Soca News Magazine | May 2010

i 101

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ISSN 1464-7087 May 2010

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i n s id e socanews issue 101/may 2010

soca rite back

Regulars 07 News

Send us your thoughts and comments, or anything you would like to get off your chest. There’s a surprise prize for the letter of the month (if we told you what it was it wouldn’t be a surprise).

Email: letters@socanews.com Mail: Soca News PO Box 13032 London, NW1 3WF The small print: letters will be edited for content, and the editor reserves the right to decide whether to publish

The latest news from the UK and the Caribbean.

11

review

Sounds like Tobago.

12 review

NHMBA 7th annual dinner dance

14 Art

Caribbean artists Viv Logan.

music 16 Roots of calypso

Jean & Dinah

events 29 For all the latest soca and

calypso events.

features 18 Saint Lucia

Homecoming

Tout Sent Lisyen Sé Yonn

20

back ii life

UK party people get into the mix.

27

luton celebrates

33 years of carnival and counting.

32

miss tnt uk

A queen is crowned.

35 saint lucia Carnival

Your guide to Saint Lucia’s

2010 Carnival.

The views expressed in Soca News are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. All material contained within this publication is the copyright of Soca News.

No material, written or photographic may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. No liability will be accepted for any errors which may occur within the magazine.

Cover Photo Back II Life Festival Photographer Robby Breadner

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issue 101 / may 2010

editors letter With a new season, and probably a new government on the way, times they are a-changing. But rest assured, by hook or by crook, come what may, for richer or for poorer, the carnival season is upon us, and the festivities - and the bacchanal - will begin.

The 33rd L uton Carnival takes place at the end of this month, on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31st. We suggest attending, as it’s a great pre-cursor to Notting Hill, and will get you in the mood. Ditto for Rotterdam Carnival, though from there it’s a little bit harder to get home once you’ve missed the bus and the streets have stopped singing to the sounds of sweet soca. Luckily, however, there are group trips such as the one run by PoisonUK, who will carry you around the place and have you home for tea. And, if you feel that it’s too early to have graduated to full Carnival phase, you could attend the Guyana Folk Festival in Croydon on May 31st instead.

And in the Caribbean – well, there’s Vincy Mas, Saint Lucia Carnival, about which there’s a great deal within, followed by Barbados’ Cropover, Antigua Carnival and then Grenada’s Spicemas, and that’s not even all. They’re all pretty close together. Our ambition: to make a true carnival run to all of them, just once (yuh might be too broke, and too broken, to make it to another carnival ever again, but the buzz should last to the grave).

We bring you Jazzy B (yes, from Soul II Soul) and his Back II Life Festival, which takes place in Antigua every year – now there’s a way to have your holiday cake, and eat your London clubbing. And in this issue you can also read about a cross-cultural initiatives for schoolchildren in the UK and in Tobago, bringing particularly the culture of the steel pan to England’s shores.

This issue of Soca News was brought to you by Publisher & Editor Joseph Charles Sub-Editor Katie Segal Production Editor Janelle Forrester-Warner Layout & Design: Joseph Charles (Soca News) Contributors Words Katie Segal, Remi Derrick, Janelle Forrester-Warner, David Kalloo, Dunstan Creavalle, Beth Morrow & Eric Doumerc Pictures Peter Hogan, Dunstan Creavalle, Big Truck, Cleon Henry, Robby Breadner & Kevin Joseph advertising sales + 44 (0) 8450 175 076 Published By Joseph Charles, PO Box 13032, London, NW1 3WF. Telephone + 44 (0) 8450 175 076

Happy almost-summer to you all.

E-mail info@socanews.com

Yours in soca The editor

Website www.socanews.com Facebook

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The High Commission for Saint Lucia

in collaboration with the

Koudmen Education Foundation presents

The Derek Walcott Lecture

Derek Walcott - Poet , Playwright and Writer

Lecturer: Dr Morgan Dalphinis

Friday 14 May 2010, 7.00 - 8.30pm City University, Northampton Square, EC1V OHB. (Nearest Tube: Angel Station) This is the second Nobel Laureate Lecture in the United Kingdom to celebrate St Lucia’s Nobel Laureates. The first lecture in 2009 celebrated the achievements of the other Nobel Laureate, the late Sir Arthur Lewis.

Derek Walcott is a distinguished poet, playwright and writer of international repute. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992.

Whilst his work is well known in literary circles internationally, the general public and St Lucians and their descendants in the UK, know very little about his work, achievements and what he is like as a person.

This lecture is the beginning of a journey to discover Derek Walcott, his work, achievements and his place among the literary giants of the world.

It is hoped that the lecture will generate greater interest in literature in general.

For further information please contact the Mission on 020 7370 7123 6|

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news

irawma

barbados changes made to crop over New plans have been unveiled to enhance some of Barbados’ more popular carnival fetes. The carnival season, which this year runs from 3rd July to 2nd August, will see the Pic-O-De-Crop semifinals returning to the National Stadium, which will also host Junior Kadooment and the Junior Monarch competition, which will be merged into one event. The route for the Grand Kadooment parade will be lengthened; it will now start at Warrens and proceed

along Green Hill, eventually joining the traditional route to Spring Garden.

Steve Blackett, Minister of Community Development and Culture, said that he hopes these changes will, “Create a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing patrons to move around more freely while enjoying the performance.”

grenada Spicemas receives government help With Grenada’s carnival fast

approaching, a much needed cash injection should ensure the success of Spicemas 2010.

The Minister of State with responsibility for Culture, Arley Gill, recently announced in the Senate that the government plans a grant of about EC$484,000 (approx. £120,000) that will help to pay off the carnival debts accumulated over the 2008-2009 period. The cash injection will be provided by both private and public sectors.

Arley Gill said, “Central government allocations to Carnival basically have not moved

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continues over

Sunday 2nd May saw the 29th International Reggae and World Music Awards, an event this year dedicated to health awareness and to the people of Haiti, held at the York College Performing Arts Center in Jamaica, New York. Various artists stood out for receiving multiple nominations and/or awards, such as Queen Ifrica, Machel Montano, Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage and Tarrus Riley; all of the above performed during the ceremony, as well as others including Mutabaruka and Macka Diamond.

For us, though, the most notable of all was Alison Hinds. The soca diva was one of the three presenters of the night, graced the audience with a performance and also won the award for Best Female Vocalist. Her reaction: “Thanks to all my fans who make it possible to do what I do; I continue to do this because I love it”.

Machel Montano won Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer and, with his band HD, Most Outstanding Show Band.

Considering that the latter and Alison’s award were general categories, not specific to any genre, they are accolades indeed for the artists in question, and soca music as a whole.

News continued from page 7

in the last 10 to 15 years, and the cost of production of carnival has increased in terms of sound system and in terms of prize monies. Just as how the cost of living goes up, just so the cost of producing carnival goes up. That’s one of the major challenges.’’

“Let it be said that our government sees carnival as an investment, it’s not just putting on a cultural event; it’s an investment really. It’s one of the biggest tourist attractions for a country like Grenada. We know that it impacts the economy positively, and as such we need to make that investment.’’

trinidad roy cape celebrates 50 With such well known soca tracks in their repertoire as Highway to Kaiso, Horn Man, Ready To Go, Tremble It, Ah Horn Is Ah Horn and Dutty, it’s no wonder that the All Stars are celebrating the Golden Anniversary of their band leader, Roy Cape.

Roy ’Papi’ Cape, now 69, first developed his love of music playing the steel pan as a child.

He went on to play the clarinet and the saxophone, finally settling on alto saxophone. In 1977, he formed the Roy Cape All Stars, and a barrage of hits were to follow over the next 30 years.

An event set to celebrate the milestone takes place at the beginning of May, honouring Cape for his contributions to the arts over the last five decades.

Part of the proceeds will be used to establish The Roy Cape Musical Benevolent Fund, designed specifically to assist in the development of young musicians and artists in the local fraternity.

The music for the night will be sung by the All Star frontline of

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Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart, Olatunji Yearwood and Rita Jones, with an enviable line-up of special guests including 2010 Soca Monarch and Road March Kings, Jason ‘JW’ Williams and Ancil ‘Blaze’ Isaac, Destra Garcia, Black Stalin, Neil Iwer George, Benjai, Denise Belfon, Shal Marshall and Oscar B.

uk gayelle comes to the uk Gayelle (pronounced Guy-elle) the Channel, a community-based television station from Trinidad and Tobago, is currently testing broadcast on Sky channel 195.

Gayelle began as a weekly cultural magazine television programme in the early 80s, by production company Banyan. A license to operate a community television channel was granted in the 90s, but the channel did not broadcast until 2004. The channel is currently transmitting in Trinidad and Tobago 24/7, and is also available online by registering with JumpTV.com.

On March 2nd Gayelle struck a contract with OBE TV, an African community TV channel based in Middlesex. Speaking to Soca News, Gayelle’s marketing officer Bowrin said, “Gayelle have not yet set a broadcast date, but the company wants to go on air a soon as possible”.

Gayelle boasts the largest video archives of contemporary Caribbean culture and have produced over 500 television programmes, and have a commitment to sourcing local talent for its productions, from producers to actors and writers.

This should make it an extremely valuable addition to the line-up of channels currently available in the UK.

barbados in your kitchen ASDA is one of the first major UK supermarkets to cater for foodies crying out for traditional sauces, seasonings, jams and jellies from the Caribbean. The surge in interest in Caribbean food has created a new food trend in the UK, according to those at ‘Taste of Barbados’. Popular Bajan food products such as WIBISCO biscuits, Tortuga Rum Cake and Aunt May’s Pepper Jelly are becoming staples within Caribbean kitchens.

“Bajans are passionate about their food, as it is a great way of involving family and community.

Therefore it’s hardly surprising that anyone who has visited Barbados or eaten at a Caribbean restaurant wants to create the same food experience at home. ASDA is just one chain already dedicating shelf space to Caribbean products, and it seems only a matter of time before a wider range of Barbados brands will be appearing on the shelf at other supermarkets,” comments Peter Martin, MD, Taste of Barbados.

advertising To place an advert call

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review

sounds like tobago On March 16th, 18 primary schools from all over the country gathered at Jasmine Studios in London to showcase their fantastic steel pan drawings and eagerly anticipate the result of the Sounds like Tobago competition. Begun in March 2009 and funded by the Tobago government, the education initiative aims to provide UK primary school children with the chance to learn more about the history, music, culture and geography of the Caribbean island through a series of fun and interactive lessons, and to win a trip to Tobago. The eventual winner, travelling all the way from Scotland, was Ciar Pringle from Carolside Primary School.

The competition was launched by Tobago delegates on their tour of the UK in 2009, encouraging classes to design a steel pan. The winners will have the exciting opportunity to travel to the island to see their design actually being made. The steel pan is an important part of Tobago’s heritage, and the competition was designed to bring to life, and encourage understanding of, the island’s music, community, celebrations and diversity.

The initiative was sustained by a series of projects, supported by specially designed packs that included games and puzzles, a poster, badge, sticker, carry case and crayons. The Sounds Like Tobago programme includes a website, www.soundsliketobago.com, which

is being run by children from both countries to further cement community links and exchange programmes between the UK and Tobago. The children updated the site with footage, blogs and other relevant information.

A delegation from the Tobago House of Assembly was present on March 16th to view all the imaginative entries, present the prizes to the winners, and to hear from the schoolchildren present what they learnt and how they benefitted from the year-long campaign.

There was also a live demonstration of the steel pan.

Representatives from Tobago included Oswald Williams, Secretary for Tourism and Transportation, Mr John Arnold, the event co-ordinator and Avion Hercules, Marketing Manager. John Arnold commented, “We have travelled the length and breadth of Great Britain on our Sounds Like Tobago tour, and have been so encouraged at how energised the children we have met have been about learning more about the culture, history, geography and music of Tobago. In its first year, the initiative has been hugely successful, taking the sights and sounds of the island to the schools in this country, and we are really looking forward to welcoming the winning school to Tobago to further cement the links between the two.”

To follow the activity of the children and programme, visit www.soundsliketobago.com.

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review

nhmba 7th annual dinner dance picture & Words dunstan creavalle

Notting Hill Mas Band Association (NHMBA) and the Greater London International Mas Association (GLIMA), indulged in their seventh annual dinner and dance at Bloomsbury’s Holiday Inn on Sunday 2nd May. This fixture in the carnival arts calendar serves as an awards presentation evening for the mas participants of Notting Hill Carnival and of the Carnival Splash event held prior to Carnival at Alexander Palace.

To the uninitiated, there may seem an over-abundance of awards, with prizes down to fourth place in each category, but the annual event really does pay homage to the hard work that masqueraders put in for the entire year, only culminating in Carnival. With a sumptuous all-you-can-eat Caribbean buffet, performances by Cleopatra and Cyril and music to dance to until 1am, it continues to be an event the whole family can attend on the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

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art in association with campbell’s of london

Viv Logan

From Symbolism to the Dance-Hall Born in Jamaica, but raised in Essex in the UK, Viv Logan began painting in earnest as part of therapy when recovering from breast cancer. Initially preoccupied with her struggle with the disease, she went through a spiritual transformation during her recovery, resulting in paintings which speak to her sense of wonder about life.

Inspired by 19th and early 20th century symbolist painters such as Dali, Magritte, and Kahlo, Logan draws from her inner world and spiritual journey, evoking emotions and feelings that are universally familiar. Quickly garnering a wide audience and numerous arts awards, Logan’s work progressed quickly. As her illness faded into the background, her art became brighter and lighter thematically. She began painting children at play, dear old ladies with toothless grins, and a series on Jamaican dance-hall dancing, perhaps her most compelling celebration of life to date.

Tel: 020 7584 9268 33 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ info@campbellsoflondon.co.uk www.campbellsoflondon.co.uk

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Logan has always maintained an intense interest in the human form, not just its physical appearance but also its spirit and joy. The dancers in the dance-hall portraits perhaps capture joy and vitality more vividly than any of her other portraits. Alive with movement and rhythm, patterns and counterpoise, fervent bush strokes and softly modelled forms, the dancers truly capture the universal joy of dance, life, and art.

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music roots of calypso THE MIGHTY SPARROW

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Jean and Dinah word s Eric Doumerc

Well the girls in town feeling bad, No more Yankees in Trinidad.

They going to close down the base for good, Them girls have to make out how they could.

Brother is now they park up in town, In for a penny, and in for a pound, Believe me it’s competition for so, Trouble in the town when the price drop low.

Chorus: So when you bounce up Jean and Dinah, Rosita and Clementina, round the corner posing.

Bet your life is something they selling, And if you catch them, You can get em all for nothing.

Don’t make no row, the Yankees gone, Sparrow take over now.

Things bad is to hear them cry, Not a sailor in town, the night clubs dry.

Only West Indians like me or you, Are able to get a drink or two.

And as we have things back in control, Ah seeking revenge with me heart and soul.

Brother when I spread the news around, Is to see how them cavemen come into town.

It’s the glamour boys again, We are going to rule Port of Spain !

No more Yankees to spoil the fete, Dorothy have to take what she get.

All of them who used to make style, While they taking two shillling with a smile.

No more hotel to rest your head: By the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread.

References: Randall, Stephen J. and Graeme S. Mount. The Caribbean Basin – An International History. Routledge: London, 1998.

Warner, Keith. The Trinidad Calypso. London: Heinemann, 1983.

The Mighty Sparrow’s Jean and Dinah was released in 1956, soon making Sparrow Calypso Monarch and Road March winner. The tune has remained popular to this day, and is probably Sparrow’s best-known number.

In the song the Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) celebrated the Americans’ departure from Trinidad after an ‘occupation’ that lasted from 1940 or ‘41 to 1956. The story relates to two Trinidadian girls who had managed to earn a living by going out with American sailors, and had flaunted their new financial independence by neglecting Trinidadian males. When it was announced that the American base would soon close down, these girls saw the writing on the wall, and the Trinidadian men celebrated.

The base referred to in the song was the Chaguaramas naval base, which the USA had acquired during WWII as part of a deal with Britain - sometimes known as the ‘destroyers-for-bases’ deal. Indeed, the USA needed a base in the Caribbean to protect their shores, and Britain was badly in need of a few ships. So, in 1940, America began to lease land at Chaguaramas, enabling them to check for German submarines in the region. The American presence considerably influenced life in Trinidad at the time, as they paid very good wages and introduced their culture to the country. In Jean and Dinah, Sparrow implicitly refers to that aspect of the American presence by singing about girls who clearly made the most of it.

National pride must have taken a beating when Trinidadian men saw their women go out with American sailors.

In fact, the Chaguaramas base was being discussed as a possible site for the new West Indies Federation to be set up in the then near future. As a consequence, some of the activities were scaled back, and the first American sailors went back home. Hence the line, “No more Yankees in Trinidad”.

The song is notable for its use of wit and punning, and, like many calypsoes, deals with a serious issue in a seemingly lighthearted fashion. Punning is used throughout the song (“the night clubs dry”, “no more hotel to rest your head”), and Sparrow’s wit shines in the line, “By the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread,” which is a passage from the Bible (Genesis 3:19).

As in many calypsoes, the “glamour boys” (the saga boys in fact) are the heroes and “Dorothy” appears as the average Trinidadian woman.

Sparrow’s triumphant tone (“It’s the glamour boys again, we are going rule Port of Spain !”) reflected the mood of the times, with the first elections held under the new constitution in 1956. These elections witnessed the victory of Eric Williams’ People’s National Movement, and the alliance between the PNM and Sparrow became firmly established. Indeed, for many years to come, The Mighty Sparrow was to support Eric Williams’ PNM in numerous songs.

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feature St Lucia Homecoming

Tout Sent Lisyen SĂŠ Yonn

(All St Lucians are one)

In 2008, the government of St Lucia decided that special attention should be given to the concerns of St Lucians resident in other countries, and at a meeting held with St Lucians living in New York the prime minister committed himself to facilitating the reintegration of St Lucians living overseas. Accordingly, a representative responsible for Diaspora issues was appointed, one of whose missions was to facilitate the deepening and strengthening of connections between nationals overseas and their homeland.

A St Lucian Homecoming has been scheduled this year, from July 15th until 1st August, timed to coincide with the 14th Biennial Convention of the Union of Saint Lucian Overseas Associations. It is anticipated that this gathering will reunite many old friends and families, some of whom may not have seen each other since they first said farewell many years ago.

Planned activities are aimed at encouraging St Lucians living overseas to invest their resources, skills, money and time in strengthening St Lucian society.

The emphasis will be on the building of partnerships with various sectors: to partner groups, whether they are small businesses, service organisations, sporting clubs, development foundations, and other NGOs, with St Lucian ex-pats.

Homecoming will be an opportunity to say thanks to all St Lucian people, wherever they live, for the tenacity with which they have held on to the culture of their native land. They have put the country on the map with their contributions in all areas, and have significantly helped to sustain the economy, especially during difficult times, such as after hurricanes.

For more information about St Lucian Homecoming 2010 & 14th Biennial Convention of USLOA, contact President of USLOA, Mr Bertram Leon, on 07989 095 265 or the High Commission for St Lucia on: 020 7370 7123.

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feature

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Back II Life words katie segal photographs by Robby Breadner of 365antigua.com At the end of May in Antigua, the yachting season comes to an abrupt end with the Classic Yacht Regatta and Race Week. Both of these feature partying perhaps as extreme as the sailing, with nights sponsored by Mount Gay and Cavalier rums and performances by bands and DJs around the island, in each location where a race ends for the day. Outside Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, the main sailing hub in the south east, the car park area turns into something akin to Carnival City, with booths selling food and toys, canopies to fend off any (otherwise welcome) rain, and tables and chairs for diners. This year, for the first time, Race Week also featured a street party incorporating a launch event for carnival, which enticed many from across the island.

There are other events which are timed to coincide with the sailing weeks; one is the Wadadli Music Festival (Wadadli being the Arawak name for Antigua), a charity event now in its fourth year, the only entrance fee being an optional can of food. Performing this year were the nation’s foremost artists, Claudette Peters, Tian Winter and Fucha Kid, as well as Bankers, formerly of Dread and the Baldhead and several bands; there also featured a dance performance and a fashion show.

Another big draw for locals and tourists alike is the Back II Life Festival. This is the brainchild of Jazzie B, of Soul II Soul fame, who has his roots in Antigua, and Nigel Gore.

Both Jazzie and Nigel have spent a great deal of time in the twin island state, and felt that bringing everyone together, as well as adding some UK party people into the mix, would be a great achievement. They construct various packages to bring people from the UK for one week, which can include the flights and hotel stay. Always included, however, are the four Back II Life parties, one for each of the four participant DJs: Norman Jay, Trevor Nelson, David Rodigan and Jazzie B himself.

The four say it’s their favourite time of the year, the event which they look forward to the most. And those partaking in the trip are old-time clubbers, who know how to do it right. With a feeling of family amongst the group, there are also plenty of Antiguan and ex-pat locals at the events, truly bringing everyone together.

The parties take place at four different venues around the island. This year, Norman Jay played at Abracadabra, a bar/club in English Harbour and just outside Nelson’s Dockyard, so a perfect location for the sailors to attend as well. His mellow funk and soul beats mixed with funky house, legendary from his Notting Hill Carnival ‘Good Times’ sound system, had everyone grooving into the wee hours. Trevor Nelson’s set was at The Sugar Club, a new venue in a hotel on the south coast, where his RnB set the tone for a chilled (yet sun-baked) afternoon pool party. David Rodigan mashed up Shirley Heights Lookout, the remains of an old fort with an incredible view of the entire harbour area and the stunning sunset; they have a regular Sunday party there, but none quite like this one. He is truly a one-off, his energy and love for the music enthusing the crowd - putting paid to the nonsense of someone who had told me that DJ-ing could be done just as well by numbers. Jazzie B played out at the Grand Bay Casino, in the North West of the island near St John’s, the capital, wrapping up the 2010 festival with the tunes that one would expect from the master of British soul music - and then, there came that signature voice on the mic. Long live Soul II Soul.

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sailing s

www.caribbeanshipping.co.uk

Closing Sailing St Lucia Antigua St. Kitts Barbados Dominica Date Date Castries

05. May

11. May

20. May

12. May

18. May

19. May

25. May

26. May

01. Jun

02. Jun

08. Jun

09. Jun

15. Jun

16. Jun

22. Jun

23. Jun

29. Jun

30. Jun

06. Jul

07. Jul

13. Jul

14. Jul

20. Jul

21. Jul

27. Jul

28. Jul

03. Aug

04. Aug

10. Aug

11. Aug

17. Aug

18. Aug

24. Aug

25. Aug

31. Aug

01. Sep

07. Sep

08. Sep

14. Sep

15. Sep

21. Sep

22. Sep

28. Sep

29. Sep

05. Oct

06. Oct

12. Oct

13. Oct

19. Oct

28. May

21. May

22. May

29. May

03. Jun

04. Jun

05. Jun

11. Jun

17. Jun 25. Jun

18. Jun

19. Jun

26. Jun

01. Jul

02. Jul

03. Jul

09. Jul

15. Jul 23. Jul

16. Jul

17. Jul

24. Jul

29. Jul

30. Jul

31. Jul

06. Aug

12. Aug 20. Aug

13. Aug

14. Aug

21. Aug

26. Aug

27. Aug

28. Aug

03. Sep

09. Sep 17. Sep

10. Sep

11. Sep

18. Sep

23. Sep

24. Sep

25. Sep

01. Oct

07. Oct 15. Oct

08. Oct

09. Oct

16. Oct

21. Oct

22. Oct

23. Oct

29. Oct

*Mobay - Kingston + 5 days Schedule is subject to alter 24 |

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schedule

www.caribbeanshipping.co.uk

Jamaica Trinidad Grenada St Vincent St Lucia Guyana Montserrat Kingstown Vieux Fort *Mobay

05. Jun

22. May

19. Jun

17. Jul

03. Jul

31. Jul

17. Jul

14. Aug

31. July

28. Aug

14. Aug

11. Sep

25. Sep

11. Sep

09. Oct

25. Sep

23. Oct

09. Oct

06. Nov

23. Oct

20. Aug

03. Aug

17. Aug 17. Sep

31. Aug

14. Sep 15. Oct

28. Sep

12. Oct

18. Oct

10. Oct

28. Sep

04. Oct

26. Sep

20. Jul

14. Sep

20. Sep

12. Sep

06. Jul

31. Aug

06. Sep

29. Aug

23. Jul

17. Aug

23. Aug

15. Aug

28. Aug

03. Aug

09. Aug

01. Aug

22. Jun

20. Jul

26. Jul

18. Jul

08. Jun

06. Jul

12. Jul

04. Jul

25. Jun

22. Jun

28. Jun

20. Jun

25. May

08. Jun

14. Jun

06. Jun

19. Jun

25. May

31. May

23. May

05. Jun

03. Jul

09. May

12. Oct

26. Oct

01. Nov

12. Nov

26. Oct

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Photograph by Kevin Joseph

feature

Luton celebrates

33 years of Carnival

Bank Holiday May 31st will see Luton’s 33rd carnival take place, and what a carnival it promises to be. “With the carnival parade expected to kick off at 1:30pm with bright and colourful costumes dancing through the streets, this year’s Luton Carnival is surely not one to miss,” says Jacqui Harding, Carnival Coordinator at Luton Cultural Services Trust (LCST). “Apart from the regular and faithful entries, the parade this year will also have 11 percussion groups, about 25 lorries providing music, as well as see a few more entries from local schools.”

The UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), the LCST’s partner in producing the carnival this year, is supportive of the communities that take part in the carnival as their participation confirms the UKCCA’s message that Carnival is great for community cohesion and empowerment, as well as cultural diversity and the fact that Carnival is more than just one day for the year. Paul Anderson, CEO of UKCCA, said, “Carnival offers an unrivalled wealth of possibilities for participation, learning, enjoyment, as well as avenues for both personal and community growth and development.”

Apart from the colourful costumes that will be on parade, there will be 11 sound sites catering to all musical palettes, from reggae and soca to jazz and soul. The Young People’s Performance stage in Telford Way will showcase up-and-coming young, talented rappers, musicians, singers and poets. All the action will be complemented by the delicious food and drink that will be on sale throughout the day at Wardown Park.

A fun-filled family day that will rival any other day out, ensure that May 31st is your diary; UKCCA, LCST and LBC cannot wait to host you at Luton Carnival!

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events

You are strongly advised to check with the event promoter, as details sometimes change and cancellations may occur; all information was correct at the time of going to print. For more event information visit www.socanews.com/sol/events/ or to advertise in this section send your details to events@socanews.com.

Sat 1st May 2010

Sun 2nd May 2010

Fri 14th May 2010

Carivog International

C.Z.S Promotions

Soca Frenzy

@ The Tabernacle, Powis Square, W11 2AY. Price: £20 in advance, door £25.

Time: 7pm - midnight. Tel: 020 8875 0146.

Bajan Revellers Promotions

paLanCeEEEeeeuk - the island colours edition

@ Mount Strive Banqueting Suite, 92 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7NY. DJs: Lady SP, Lucian D, Mr Mention & Tiny Winey. Price: £8 b4 11pm, £10 thereafter. Time: 8pm 3am. Tel: 07585 263 934.

Staggerah Fete

@ Bar 512, 512 Kingsland Road, E8 4AE. DJs: DJ Tate, DJ Tyrone & Shaker.

Price: £5 on guest list or o/w £10 all night. Time: 10.30pm. Tel: 07538 180 648

Sat 15th May 2010

MAYDAY!!!!

Steven aka Credable from D Soca Cartel

Mahoe

@ Mahoe Cafe, 74-82 Queen Victoria Street, Bow Lane, EC4N 4SJ. Price: £10 includes ‘Blow Out’ jerk platter & drink. Time: 8pm - midnight. Tel: 020 7489 9895

Masquerade 2000

@ The Mass, St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, SW2 1JF. DJs: Credable, Digger D, DJ Bliss, DJ Tate, DJ Tyrone, Hyper Spice, Mr Hardwine, QT 2Hype & Vinny Ranks. Price: £5 B4 11pm, £10 thereafter. Time: 10pm - 6am.

Tel: 07950 715 598

@ Learie Constantine Centre, 91 Dudden Hill Lane, Willesden, NW10 1BD. DJs: Sugar K, Trini Top Shotta & DJ Boastman. Price: £10 in advance, limited tickets at £5. Time: 9.30pm late. Tel: 07590 377 354

Masquerade 2000 band launch - The Gift

@ Karibu Centre, 7 Gresham Road, SW9 7PH. DJs: Adri X, D Tee, Tripple M & Joni. Price: £10 in advance, more on the door, under 12 yrs £5, under 5 free. Time: 10pm - 3am. Tel: 07947 118 430

socanews.com

Release D Riddim - RED EYE

Mon 3rd May 2010 Jewels De Carnaval

Jewels De Carnaval Oceania Section Launch

@ Ace Fusion, 110 St Johns Hill, Battersea, SW11 1SJ. DJs: DJ Bliss, Martin Jay & Remie D. Price: £5, £10 light refreshments & non-alcoholic drink. Time: 4 - 11pm. Tel: 07791 650 284

Blow Out Party!!

Sun 16th May 2010 Burrokeetsuk

Renaissance - Burrokeets BBQ Family Lime

@ The Garden, Kings Arm Pub, 96 Wandsworth High Street, SW18 4LB. DJs: DJ Bliss, DJ Tyrone & Martin Jay. Price: £5 for adults, £3 for schoolchildren and babies and toddlers are free. Time: 2pm - 9pm.

Tel: 07950 407 199 or 07984 026 378

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continues over

Miss Trinidad &Tobago Grand Finals & Cultural Showcase

Events cont from pg 29 Carnival Village

caribbean dinner jazz

@ The Tabernacle, Powis Square, W11 2AY. Featuring: Jazz Guitarist Cameron Pierre, Panists Robert Clarke and Justin Russell along with the Engine Room Band. Price: £18.50 dinner & jazz, £10 jazz only tickets.

Time: 5 - 9pm. Tel: 020 7193 5859.

Fri 21st May 2010 neXt Level PoisonUK

Zero Degrees / D Launch Party

@ The Cobden Club, 170 Kensal Rd, W10 5BN. Price: £10 advance, more at the door. Time: 9pm - 2am. Tel: 020 7193 5859

Thur 27th May 2010 Genesis Carnival Company

Carnival Couture

Bumperz

@ Huddersfield Carnival Arts Centre, 26 Westgate, Huddersfield, HD1 1NU. DJs: DJ Toro & Martin Jay. Price: £3.

Time: 10pm - late. Tel: 07961 189 281

Mon 31st May 2010 Guyana (UK) Sports Development Association (GUSDA)

Guyana Folk Festival / in celebration of Guyana’s 44th year of independence @ Oasis Academy (formerly Ashburton Community School), Shirley Road, Croydon, CR9 7AL. Price: £3 children (5-14), £8 adults (15+), £5 senior citizens (60+). Time: noon - 8pm. Tel: 020 7229 7684 or 07904 640 405.

Cocoyea & UK Chocolate City

Band Launch - Confu-sion

Fri 28th May 2010

@ Hidden, 100 Tinworth Street, London, SE11 5EQ. DJs: CheInTheMiXX, DJ Roughneck, DJ Scooby, DJ Tate, Martin Jay, Mike Forbes, Soca Massive & Zoomer D. Price: £5 before 10pm, £10 thereafter.

Time: 7pm - 1am. Tel: 07956 223 247

www.socaprince.com

Sat 5th June 2010

@ The Blag Club, 222 Kensal Road, W10 5BN. DJs: DJ Dukes & AKA Piper.

Price: Free b4 9pm, £5 thereafter.

Time: 7pm - 1am. Tel: 07812 111 313

Ramajay - Crop Over 2010 The official UK Launch

@ Black Grape, 262 West Green Road, N15 3QR. Featuring: Mr Dale, Mikey, Chowmein & Ms Desire. DJs: Martin Jay, DJ Tyrone & Vinny Ranks. Price: £10 in advance, £15 at the door. Time: 10pm - 4am. Tel: 07976 255 965.

Sat 29th May 2010 GT Promotion & Mr Marlon

Guyana’s 44th Independence Dance

@ The Gold & Silver Rooms, Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, 1 Phillip Lane, Tottenham, N15 4JA. DJs: GT Promotion, Mr Marlon, DJ Shogun, Mista Fix It, DC Ninja & Lady SP. Price: £10 in advance, more on the door.

Time: 9pm - 5am. Info: Guyanese cuisine from Miss Norma Moore’s kitchen. Tel: 07951 530 102

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South Connections

Band Launch

@ Oval House, 52-54 Kennington Oval, London, SE11 5SW. Tel: 020 7735 2786.

Tudor Rose

25Years of Entertainment / the hitman inspector @ Tudor Rose, The Green, Southall, UB2 4BG. Featuring: Inspector, Berbice, Akima Paul & Keety General.

DJs: 24ct Golden Touch, Martin Jay, Selector Spice & QT 2Hype. Price: £10 advance, plus bfee, more on the door.

Time: 10.30pm - 6am. Tel: 07956 250 005 or 020 8843 2132

Sat 12th June 2010 Soca Mafia Entertainments

Glo Fete

@ Tudor Rose, The Green, Southall, UB2 4BG. DJs: DJ Bliss, DJ Tate, DJ Tyrone, D Tee, Martin Jay, Mr Mention, QT 2Hype & Vinny Ranks. Price: 1st 100 tickets £5, then £10 thereafter, more on the door. Time: 10pm. Tel: 07939 238 735 or 07702 035 724.

Invaders Mas Band

band launch / de road to 2012

@ St Marys Primary School, Mayo Road, Harlesden, NW10. Price: £10 in advance, more on the door. Time: 8pm - late. Tel: 07932 806 276.

Sat 19th June 2010 The Barbados Cultural Organisation

Tenth Annual Charity Ball

@ Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, Coram Street, WC1N 1HT. Price: £55 per person. Time: 7 - 8pm. Rum punch reception; dinner commences at 8.15pm. Tel: 020 7299 7150 / 07834 883 370.

Grenada Voluntary Hospital Committee

Boat Cruise Party

Onboard the Mercia leaving Festival Pier. Price: £25 (includes food). Time: 8.30pm - 1am. Tel: 020 7474 5154.

Fri 25th June 2010 neXt Level PoisonUK

20 degrees /Wet Fete

@ Club Debut, Weston Street, SE1 3QX (formerly SE One). Time: 9pm.

Featuring: Dil E Nadan. Price: £20 Tel: 020 7193 5859.

Sun 22nd Aug 2010 SOCA NEWS

uk soca monarch finals

@ Tudor Rose, The Green, Southall, UB2 4BG. Tel: 08450 175 076 or vist www.socanews.com/socamonarch.

more events

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Cockspur. Proud to support the community

available now at the following supermarkets

Asda Waitrose Tesco Somerfield 05/10 socanews.com

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feature Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK 2010

anushka ramjag

miss trinidad & tobago uk 2010

Carnival Village, The Tabernacle in Notting Hill, was on May 1st the venue for this year’s Miss TnT UK competition. The theme of ‘Tropical Caribbean’ was visible in the blue of the opening costumes, which the seven delegates wore for their spectacular routine commemorating the beautiful beaches of Trinidad and Tobago, and on the stage set, magnificently decorated by Clary Salandy of Mahogany Mas Band. Janine La Rosa, former delegate of Trinidad & Tobago UK, presented the show, and spinning the tunes for the night was Rebel D, Andy Alleyne.

Anushka Ramjag, who entered as Miss El Dorado, made it through the evening gown, swimsuit and final question rounds against stiff competition, to eventually be declared Miss TnT UK 2010. The first runner up was Miss Port-ofSpain, Melanie Peterkin-Phillip, with Miss San Juan, Yasmin Newport, winning second runner up.

Anushka Ramjag is a humble young woman, and has taken winning this year’s competition in her stride. Currently 24 years old, she is in her final year of an MSc in biology at Imperial College London. Anushka didn’t think she would fit the criteria to even be considered for a place in the competition, but with a little persuasion from the contest director, and wishing to challenge herself, she decided to enter. Stunned by her success, she said, “I was very surprised about winning, in fact I’m still in shock”. During her time as Miss TNT UK, she hopes to accumulate positive achievements for which she will long be remembered.

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Saint Lucia

Carnival 2K10 Mon 19 & Tue 20 July

saint lucia carnival 2010 the story so far

The Caribbean carnival schedule covers the entire year, from January to December. Countries that keep to the preLenten carnival tradition are Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, Martinique and Guadeloupe. By contrast, Saint Lucia has positioned its carnival on the third Monday and Tuesday in July, between the long-established Vincy Mas, which takes place on the first week of the month, and the emancipation carnivals of Barbados and Antigua, which follow at the end of July.

Saint Lucia begins to buzz with excitement as the carnival season approaches. It generally runs from the end of May until the third week in July, when everything culminates on the streets of Castries in two days of mas and mayhem. Carnival on the island has successfully evolved a distinctive and well-received form of its own, thanks in part to its position in the calendar: now in July for its eleventh year, the move from its original pre-Lenten date has proved to be successful, and this year the festivities promise to be even bigger.

The official launch of carnival will take place at the end of May, but already several mas bands, including Just4Fun and Royalites Xtreme, have launched and showcased their presentations for this year’s festival. Yet to come this month are Rituals and Toxik. Band launches are just the start of the proceedings of course, and the full carnival calendar includes the Soca Monarch and Calypso Monarch competitions, Panorama Finals, King and Queen of the Bands, J’Ouvert and, of course, Parade of the Bands.

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Saint Lucia

Carnival 2K10 Mon 19 & Tue 20 July

places to stay

if you are looking for somewhere to stay on your trip to Saint Lucia that is small and locally owned then here are a few suggestions.

about the island

island facts

Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands, named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse. It was first visited by Europeans around the year 1500 and colonised by France, who signed a treaty with the native Carib people in 1660. Great Britain took control of the island from 1663 to 1667, and then went to war with France over it fourteen times, finally taking complete control in 1814.

A Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult suffrage from 1953), and from 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. Finally, on February 22nd, 1979, Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations, which it celebrates annually with a public holiday.

Saint Lucia is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Nationality Saint Lucians, or Lucians Location Saint Lucia is one of the Windward isles of the Lesser Antilles, situated midway down the Eastern Caribbean chain between Martinique and St Vincent, just north of Barbados.

Time GMT - 4 Capital Castries Language English; however, a French Creole is widely spoken.

Electricity 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz Currency Eastern Caribbean Dollar (symbol EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Coco Palm

+ 1 (758) 456 2800 reservations@coco-resorts.com www.coco-resorts.com

Bay Gardens Resorts

0808 101 7370 info@baygardensresorts.com www.baygardensresorts.com

Ginger Lily

info@thegingerlilyhotel.com + 1 (758) 458 0300 www.thegingerlilyhotel.com

Juliette’s Lodge

paulaj@candw.lc + 1 (758) 454 5300 www.julietteslodge.com

Palm Haven

+1 (758) 456 8500 www.palmhavenhotel.com

balenbouche estate

+1 (758) 455 1244 info@balenbouche.com www.balenbouche.com

For more information and hotels visit www.inntimatestlucia.org

For more information about Saint Lucia, contact the Saint Lucia Tourist Board Tel: 020 7341 7000 • Fax: 020 7341 7001 • Email: sltbinfo@stluciauk.org • Web: www.stlucia.org

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the artists Teddyson John

the music

These are just some of the tracks that have been released so far for Saint Lucia Carnival 2010.

Carnival Come Back Again

Mantius

I Do

Qpid

Teddy first burst onto the soca scene back in 2007, with his massive hit single Home for Carnival. With his musical talent expanding as a drummer, keyboardist, percussionist and singer, it’s almost certain that Teddyson will drop a heavyweight tune for carnival this year.

rickY t

Winner of the road march titles in 2006 and 2007 for his massive hits Container and Pressure Boom, Ricky ‘Teasel’ Joseph is a well known Saint Lucian artist whose witty lyrics and catchy beats are a definite crowd pleaser.

So Long

Ambi

No Surrender

Gillo

Par Fem Bomb

Mad Bob

kakal

Calixte Ian Xavier, better known as Kakal, is an energetic Saint Lucian performer who became a recognised soca artist in 2002; shortly after, in 2003, he was crowned the winner of the Soca Monarch Competition. To date, Kakal has a staggering 15 masterpiece tracks under his belt.

Menage ah Trois

Sedale

Winnin Up

Sir Lancelot

Love How You Whine

Alpha

Bumper Sticker

Alpha

Signal

Teddyson John

ok there

Ricky T

Invader

The original daddy of Saint Lucian music, famous for performing on stage with a mask on his face, Invader has been on the soca scene for more than 25 years. He is still recognised as one of the greatest Lucian calypsonians to ever grace the soca scene.

alpha

Easily labelled one of Saint Lucia’s top performers, Alpha has dominated the soca landscape for more than ten years.

He never fails to keep his audiences entertained, and is a lively character. His 2009 carnival hit Can’t Wait was well received in the UK, and 2010 promises to be a bigger and better year for the artist.

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Saint Lucia

Carnival 2K10 Mon 19 & Tue 20 July

mas bands

Playing mas puts a different spin on Carnival and the overall experience. Here are just some of the bands and their presentations for Saint Lucia Carnival 2010.

Atlantis

People’s Choice

events

The following dates are based on those from previous years, and should be verified.

Carnival Launch

The Lost City www.atlantisslu.com

Cultural MelĂŠe +1 (758) 489 6370

Sunday 30th May

Cozy Guzzlers

Red Unlimited

Saturday 3rd July

Ashore in Mexico amodeste@lucelec.com

Fantasy Carnival Band

Majestic Caribbean www.fantasycarnival.com

Foreign Based T-shirt Band

Barack-O-Rama foreignbased@gmail.com

High Definition HD Carnival Band

Pirates of the Seven Seas +1 (758) 715 9941

Hit Radio T-shirt Band

Reflections of Rio info@redcarnival.net www.redcarnival.net

Rituals

Mardi Gras - The Magic of the Masque www.ritualscarnival.com

Royalites Xtreme Carnival Band

Africa is Our Soul royalitesxtreme@gmail.com www.royalitesxtreme.com

St Lucian Spirit

Hit Carnival Heat hitradio@candw.lc

Jambo Afrika rejandi@yahoo.com www.stlucianspirit.com

Just 4 Fun

SharpEdge Carnival Band

Scentsation: The Aroma of Life info@just4funcarnival.com www.just4funcarnival.com

La Mosaique

Saints & Sinners sharpedge07@hotmail.com www.secarnival.com

Dreams....Living the impossible carnivalrevolution@gmail.com www.toxikcarnival.net

MAS Action

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly xsenergycarnival@gmail.com www.xsenergycarnival.com

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Soca Monarch Finals

Saturday 10th July

Square Jam

Monday12th - Friday 16th July

Intercommercial House Competition

Thurday 15th July

Panorama

Friday 16th July

Kaiso Finals

Saturday 17th July

King and Queen of the Bands

Sunday 18th July

Parade of the Bands (Jump Up)

Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th July

Toxik ...The Band

Soucoyan - A Treat in Saint Lucian Mythology mosaic.758@gmail.com www.lamosaiquecarnival.com Castries Market: Then and Now masaction@hotmail.com

Groovy Soca Monarch

XS Energy

for more info on carnival 2010 visit luciancarnival.com

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