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As
in the past years, the lyrical content of the majority of the soca songs released for Carnival 2010 are
hopelessly poor, redundant, repetitive and lack creativity or imagination, or reflect on the many social problems such as
crime, poverty, homelessness… existent in the two island republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Soca and Calypso music (the
music of Carnival) is not only an infectious, jumpy, entertaining genre of music but is also a motivating, socially conscious
musical exercise, one in which the consciousness of the population could be elevated. Since both young and old people pay
particular attention to the lyrics of soca and calypso songs, the writers of these songs should place stronger emphasis on
the lyrical content of this evolving art form. Unlike 2009, when the majority of the soca songs were bumper directed and
bumper focused, 2010 songs are a mixture of party themes (wining, chipping, palance, break away, wuk up, jam…) and
sexual connotations (pipe, she ready, love, my girl…). The musical accompaniment to these non-sensical, hastily written
songs is the dreaded, overused riddims (rhythms) that many of the predominantly inexperienced soca singers use today. Instead
of composing original music and lyrics, soca singers are using short cuts and are writing lyrics (or paying others to write
lyrics for them) to a popular riddim, thus making it easier to secure a hit song for the highly competitive Carnival season. But, it is important to point
out that these songs (soca and calypso) are written by education deficient, illiterate men and women who write lyrics with
no substance that they know would resonate with an illiterate, gullible, morality deprived female and male audience. What
then, do you expect from functionally illiterate, mediocre, so-called entertainers who are culturally deficient and are only
in search of a hit, some exposure, money and easier accessibility to promiscuous women and men who take pride in getting involved
with soca and calypso singers, reggae singers and other such entertainers? For Trinival 2010, a new phenomenon has emerged in Trinidad where a number
of radio disk jockeys (uneducated, uninformed, unintelligent parlancers – radio talkers) have graduated to become entertainers.
DJs like Super Jigga TC, Jason Williams and Blaze, Shal Marshall, Precious, RKG, Shaolin, Zuki and Tim Tim and others have
some of the hottest songs for 2010 and they are receiving tremendous airplay and exposure. The radio stations that they are
employed with play their songs frequently as does the competing radio stations. In a strange way, the playing of employees’
songs should eliminate payola – paying DJs to play one’s songs in order to achieve overnight success and stardom.
But, are the non-DJ entertainers receiving similar airplay and exposure like JW and Blaze or TC? Based on this new musical
phenomenon, there is an ongoing battle for radio supremacy as the disk jockeys from 91.9FM; 94.1FM, 96.1FM and 96.7FM…
are competing with each other in order to be victorious in the major Carnival competitions. Meanwhile, the disposable soca
songs for Trinival 2010 leave much to be desired… |
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From
a musical perspective, Panorama is the most celebrated competition for the Carnival festivities in Trinidad and Tobago, New
York, Miami, Toronto and wherever the Trinidad style Carnivals are held. Panorama is among the most prestigious of the Carnival
competitions where the best playing steel band (steel orchestra) is selected from other competing steel bands to be the most
outstanding steel orchestra in the Panorama competition. However, regardless of which steel orchestra captures the title,
there is always dissent and controversy with the results. The ensuing controversies that are always evident in the major Carnival
competitions are most prominent for Panorama as there are always disagreements and challenges made with (to) the judges’
results, results that are deemed to be final. Because of this, there are always prolonged and serious discussion among pan
players, pan followers and the steel pan fraternity (arrangers, tuners, managers…) over the qualification of the judges
and the decisions made by them since they (judges) hold the ultimate fate of the participating steel bands in their hands.
The 2010 Panorama
competition is no different and should be a heavyweight battle between 2009 winner Silver Stars which dethroned the popular
Phase II Pan Groove, winners in 2008, 2006 and 2005. Phase IIs arranger Len Boogsie Sharpe is an outspoken critic of the steel
band organization, Pan Trinbago for its poor leadership, lack of vision and business acumen. Boogsie is usually extremely
critical of the Panorama judges also particularly when he loses and last year (2009) was no exception. So expect nothing short
of musical vengeance in 2010 from Boogsie Sharpe and Phase II Pan Groove as they try to recapture the Panorama crown and the
whopping $1 million first prize. Pan Trinbago is the organization with responsibility for steel bands, steel pan events and
competitions in Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the world, and in 2009 replaced its long time president (since 1971) Patrick
Arnold with Keith Diaz. Consequently, this is Keith’s opportunity as the president of Pan Trinbago to project to the
pan fraternity that he brings effective leadership, organizational innovations and new ideas to Pan Trinbago.
The history
of Panorama is rich with musical excitement with Pan Am North Stars, the initial winners of the competition in 1963 and 1964.
Desperadoes steel orchestra has the most wins in Panorama with 10 wins closely followed by Renegades with 9, All Stars 6 and
Phase II with 5 wins. Desperadoes last won the Panorama title in 2000 while Renegades last won the title in 1997. However,
since 2000, Phase II and Exodus have won on 3 occasions each with All Stars, the winner on 2 occasions. However, Phase II
has emerged as the most dominating (and most controversial) steel orchestra in the last decade and is always the pan side
to beat in any competition. Could Silver Stars repeat its sterling performance of 2010 and put Boogsie in his place again
or will Boogsie Sharpe and Phase II rebound with another of its scintillating musical performance? In two short weeks, the
results will be known and the debate of which is the best playing steel orchestra in Trinidad and Tobago and the world will
bring on new discourse. |
Clearly,
the most exciting and anticipated events for Carnival are the Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca Monarch, Chutney
Soca Monarch and Road March competitions. As the Carnival 2010 season enters its final two weeks, the front runners and leaders
in the respective events are taking shape and odds are being placed on the perceived favorites for the highly competitive
national events. Major surprises are expected in 2010 as the quality of the new songs are relatively poor and meaningless
and soca singers are riding riddims instead of creating new musical offerings for the hectic Carnival season. Both the Soca Monarch and Groovy
Soca Monarch competitions are wide open and the 2009 Soca Monarch winner Fay Ann Lyons is facing serious competition from
crowd favorite Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez), Neil Iwer George, Blaxx, Shurwayne Winchester, Patrice Roberts and Jason Williams
and Blaze. JW and Blaze is the people’s choice to win their first Soca Monarch title. The Soca Monarch competition which
was established in 1993 is one of the most popular and highly entertaining events for the Carnival season and although it
has lost some of its past glitter and scintillating performances, the first prize of $1 million (which has been reduced to
$650,000 this year) has captured the attention of many of the singers in the soca industry. Super Blue (Austin Lyons) has
captured the Soca Monarch title on 6 occasions while Bunji Garlin has 4 wins and Iwer 3 wins. The Groovy Soca Monarch which
started in 2005 is an open event with Shurwayne (who won in 2008 and 2006), Fay Ann (the winner in 2009) and Patrice holding
a slight lead over a number of new soca artists. Selecting a winner here is not easy but I would give Shurwayne the edge.
The Chutney Soca Monarch which started in 1996 and was designed predominantly for an Indian audience is now an acceptable
component of Carnival for the major ethnic groups in the country. Last year’s winner Kenneth Salick appears to be one
of the favorites to win the title along with five-time winner Rikki Jai (Samraj Jaimungal). Rikki Jai is my choice to win
the coveted prize of $200,000 as his song is very popular and it is receiving tremendous airplay. The highly exciting Road March
competition appears to be a runaway win for parlancers JW and Blaze whose song is surprisingly maintaining momentum despite
the late release of a barrage of new songs. The songs of Fay Ann, the winner for the last two years are not making any consistent
impact with the party crowd and it appears that she would be soundly defeated by JW and Blaze. Patrice, Machel Montano, Shurwayne
and Farmer Nappy are possible upset candidates but the race for Road March 2010 appears to be a done deal as JW and Blaze
Palance is the hot, new word and most played and popular song for Carnival 2010. The Road March is the most popular
song played at strategic judging points throughout Trinidad and Tobago on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and has its origins
dating back to 1932 when King Radio (Norman Spann) won. Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) has won the Road March title on 10 occasions,
closely followed by Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) and Super Blue (Austin Lyons) with 8 wins each. However, since 2000, Fay Ann
has won the Road March title 3 times. |
MURDERS AND CRIMINALITY IN THE CARIBBEAN© Dr. L. Trevor Grant 2010The horrific murder rate in the Caribbean region continues to reach frightening proportions. For example, Trinidad and Tobago recorded its second highest number of murders – 507 in 2009, down from 547 in 2008, but up from 260 in 2004. Jamaica recorded 1,680 murders in 2009, an increase from 1,618 murders in 2008 and 1,469 in 2004. Guyana recorded 116 murders in 2009, down from 157 murders in 2008 and 131 in 2004. The population of these small islands – Jamaica 2.8 million, Trinidad and Tobago 1.3 million and Guyana .75 million when compared to New York’s population of 8.6 million reflects how violent these Caribbean islands have become. New York recorded 466 murders in 2009, down from 523 murders in 2008 and 566 in 2004. In other words, more homicides were committed in Jamaica and Trinidad in 2009 than in New York. To further compound matters, in comparing Brooklyn’s population of 2.2 million with Jamaica’s, there were 201 murders in Brooklyn compared with 1,680 in Jamaica in 2009, similarly comparing the Bronx population of 1.2 million with Trinidad and Tobago, there were 109 murders in the Bronx in 2009 compared to 507 in Trinidad and Tobago. These statistics clearly reflect how dangerous the Caribbean countries under study are. The gruesome killings and heinous crimes that are plaguing the entire Caribbean region are making life very uncomfortable for its citizens as they continue to live in fear of being victimized by criminals. Once known for its peaceful, tranquil, laid back, relaxed atmosphere, the vacationing Caribbean islands now called murderers’ paradise have become havens for criminal activities including murders, kidnappings, murder/suicide, illegal drugs and the illegal gun trade, gang warfare and the thriving gun trade. The ever increasing senseless killings, executions, assassinations, drive by shootings, gang related killings, revenge killings, reprisal killings, domestic disputes and lawlessness are all real and it is no longer the norm to deny that criminality is not deeply rooted in the Caribbean region. It is therefore obvious that the Caribbean region particularly Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana are very unsafe and dangerous countries, and returning nationals and tourists must be careful when traveling to their home countries, because the reality is that they could be victimized by the marauding, criminal element. An interesting phenomenon in the countries under study is that the Commissioners of Police are serving in acting capacities. In Trinidad and Tobago, the present COP James Philbert has been acting since July 2008 in which time 793 murders have been committed. In Jamaica, COP Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin served from December 2007 to November 2009 and was replaced by Acting COP Orwin Ellington. In Guyana, COP Henry Greene after acting from July 2006 was confirmed as COP in January 2009. Obviously, there are fundamental problems in keeping these experienced men as acting COP and this employment instability, uncertainty and political control is drastically affecting how these COPs carry out their responsibilities. It is therefore not incidental that homicides and other criminal activities have reached record breaking levels in the Caribbean countries under study, and these acting COPs do not have the power and political will to contain and control the heinous nature of criminality in their countries.
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