29th Biennial Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival

The finals of the 29th Biennial Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival will be officially launched with a gala celebration at Queen’s Hall from 7.00 pm this Sunday. The show is being hosted under the Patronage of President George Maxwell Richards.

The finals will begin on Monday March 1, 2010 at Queen’s Hall from 9.00 am, with the festival to officially close on March 19, 2010. The musical accompanists for the festival are: Lindy Ann Bodden Ritch, Jerome Din Chong, Kenneth Listhrop, Sheldon Morales, Haywood Michens, Candace Moore and Natasha Sealy Worrell. The three adjudicators from the United States are: Dr. John Paul Johnson, School of Music, Wichita State University, Dr. Jan Harrington and Dr. Carmen Helena Tellez of the School of Music, Indiana University.

http://news.bn.gs/

WACK & Gayelle say 'We Not Taking Dat!'

Victorious duo JW & Blaze "Palancing" their way to victory!

Dynamic radio personalities Jason ’JW’ Williams and Ancil ’Blaze’ Isaac have created double history by being the first disc jockeys to win both the International Soca Monarch and Road March titles.

JW and Blaze’s 2010 hit ’Palance’ was played a total of 417 times on Carnival Monday and Tuesday at the Queen’s Park Savannah’s main judging point, according to a tally conducted by the National Carnival Commission yesterday.

Now that the Palance DJ's have taken care of the Trinidad scene do you think that their palancing would have an impact on Vinci-Mass? 

If you don't know it Carnival in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is celebrated from June 27 to July 7 and is popularly known as Vinci-Mas. Let's see if the dynamic duo will have the same impact in St. Vincent like they did in Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival 2K10. 

"C" TV on the loose threatens Gayelle and WACK

This is a precedent that we cannot allow to be set. No body, no organization, can buy the entire Carnival. A judging point or judging points maybe, but the whole ah town? This is not over. It has only just begun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoKzWyKBdt4&feature=player_embedded

Here is the thing CTNT has failed miserably with this product that they attempted to profit from. We need to know if "C" really paid for this license or was it granted to them by the government because it is a government owned entity. No one knows if the entire process went to tender before one credible entity was awarded this special license over the Carnival celebrations. 

Wack and Gayelle are unaware of any tendering process and we now have to conclude that this was a "gift"granted by the NCC (with Government's permission).  The other very sad thing here is that now we realize that Pan Trinbago, TUCO and the NCBA don't own the rights for their respective bodies. This apparently belongs to the NCC to do what they believe is best.  

Now let's say that "C" Television did in fact pay for the exclusive rights to these shows the logical question would be "how much money did the respective bodies get for the granting of those rights?" 

The only people whom are speaking are the people hurt by the actions of the NCC and "C" TV.  Sprangalang was livid on WACK today and Errol Fabien is really hurt (video above from YouTube). 

"C" does nothing for our culture by promoting only foreign products (shows) and for two days in the year plus a few other shows they want (and were given) exclusive rights to transmit? Indeed we have put the cart in front of the horse. The Culture people were slapped about the place and now to add insult to injury no one from the government is commenting regarding this travesty. 

Supporting "C" television is a vote for foreign dominance and the death of our culture. Now because of those exclusive rights granted to "C" we cannot hear or see those recorded performances. It is bad enough that people paid to see and could not but now we have lost the right to see the recorded product... What a disgrace; it is indeed a crying shame!

2010 Soca Monarch Results

Here are the results for the Soca Monarch shows hosted at the Queen Park Oval last night. Last year's champion Fayanne Lyons-Alvarez placed second in both categories.  That means we have new champions. Congratulations to Shurwayne Winchester for winning the Groovy Soca Monarch crown - the King has taken back his crown! JW & Blaze palanced their way to the Power Soca Monarch crown - congratulations are in order and next up may very well be the Road March title - the song is so popular!

Groovy Monarch
1. Shurwayne Winchester (Winner)
2. Faye Ann Lyons-Alvarez
3. Rikki Jai
4. Patrice Roberts

Soca Power Monarch
1.  JW & Blaze (Winner)
2. Faye Ann Lyons-Alvarez
3. Shal Marshall & Screws
4. Tallpree

Calypso Monarch Finalists 2K10

What yuh say? No! Aloes does cure belly pain and make 'tings right' but too much sugar spoil the ting eh! Many are lamenting the fact that Sugar Aloes did not qualify for the finals with an original composition but Protector with a sampling from Jimmy Cliff made it to the finals. Yuh see, nevah ah dull moment with Trini competitions eh boi...

However one may feel there will always be a problem with the decision of the judges. I am still wondering how some of the 35 semi finalists got in ahead of last year's second place finalist Joanne "Tigress" Rowley. But no one made a fuss about it so whatever happens next will not surprise me.  The decision of the judges is always the final statement.  Maybe it is time that the formula for selecting the people who judge these competitions to be revised. Maybe we need to come up with a new formula to train then select a pool of judges for these competitions. What is your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Here are the Finalists of Calypso Monarch 2010 competition:

Twiggy

All Rounder

Brian London

Skatie

Devon Seales

Kizzy Ruiz

Kurt Allen

Protector

Nicole Greaves

Roderick Gordon ’Chucky’

Singing Sandra

Sean Daniel

Mr Shak

De Fosto"

Remy RemBunction ft. The Mighty Sparrow - Ah Diggin Horrors 2010

The 2010 International SOCA Monarch Finalists

Compliments Julian182 from Islandmix
Groovy Finalists:
Fayann Lyons- Start Wining
Lil Bits- Careful
Zoelah- More Water    (St. Vincent)
Nnika Francis- Survivor     (Grenada)
Miss TC- Hot Sun & Riddim    (Barbados)
Farmer Nappy & Kerwin Dubois- Pavment
Shurwayne Whinchester- Murdah
Patrice Roberts- Wuk It
Chucky- Driffin
KMC- Nah Bad-Talk Man
Ainsley King - Bawl Out

Playlist Name: 2010 International Groovy Soca Monarch Finalists

Power Finalists:
Fayann Lyons- True Lies
Blaxx- Hunting
Tallpree- Wicked Jab    (Grenada)
Farmer Nappy- I Pay For This
JW & Blaze- Palance
Shall Marshall & Screws- Police
Tian Winter- Soca Rebals  (Antigua)
Iwer George- Party Hard
Super Jigga TC -Template
Skinny Fabolous- Beast Leggo    (St. Vincent)
Mr. Killa- Swing It Way     (Grenada)
Daddy Chess -Ready Or Not     (Dominica)
KMC F.Ronnie McIntosh-While You Can

Playlist Name: 2010 International Power Soca Monarch Finalists

35 make it to the Calypso Fiesta Semi Finals at Skinner Park

The next post has the play list for the songs making the finals. Here is the link if you came directly to this post from another site.
Breaking News - Trinidad News and Tobago News

A total of 35 calypsonians have advanced to this Saturday’s Calypso Fiesta at Skinner Park in San Fernando, following preliminary judging at various tents across the country.

The lineup contains a mixture of young calypsonians along with seasoned veterans, who will compete for a place in the Big Yard on Dimanche Gras night, February 14, 2010. The finalists will challenge reigning Calypso Monarch, Chalkdust. Saturday’s show gets underway from 12 noon.

The full list of semifinalists is as follows:

Tobago Chalkie, Alicia Richards, Twiggy, Brother Valentino, All Rounder, Anthony Johnson, Brian London, Skatie, Dee Diamond, Devon Seales, The Stinger, Duane O’Connor, Eric James, Heather Mc Intosh, Joel Parsons, Karen Eccles, Karene Asche, Ninja, Kizzie Ruiz, Kurt Allen, Lesley Ann Ellis, Short Pants, Protector, Sugar Aloes, Michelle Henry, Nicole Greaves, O.C., Count Robin, Mr. Chucky, Singing Sandra, Sean Daniel, Mistah Shak, Spicey, Gypsy and the Original De Fosto Himself.

Meantime, the preliminary round of the Extempo competition was held at the Strand Entertainment Centre on Monday night and the results are expected to be announced later this week.

http://news.bn.gs/

SW Storm ft Ravi B - De Hammer (Pong Pong) 2010

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