It's rare to witness a band receive an encore at the end of a Carnival fete performance, but that is what happened when Dil-e-Nadan performed last Sunday at Trinity College's Soka in Moka. The popular crossover band treated patrons to a crisp, com�pact set, mixing Carnival 2017 hot picks with retro calypso and soca, and even a bit of Joey Lewis. The band's horn section was also on top of its game throughout.
Dil-e-Nadan's performance was more entertaining than its previous showing at Tuco's Start De Carnival cooler fete at Queen's Park Savan�nah.
Attended by a seemingly larger crowd than last year's fete, Soka in Moka was a well produced event held to raise funds for the Maraval school. Its organisers must be commended for the layout of the food and drinks stalls, the efficiency of its clean up crew, and the well appointed toilet facilities installed. I must mention the oyster man, annually the most popular stall in this fete, its produce always the first to run out.
DJ Alicia D Duchess set the mood for the evening with a delightful mix of music as the sun slowly descend�ed into the western horizon. Later in the evening she was joined by DJ Private Ryan who continued in the same vein. At exactly 6 pm, party hosts JW and Nikki Crosby intro�duced 3Canal and Cut+Clear Crew, the first live act.
Following 3Canal's set and a DJ interlude, Dil-e-Nadan was in�troduced, frontlined by Raymond Ramnarine, Derrick Seales, Stephen Marcelle and Renuka Mahabir. The band used one guest artiste, Barbadi�an Marz Ville, singing Bam Bam. The band's impactful interpretation of Ultimate Rejects' Full Extreme truly fired up the crowd and this prompted the encore, the band obliging before making its final exit.
Debutante to Soka in Moka, The A Team, was up next. Not as powerful in sound as Dil-e-Nadan, the group held its own. Fronted by veteran Ed�die Charles, the A Team brought its A game to the house in the form of guest vocalists Olatunji and Shal Marshall.
Soka in Moka was attended by sev�eral well known faces, including Sha�ron Rowley, Brian Lara, Carlos John, Ian Garcia, retired Brig General Carl Alfonso, Michael Seales, Francesca Hawkins, Ira Mathur, Wendy Lewis, Lutalo Masimba and Cecilia Salazar.
Bringing the curtain down on Soka in Moka with an extended set was Roy Cape All Stars, featuring Blaxx, Ricardo Drue and Tizzy. The band opened its performance by screening a video of its founder Roy Cape. Ac�commodating as many guest artistes as it did, the performance by the All Stars was a varied one, ever-chang�ing in flow and impact.
Its cast of guest artistes included reigning International Soca Mon�arch Voice, Ella Andall and Devon Matthews, Destra, Orlando Octave, Farmer Nappy, Lyrikal, Rupee and Linky First.
The Soka in Moka organising com�mittee must be emboldened to host the 19th edition in 2018, especially for the professional manner in which they produced Sunday's affair.
Panorama begins tonight
Jah Roots will be the first south-based band to be judged, as the Na�tional Panorama Single Pan Band preliminaries begin tonight in pa�nyards in the South Central Region of Pan Trinbago. Playing the band's arrangement of Kitchener's 67, Jah Roots, which hails from Ernest Gar�dens, Warden Road, Point Fortin, is led by patriarch Jessy Lessey.
Nine bands are listed in this re�gion and will be judged before a four-person panel at their respec�tive panyards, with four facing the judges tonight and the next five to�morrow, Saturday January 21. To�night, following Jah Roots will be La Romaine Super Vibes, Highlighters and Shades In Steel.
The five bands listed to perform tomorrow night are Rio Claro Ko�skeros, Kings Row Retro Riddum, Edinburgh 500 Steel Ensemble, New Age Trendsetters and Pan Angels.
Tonight's competition will begin at 7 pm, while tomorrow's starts at 2 pm.
The competition continues on Sunday and Monday in the Eastern Region from 3 pm. Nineteen steelbands affiliated to the Eastern Region will be judged, with last year's joint winner, Marsicans, playing at number 10. Trinidad East Side Symphony will perform in the last spot on Monday night.
First off the starting block on Sunday at 3 pm is North Eastern All Stars of Valencia. The band is under the baton of Leston Paul and their tune of choice is Melosian Rhapsody, composed by Winsford "Joker" Devine and sung by The Baron.
The judging process will take place over two days with the first 12 bands being judged on Sunday and the remaining seven on Monday, beginning at 6.30 pm.
Among the bands being judged on Sunday are Star Sapphire, Brazil RX4, Trinidad Nostalgic and Arima All Stars. Monday's line-up includes T&T Prison Service, Pan Jammers, Chord Masters, San Juan All Stars and Platinum, the only all-female orchestra in the competition.
North Zone Single Pan steelbands will have their turn to impress the judges on January 24-26 in their panyards.
The National Action Cultural (NACC) will hold the 2017 Young Kings Calypso Monarch Final on Monday, February 6, at the Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah, at 7 pm. The final is expected to be a very keenly contested affair as amongst the qualifiers are a number of young but experienced and seasoned calypsonians, including Aaron Duncan, Devon Matthews, Jadee, Fireball, Mark Eastman, Mr King and Orlando Octave. Also in the fray are Calypso Prince, Dr Will B, Mba, Sheldon Nugget and St Nick.
Duncan has won every title possible in the junior calypso competitions, while Matthews has been a favourite at the carnival fetes with his hit D Journey. The same can be said of Octave. Mr King, the son of the late King Austin, has a beautiful song titled Legacy Music. Also a finalist in the recently held Stars of Tomorrow, Eastman, who goes by the catchy monicker of Ladies Man, has been turning heads with Trinidad Wake Up. Showtime is 7 pm.
One week later, on Monday, February 13, the National Women's Action Committee (NWAC) will hold this year's National Queen Final at Queen's Hall, St Ann's, at 7.30 pm. With 20 qualifiers in the final, this competition is also expected to be action-filled.
Among those making the cut are Sexy Suzie and Alana Sinnette of Kalypso Revue, Spicey of Kaiso House, and Stacey Sobers from the all-female Divas International Cabaret calypso tent. Other familiar names are Terri Lyons, Eunice Peters, Georgia Mc Intyre, Jermeeka Mundy, Lesley Ann Ellis, Makeda Darius, Sasha Ann Moses and Malaika Ballantyne, daughter of prolific composer and past humorous calypso monarch GB.
FINALISTS
YOUNG KINGS MONARCH FINALISTS:
Aaron Duncan–A Youth's Pledge
Banjela (Addelon Braveboy)–Wind of Change
Calypso Prince (Henson Wright)–Belt Tightening
Dale Ryan–Last One
Devon Matthews–D Journey
Dilly Suede (Dillon Thomas)–Doh Take Dem Back
Dr Will B (William Bannister)–Power to the People
Ezekiel Yorke–The Upholder
Fireball (Rohan Richards)–Calypso Music
Jadee (Jerry Dane Sellier)–Play Nice
KC (Kyle Cowie)–Hail the Chief
Ladies Man (Mark Eastman)–Trinidad Wake Up
Marlon Edwards–We Need Love
Mba (Gary Thomasos)–Look in the Mirror
Mr King (Marvin Lewis)–Legacy Music
Nicholas Ashby–Ancestors' Freedom Prayer
Orlando Octave–Single
Sekon Alves–Trinbago Forever
Sheldon Nugget (Sheldon Bullen)–Voices from Beyond
St. Nick (Nicklas Gosine)–It Ain't Right
NATIONAL CALYPSO QUEEN FINALISTS:
Alana Sinnette–Skeletons
Allison Bernard (Warrior Empress)–True Honour
Eunice Peters–A Country to Rebuild
Fabikur Fraser–Civilised
Genisa St. Hillaire–Market Place
Georgia Mc Intyre–We Can't Afford to Stop
Giselle Fraser-Washington–The Argument
Jermeeka Mundy–Prisoner
Kerice Pascall–The Black Equation
Kerine Williams-Figaro–Fight for Black Power
Lesley Ann Ellis–Social Jammer
Makeda Darius–Baptism
Malaika Ballantyne–Calypso and Country
Morisha Ransome–Chief Servant
Natasha Nurse (Sexy Suzie)–Negative Progress
Sasha Ann Moses–The Main Witness
Stacey Sobers–A People of Substance
Tammico Moore (Spicey)–Missing You
Terri Lyons–The Unfortunate Phrase
Wendy Garrick–Fly Trinbago