobago)

Farmer Nappy (Trinidad and Tobago)

Blaxx (Trinidad and Tobago)

Tallpree (Trinidad and Tobago)

Shal and Screwz (Trinidad and Tobago)

Super Jigga TC (Trinidad and Tobago)

KMC and Ronnie McIntosh (Trinidad and Tobago)

Iwer George (Trinidad and Tobago)

Daddy Chest (Dominica)

Tian Winters (Antigua)

Skinny Fabulous (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)

Mr Killah (Grenada)

Superblue "1994 Flag Party"

They don't do it like this anymore! Enjoy Superblue captivating the crowd with his very unique style!

2-11-94 - NATIONAL SOCA MONARCH COMPETITION @ THE SPECTRUM, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO..
Production by TTT...Courtesy of CARIBBEAN PRESTIGE PROMOTIONS
JOIN THE CultureShare SOCIAL NETWORK MOVEMENT @ http://cultureShare.ning.com

Dream Team models heat up the stage for their Band Launch of Gems of the World for Trinidad Carnival 2010.

No Radio Airplay for some Soca Songs

There are a myriad of issues that could lead to a station not playing an artiste's song. However, the first issue that needs to be addressed (in the case of Trinidad) is the amount of local music that is played on the stations. Most of the stations in the country cater to an American flavor and only during the carnival season do they play any local music (calypso, Soca and chutney flavors).
OK, in Trinidad there is one consistent "total local radio station" and that is WACK Radio 901 Fm (http://www.wackradio901fm.com) and they too have issues with certain artists and songs not being played.
They really try to play as much of the new music but many songs fall through the crack. Here are some things to consider:

1. Payola is an issue with some stations. I am saying this not because I know for sure but it is a fact of life in the music industry and I don't this it is any different in Trinidad or the rest of the West Indies. Pay for pay is a reality!

2. Some stations don't have a list of songs on rotation and leave it to the on air personality to play the music. Some of these DJ's are limited with funding and their personal tastes will dictate whom they play.

3. The stations should have a music pool from which the DJ's can get the music to play

4. The artistes too need to go themselves or send someone to "drop off" their music (hey these are the islands of the Caribbean Ok). Just go to the station and present your music in person; sometimes you may find yourself on air introducing your music with the DJ.

5. Some stations play mostly Soca with limited Calypso; some are chutney based with limited Soca and minimal Calypso. Know the stations and what they push before laying blame at any station footsteps.

6. Internet radio is big... send your music to these people... most of the time they will play your music

7. Get your fans to call the station to ask for your music ... fans listening to the station is the lifeblood for advertising dollars earned by these entities. That goes for the internet stations too (more important for the more established ones).

8. Think outside of the box don't lay blame on anyone - go out there and get your music heard.

9. Soca Mafia? Maybe... but that means that people are paying for this to happen! It also means that it is the artists destroying each other (those who have the income to do it)

10. People are already tired of poor lyrics and repetitive rhythms. The new music is too robotic. They need to get back to musicians in the studio to present a better sound. Whether or not you agree the quality of the music (lyrics and music) has deteriorated!

11. Hey people want to hear Soca and much of the music being presented is not really Soca but masquerading under the banner of Soca!

12. Too much inter island pettiness (I noticed this on Islandmix.com where there is a hatred for Trinidad/Trinidadian culture).

Machel and the HD Crew 2K10

Artist: Machel Montano
Title: Thiefin/Bumper to Fender
Album: Album 34
Year: 2010
Genre: Soca
Origin: Trinidad and Tobago

The Magic and Creativity of Peter Minshall

Peter Minshall's Tan Tan and Saga Boy

Sugar Bum Bum - Lord Kitchener

Calypso/Soca classic by the Grandmaster, the legend, the greatest ever, Lord Kitchener!

Kes The Band - "Stalker"

Mr. Walker - Lord Brynner

PLACE OF BIRTH: Erin, Trinidad

Lord Brynner - Big Big Bamboo Calypso

Label:

Erin Records

Catalog#:

Lp. 1941

Format:

Vinyl, LP

Country:

Jamaica

Released:

1968

Genre:

Reggae

Style:

Calypso

Tracklist

A1		The Queen Sings Calypso	3:05
A2		Mr. Walker	4:04
A3		Soul In She Soul	3:25
A4		The Viking	3:33
A5		Big, Big, Bamboo, Bamboo	2:55
B1		Misery Woman	3:42
B2		Miss Tourist	3:58
B3		Rich Man, Poor Man	3:46
B4		Who Put Pepper In The Vaseline	2:34
B5		Fire In Yu Wire	2:54

Calypso: Wilmoth Houdini

Often called the “Calypso King of New York,” Houdini (1895-1973) was the first calypsonian to have a successful career in the United States. As a young man in Trinidad, he sang in calypso tents and served as a “chantwell” (lead singer) for a Carnival masquerade band called the “African Millionaires.” During this period, he worked as a seaman and in 1928 settled in New York. There he began an extensive recording career that would continue through the 1940s. Among his many calypsos were songs that proclaimed his artistic rivalry with calypsonians back in Trinidad, such as Lord Executor and the Roaring Lion.

Houdini performed in a variety of venues in New York. He sang at the 1939 World’s Fair, frequently appeared in nightclubs and often organized Caribbean parties in Harlem. He composed calypsos on a wide range of topics. Some of his observations on life in New York were included in an album set titled Harlem Seen Through Calypso Eyes (Decca, c. 1940). In 1939 Houdini recorded a song called “He Had It Coming.” In 1946 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan released a duet version of the song, under the title of “Stone Cold Dead in the Market,” which became and R&B hit. The song brought Houdini new-found fame, and he organized his own calypso festival in New York in 1947.  http://www.last.fm/music/

David Rudder, "Pan in De Mas"

Song for Panorama/Carnival 2010 release, music composed by Pelham Goddard lyrics by David Rudder.

Roaring Lion - Classic Stuff!

At the 1994 Caribbean Music Awards in New York, Eddie Grant presented a lifetime achievement award to The Roaring Lion for his accomplishments as the Dean of Calypso. The Lion bemoaned the fact that he received recognition and appreciation for his achievements abroad instead of his homeland.  We have heard similar statements made in many different ways by so many sons and daughters of the homeland. It is about time that we, as a nation do better in this regard. "Yes We Can!"

"One of the major figures of early calypso music, Roaring Lion recorded copiously between the 1930s and '50s, and was instrumental in spreading the international popularity of calypso. His vintage sides are what many listeners think of as calypso at its best -- infectious rumba rhythms, lighthearted (sometimes nonsensical) lyrics, and a combination of Trinidadian musical elements with Anglo pop sensibilities.

Roaring Lion was born as Hubert Raphael Charles around 1910, although he later changed his name to Raphael de Leon. Already a writer of poetry as a boy, he launched his career as a singer in 1927, when -- much to his surprise -- he won a calypso competition. The event also occasioned his nickname of Roaring Lion, inspired by his style of vocal delivery (although if he was indeed a roaring lion, he was a pretty gentle and charming one).

In the '30s, Roaring Lion (with help from partner Attila the Hun) was crucial to the development of calypso, devising the calypso duet and calypso drama, and introducing new melodies to a style that originally had very few. Between 1934 and 1941, he was the most prolific calypso recording artist, cutting nearly 100 singles, including some of the music's most popular standards, such as "Mary Ann," "Netty Netty," and "Six Feet High." One of his most famous compositions, "Ugly Woman" (originally recorded in 1933), formed much of the basis for Jimmy Soul's 1963 number one hit "If You Wanna Be Happy."

Roaring Lion performed and recorded in the United States occasionally during the '30s and '40s. In fact, he spent much of 1945 singing in New York clubs, including the Village Vanguard, where he was replaced by a young Harry Belafonte. Roaring Lion has claimed that Belafonte subsequently performed and recorded some of Lion's songs without crediting or compensating the originator.

In 1951, Roaring Lion relocated to Great Britain for 15 years, performing, recording, and running both a cosmetics company and a bureau that helped immigrants find jobs and places to live. After his British jaunt he returned to Trinidad to assume his position as an elder statesman. He is also the author of a treatise devoted to his theory that calypso's roots can be traced back to 13th century France, Calypso from France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History. In 1993, he issued an album of re-recordings of a dozen of his hits, with Eddy Grant producing, and guest appearances by Grant and David Rudder. Ice also issued many of his classic originals on CD with Sacred 78's. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide."

Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/roaring-lion

3 Canal Rapso Music at its very best!

3canal are recording artists from Trinidad & Tobago. Their style of music is called Rapso.

Rapso is conscious music and is more of a philosophy and stance than an identifiable musical signature. It has been termed “The Power of the Word in the Rhythm of the Word”, “The Poetry of Calypso” and “The Consciousness of Soca”.

They began their musical journey in 1997, with the song “Blue”, a song which marked a turning point for the music industry of TnT. It became a benchmark for the new Sound of the music of Trinidad’s Carnival. Two years later they recorded “Talk yuh Talk” [1999] a hard hitting response to all “mocking pretenders of society”. This went on to become an anthem for the dispossessed and voiceless.

3canal’s work as artists goes beyond its musical base, into Design & Consultancy, Performance Workshops, Event Production & Management, through their production company cut + clear productions.

In 2004 they created “The 3canal Show” a multi-media performance event, which has since become an annual event in Trinidad’s carnival calendar.

For the Trinidad Carnival they also create a Jouvay Band. Jouvay is a street "parade" where revellers take to the streets from 4am to sunrise, masquerading in various guises, mud, oil. pigments.

A significant part of their work involves working with young people in workshop labs using the carnival arts as a means of expression and empowerment.

Information Sourced from: http://www.3canal.com/