Island People Mas, 2011 | Shades of the Universe

"If they are having this much fun in the camp. Wait until you hit the streets with Island People Mas in 2011." That is the caption that is emblazoned at the end of the video clip. I am featuring this YouTube video here because I think it is a 'cute' video and it also features my friend's sister is featured in the clip. She is the one who goes back inside the workshop/mas camp.

The producers of this advertisement did a good job and as you can see the costumes are going to cause eyes to focus on the young ladies in the band. However, don't expect to see the models and their fit bodies on the streets of Port-of-Spain on Carnival Monday and Tuesday... There would be some masqueraders on the streets that would make you say, "What de hell she thinking?" Then there would be those that would make you say, "Damn, she is so fine!" So remember the name of the band is "Island People" and the presentation for 2011 is "Shades of the Universe".

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Panorama Tunes | Carnival 2011

Posted by Pan Times...  Panorama 2011

“4 Ah Dem”
sung by Sexy Lynn - composed by Lynette Lewis

“Ah Coming Down”
sung by Keith “Designer” Prescott - composed by Miguel Reyes

“[The] Alien Steelband”
sung by Car Wash - composed by Dunstan Lawrence

“Bamboo Man”
sung by Keith ‘Designer’ Prescott- composed by Alston Jack, Samantha Jack, Cris Jack

“Calling Meh”
sung by Destra Garcia - composed by Mark Loquan, Ken “Professor” Philmore & Destra Garcia

“Carnival Time ”
sung by Meshach - composed by Ricardo Quammie & Allan “Bro Mudada” Fortune

“Children You Must Love Your Mother”
sung by Chocklet - composed by Hayden Lynch

“Desperadoes Coming Down”
sung by DeFosto - composed by Winston Scarborough

“Discount”
sung by Kenny J - composed by Kenwrick Joseph

“Do Something for Pan”
sung by Saché Alexander - composed by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe & Gregory Ballantyne

“Drums of Africa”
sung by Tony Prescott - composed by Steve “Diamond” Nanton & Alvin Daniell

“Glamorama”
sung by Russell Cadogan - composed by Ashton Craig

“How We Coming”
sung by Eunice Peters - composed by Brian “Bean” Griffith & Alvin Daniell

“In She Rainorama”
sung by DeFosto - composed by Winston Scarborough

“It’s Showtime”
sung by Anslem Douglas - composed by Edwin Pouchet & Alvin Daniell

“Jam in de ’Rama”
sung by Shanaqua - composed by Cary Codrington & Alvin Daniell

“[The] Journey of Pan”
sung by “The Web” - composed by Hamilton “The Web” Alexander

“Land for Pan”
sung by Bodyguard - composed by Bunny Brown

“[The] Magical Thing”
sung by Roy Pascal - composed by Roy Pascal

“Miss Lucy” 
sung by Richard Rennie -composed by Matthew Neil Simon

“Momentum” 
sung by Chucky - composed by Don Clarke & Alvin Daniell

“More Money for Pan”
sung by DeFosto- composed by Winston Scarborough

“Name Paint on Cloth”
sung by Percil Nock-Boyce - composed by Percil Nock-Boyce

“On the Bull Track”
sung by Roland Lyons - composed by Roland Lyons

“Pan Badjohn”
sung by Kurt Allen - composed by Earl Brooks, Sr. & Alvin Daniell

“Pan for Peace”
sung by Sheldon Reid - composed by Kygel Benjamin & Amrit Samaroo

“Pan Fur So”
sung by Anthony Caibo Alexis - composed by Anthony “Juggie”Rose

“Pan in de Panyard”
sung by Anslem Douglas - composed by Brent “Antics” Holder

“Pan in front Meh Face”
sung & composed by Adrian Jaikaran

“Pan in Meh Head”
sung & composed by Gail Francois-Joseph

“Pan is de Ting”
sung & composed by Harry Best

“Pan is my Drug”
sung by Carl ‘De Panman’ Richards - composed by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe & Alvin Daniell

“Pan Jamin’”
sung by Emmanuel 'Oba' Sinnette - composed by Andre White

“Pan Pa Lam”
sung by Oscar Benjamin - composed by Kenrick and Kenneth Headley

“Panorama”
sung by The Web - composed by Hamilton “The Web” Alexander
  
“Pantrix”
sung by Steve Sealey - composed by Avis Bruce

“Percy” 
sung by Crazy -composed by Edwin Ayoung & Winsford Devine

“[A] Raging Storm”
sung by DeFosto - composed by Winston Scarborough

“Retrorama”
sung by Devon Seale - composed by Gregory Ballantyne

“Ruction”
sung by Olatunji Yearwood - composed by Jason “Peanut” Isaac & Ingrid de Peiza

“Showdown”
sung by Crazy - composed by Amrit Samaroo

“Something Different”
sung by Sheldon Reid - composed by Natasha Joseph

“Sweet Ramajay”
sung by Jerry James - composed by Wayne Kirton

“TKO”
sung by Tony Prescott - composed by Amrit Samaroo

“Tribute to Neville Jules”
sung by Lasana - composed by Denis Cox

“[A] Tribute to Ray Holman”
sung by Lord Superior - composed by Michael ‘Mike’ Germain

“Trini Explosion”
sung & composed Andrew “Yellows” Fareira

“Wake Up”
sung by Denyse Plummer -composed by Edwin Pouchet & Alvin Daniell

“We Own the Night”
sung by Lil’ Bitts - composed by Talib Robinson

“We the People”
sung by Crazy - composed by Edwin Ayoung & Winsford Devine

“Zhess”
sung by Dexter Keane - composed by Dexter Keane

Please note that all of the songs listed above can be heard on the "When Steel Talks" site located at http://whensteeltalks.ning.com/forum/topics/panorama-tunes-for-2011

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Remember when... Television was introduced to Trinidad and Tobago in 1962

I remember as a child my father's RCA Television, a faithful television that provided entertainment for the neighborhood. These were the times when there was one street light from corner to corner and the neighbors were really good friends and shared everything. Every evening at our home was a gathering of the village people. Benches replaced the dining room table that was put the side to accommodate our neighbors who came to see Bonanza and the Lone Ranger. It was fun and at times noisy but everyone seemed to have fund during these evening rendezvous at our home. 

Television programming had the same effect in the town of Arima where I lived. At the now torn down Grand Stand in Arima there were two television sets in boxes on either side of the grand stand. People would gather in the evenings to watch the "Long Ranger" and the 7:00 pm news on TTT. The news at 7:00 was a big deal and so were Barnabas and other shows. 

It is amazing how the times changed and no one took notice that no one came over to watch television at our home any more. Why? This gradual change took place as almost everyone in the neighborhood transitioned from pitch-oil lamps to electricity and of course the first item on the "must have list" was a television. Yes the television lit up homes and kept many young people inside fascinated with the programming provided by the government station. 

The times have changed and when color television came on the scene it did not have the same impact that the original black and white television had on the community. Everything was changing and people began to take things for granted and not only things people started to become selfish and wanted to be better that their neighbors. Gone were the days of sharing and being nice to each other. The programming on the television also changed and as the years passed we had Dallas that taught us that greed was good. In many ways our society was shaped by that which we saw on television. However nothing was as good as the early days during the mid sixties when television was first introduced. 

Trinidad was a very beautiful place then but much has changed. In 2005 TTT stopped programming. That was very sad but what was and is to this day a travesty is that all the saved film of carnivals past and local programming were not protected and are now lost forever. 

The good ole days - fuss ah miss dem eh!

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Yuh know what coki-eye is|Yuh is ah Trini

Triniglish|Trinididioms spoken and explained #76

Yuh is ah Trini | “Yuh know what coki-eye is”

"Look,look she watching at yuh... No boi she looking at you."

"Nah dat can't be true, something eh right dey." 

"Oh geeezan ages she lookin ah both of us...  She coki-eye."

Now if you are a Trini you obviously understand that that the term coki-eye  was derived from the work cockeyed. However, the term cockeyed can mean foolish, ridiculous, absurd as in a cockeyed idea. It can also mean intoxicated or drunk or even crooked. Now do you think that any of those meanings have any significance in Trinidad and Tobago? Well  in Trinidad the crooked part is all that we are concerned with. There is only one understanding for the word coki-eye or cock-eyed and that is a person with one eye turned  to the side of the face or in some instance the person is'afflicted with cross-eye" syndrome.

Strabismus or tropia are the medical terms for eye conditions commonly called by various names: eye turns, crossed eyes, cross-eyed, wall-eyes, wandering eyes, deviating eye, etc.
http://www.strabismus.org/strabismus_crossed_eyes.html

Can you tell a Trinidadian that it means anything else? You can try but, it will all be in vain.

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"If the Priest could play, who is me" | Carnival 2011, Trinidad

Catholics to 'Play Mas' | Genesis I carnival band gains church approval!

Do you remember the phrase "If de priest could play, who is me?" Well look kankalang today because the "who is me" part of the discussion has decided that "chippin' down de road" on the black carpet during the festival of the flesh really is not such a bad thing. As a matter of fact they (Some Roman Catholics) intend to clean up the vulgarity associated with mas aka jamming, wining and drinking and showing the public that when the priest sanctions the mas that it could really end up being good clean fun. In such a situation, come "Ash Wednesday" one can walk into the church with a big smile and for the first time put on the ashes on ones forehead without the guilt associated with your carnal ways for the carnival just passed. 

Now when Lord Kitchener's song "The carnival is over" is played on the radio one can now shed a tear that is really over knowing that the church now has your back. Let us now plan for next year and with it have communion during Carnival Tuesday parade. In this way we can have some wine while we chip down de road to clean "Groovy Soca" and cast aside the wine and jam "Power Soca". In a few years we then can transform festival and preach the gospel and celebrate mas even on Palm Sunday! "What ah ting, what ah ting indeed!?"

Now do you think that I was wrong and was simply making fun of this situation? Well maybe but do you really believe that there could be a carnival band that can and will change the spirit of carnival? Word and Associates Chairman Derek Walcott expressed the view that, "while the move is expected to raise eyebrows and spark debate, the aim is to erase the vulgarity associated with Carnival and replace it with creativity and family." He believes that this Catholic Church sanctioned Carnival band named "Genesis I could impact the festival in such a manner that creativity instead of vulgarity will seep into the festival. I don't know if this will sit well with the Christian communities but then again the Catholic Church is the behemoth of Christendom and if the priest could play then who is me. 

There will be those who will be for and those who will be against this band. I don't know if it is wrong or right for the church to participate in Carnival and won't profess to say that I know based on bible teachings that it is wrong or right... I don't even know my place on this earth. In the end everyone will decide based on their beliefs, their understanding of the teachings of the bible and the church, which is wrong or right. The fall out could be great but know this much, a Trinidadian would accept any excuse to participate in a good lime or fete. This band will "play mass" but we will wait to see if there would be restraint with chippin' and the waving of palm or simply festive abandon and exuberant dingolay and palance on the streets of Port-of-Spain.

Now don't be upset but it is only fitting that we go back to move forward and in such a situation we can look forward to Catholic Palancing by looking back at last years mega hit by JW and Blaze.... Time to Palance!

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Yuh eh have a pot tuh piss in nor a window tuh throw it out of... | Yuh is ah Trini

Triniglish|Trinididioms spoken and explained #75

Yuh is ah Trini | “Yuh eh have a pot tuh piss in nor a window tuh throw it out of...”

Yuh eh have a pot tuh piss in nor a window tuh throw it out of... Say  what? If someone should say that to you what would be your response? Would you be confused or simply laugh because is you may be wondering "what de hell did he or she say?" Now if you think that this is all just a bunch of gibberish then depending on where you may have lived most of your life you would conclude that it is, in fact, just that... A bunch of gibberish!

To continue the small talk... However, if you are from the Caribbean or to be a little appropriate, if you are from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago you may take offense to someone making such a statement about your good name. In Trinidad and Tobago the saying has significant meaning. Usually the reference is made "in reference to someone who has no worthy possessions or responsibilities". There is no way that could apply to you... Right!?  

The reference also has a close relationship to the saying that "yuh eh have ah parrot on a stick". This means that you don't have anything that you care much about. When I saw the saying I wondered about "worthy possessions". Responsibilities or lack thereof is easily understood. The person referenced by this statement simply does not care much about anything. My friend Gail from Paramin said, "that is like peeps who have champaign taste with Budweiser money".  Well this can also be said like this... "Yuh poor and don't posses anything of value!"

"Worthy possessions" is another story. I don't mean "Worldly possession", OK. Here is something I came across from www.karnatik.com/c1704/shtml. "There are four kinds of worthy possessions: Righteousness, untainted wealth, pure love and salvation." Now take this and add it to "no responsibilities" and you will come up with a typical but classic"Trini" word - "Wotliss" ("Worthless, without ah care in de World").

So that is my take on, "Yuh eh have a pot tuh piss in nor a window tuh throw it out of". So if you don't have a traditional posey and you live in one of the country districts and still believe in Soucouyants and La Diablesse then, you better make sure that you have a window in some wall to toss the pee out. If not, you will have to go outside to get rid of the contents and face the creatures of the night. Of course we are talking about a time not so long ago. We can look back and laugh or cringe but what new sayings are coming out of this modern society that we live in today? Absolutely nothing, but in the time of the posey (or tensil) and latrine we got "pot to piss in nor window to throw it out of".
Long time was nice eh!

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I Will Always Be There For You | Melanie Hudson

One must never underestimate a mother's love. Indeed, "Mother Trinidad" has been crying and showing her pain with showers of tears that have flooded the land of my birth. People can't understand what is taking place and are blaming past and present politicians for the malaise; this "mal yeaux" (maljo) that has brought the society to its knees. "Mother Trini" is upset and has and will continue to punish us for the pain and suffering we have brought to her bosom unless we change our ways. Having said that, we can only marvel and wonder at Trinbago's beauty... The  beauty that I can  reminisce about is not the same today but "Mother Trini" has opened her arms and is waiting for the peace, love and beauty of life that was once shown everyday with a simple "good morning"or "good evening" to our neighbors and people that we did not even know! We shared everything and lending a helping hand came without a price.

We have lost so much...

During my recent YouTube search, I came across a beautiful song entitled "I'll Always (Be There For You)". It was sung by Melanie Hudson and is fitting considering all the disheartening news we are getting from our homeland. The news coming out of Trinidad is heart wrenching with continuous murders and crime taking place. Some of us throw our hands in the air in despair but others pause and take note that the country of Trinidad and Tobago is still a beautiful place - Yes it is! "Mother Trini" has beckoned that all will be well again. However until that time comes, it is unfortunate that we have to live with the devil in our beloved land. Get down on your knees and prayer and in time this too shall pass...

Until then, listen to the hope that David Rudder penned in this "love song" that was so beautifully sung by Miss Melanie Hudson.

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"Last Chance" | Kevon Carter |Groovy Soca 2011

Happy New Year Everyone...This is the music of Kevon Carter a Trinidadian who is exploring the groovy side of Soca. This young man's voice is silky and smooth and will have the young ladies adoring him.

"The singer/songwriter and musician, was born and raised in the twin isle of Trinidad and Tobago, and has embarked on an independent music career in New York City - his current residence.  Throughout his musical hustle over the past four years, Kevon has opened up for reggae acts such as Buju Banton, Super Cat, and Barrington Levi at Madison Square garden in 2008, and continues to showcase his versatility in his original compositions even more ever since." Source: Facebook

This is the type of music that the North American audience will gravitate towards. The Power Soca for the Carnival festivities is a must but to penetrate the North American market we need more Groovy Soca music like "Last Chance". Trinizagada starts the new year with the Groovy side of our Soca music. Enjoy Kevon's music and let everyone know that Kevon Carter is the real deal!

Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). Lend me your ears... Enjoy!

♫ Please press the play button to listen (small triangle below).

Last Chance - Kevon Carter

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