''Crop Over Vibes'' - News- Caribbean Vibes
by David Harris
>>>>>>>> July 23, 2011 <<<<<<
Stage is set for Pic-O-De- Crop 11 Calypso Monrach
TWO CALYPSO MONARCHS with six crowns between them are among the nine finalists announced around 1:40 this morning for the 2011 MQI Banks/Lime Pic-O-De-Crop Finals.
Adrian AC Clarke, who has two calypso titles under his belt and four-time Monarch Kid Site will battle defending Calypso Monarch Mighty Gabby in next Friday’s Finals at Kensington Oval.
The nine to come up against defending Monarch Gabby in next Friday’s MQI Banks/Lime Pic-O-De-Crop
Finals are:
AC (Cave Shepherd All Stars)
Chrystal Cummins-Beckles (Cave Shepherd All Stars)
De Announcer (Cave Shepherd All Stars)
Adonijah (De ADC Building Digicel Big Show)
TC (De ADC Building Digicel Big Show)
Kid Site (Bacchanal Time)
Khiomal (Celebration Time)
Blood (Headliners)
Popsicle (House of Soca)
The reserve is Hee Haw (Cave Shepherd All Stars).
Five Semi Finalists Forced To Change Lyrics.
Semi-Finalists Apache, Smokey Burke,Jimmy Dan, De Announcer and the reserve Classic
have been advised by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) to make changes to seven
of their ten songs or they will not be allowed to take part in the Semi -Finals.
According to Corporate Communications Specialist at the NCF Wayne Simmons, the decision was in keeping with the Pic-O-De Crop rules, particularly where the NCF's legal team considered lyrics defamatory or not within the bounds of good taste.
Classic have made a call for legal or union representation for the calypsonians, he told Crop Over Vibes that he had a fundamental problem with the system of vetting lyrics, adding that it is was highly prejudicial in favour of the NCF.
Hidden Clause Hampering Calypso
Veteran Calypsonian Colin Spencer says a hidden clause is hampering the development of the calypso artform.
"It has become increasing difficult to write calypsos in Barbados. While there is defamation, there is also a hidden clause which says , you cannot say this about a particular person and it is depriving calypso lovers of a real entertaining show,"Spencer said.
He added that despite the clearing of lyrics the lawyers of the calypsonians it was a drifferent story when the legal team of the National Cultural Foundation looked over the same lyrics.
Gabby Ready for Battle
Defending Calypso Monarch the Mighty Gabby says he willno be giving up is crown without a fight.
"They will not be able to just come and take my crown just so, they got to fight, expect a dynamic performance for defending the crown is not an easy thing but i am well prepared|, says Gabby.
Gabby will be performing Tassa and Obama Kill Osama at the Pic O De Crop Finals.
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>>>>>>> July 14, 2011 <<<<<<<
Semi Finalists for Pic of De Crop announced.
The 18 semi finalist in the Pic of Competition are Adrian Clarke, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, De Announcer, Smokey Burke and Hee-Haw of Cave Shepherd All Stars. Adonijah, T.C and Miuel White of the Big Show.
Popsicle, Kya and Jimmy of the House of Soca.
Eric Lewis and Kid Site of Bacchanal Time.
Jael and Dre of the Super Gladiators. Sean Carter of the Experience Tent. Blood of Headliners and Khiomal of Celebration Time.
Classic of Bacchanal Time is the reserve.
The semi-finals takes place at the gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex on July 22.
Finalists in Sweet Soca Competition.
The eight finalist in the Sweet Soca Competition are Adrian Clarke, Biggie Irie, Blood, Edwin Yearwood, Mike Thompson, Mikey,Red Plastic Bag and TC and Peter Ram.
Donella Weekes and Lorenzo are the reserves.The finalists will meet defending monarch on July 24 at Bushy Park.
Party Monarch Finalists.
The semi-finalists for the Party Monarch Competition at Bushy Park on July 24 at Bushy Park are Edwin Yearwood, Khiomal and Lil Rick of Celebration Time.
Eric Lewis of Bacchanal Time, Brett Linton and Mikey of Headliners,Mike Thompson of Tomorrow's Children, Sammijane and TC of the Big Show. Blood is the defending monarch.
No King and Queen of the Band Again This Year.
There will be no Kings and Queen of
the Band again this year, Wayne Simmons corporate communications specialist of the
National Cultural Foundation(NCF) told Crop Over Vibes that the parade has been suspended
util the NCF can come up with a plan to make it better.
Simmons said that a series
of workshop are being planned to help improve the concept of the parade before it
could be returned to the festival.
One of the workshop has been scheduled for this
year and someone who is highly trained may be coming in from overseas to assist in
the workshop.
Tents Managers Say No To Tent Cuts.
Tents managers have said no to the to a cut in tents at Crop Over, most of them have expressed the view that the tents are an avenue for young singers and musicians, thus guaranteeing the festival's future.
Veteran tent manager Peter Roy Byer of the Super Gladiators told Crop Over Vibes:" You have calypsonians who want to sing, you have people who have gone to the Community College and learn how to read. Everybody cannot get into the Festival Band or the Youth Orchestra. The only other place apart from the tents is the Salvation Army", Byer said.
According to Sharon Carew White of the House of Soca, a reduction in the of tents is akin to a cut in the number of Crop Over fetes.
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>>>>>>>> July 7, 2011 <<<<<<
July 07, 2011
Six A Sure Pick For All Stars.
Cave Shepherd All Stars faced the judges last Sunday
at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
Eleven Stars were judged and six of them seems
to be heading for the semi-finals, heading the list is two times monarch Adrian Clarke
with "We Need An Answer" (Freundel) and "What Drives Me Crazy".
In the first song
Clarke make a plea to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to make a comment on some of
the major issues facing the country, in the latter song he listed a number of things
that drives him crazy among them are being beaten by Gabby in the Pic Of De Crop
Finals last year.
De Announcer is back after a short retirement, he look seems like
a sure pick to the semi-finals with "Everybody Loves Chris" and "Calypso Bullying".
The
first song looks at the cost of living as a result of the "Chris Sinckler Plan",
his second calypso is about an alleged incident between Gabby and Admiral Nelson
last year.
Chrystal is in fine form this year, and should earn a place at the Gym
with" Ah Moving To T&T" and "Forgive De Caribbean".
Smokey Burke should be another
a sure pick for the semi finals this year his two song Big Breed Fowl Cock and De
Damage Already Done full of wit and humour,
Hee Haw with "Hard Times" and "Calypso
Resurrection", Mr Impact his in fine voice with "Mara" and "Cleaner Society" and
should also be at the Gym on semi finals night.
Sheep In Bacchanal Time Calypso Tent
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (RSPCA) and the Bacchanal Time Calypso Tent, are clashing over a sheep.
"I Carr My Sheep To Town by the calypsonian Stiffy ( Shane Atkinson) who performs in Bacchanal Time, is one of the most popular songs of the Crop Over season.
According to Wayne Norville of the RSPCA, while it is ok for Stiffy to sing about his sheep, he must not carry the animal on stage, Bacchanal Time is ignoring threats of legal action from Norville if Stiffy takes his sheep on stage.
Tent manager Eric Lewis, in response to Norville threat to invoke the law if the tent continued to use a sheep as a prop during the rendition of the popular said:"Stiffy and his sheep are going nowhere".
Crop Over Festival Begins.
The 2011 Crop Over Festival was launched last Saturday with the Opening Gala and the Ceremonial Delivery of the last canes in Queen's Park.
Minister of Culture, Stephen Lashley in his feature address at the Gala said, Crop Over is much more than revelry and a chance to let off steam.
"We pride ourselves on the fact that Cropover is much more than a carnival. It is a festival which provides our artistes with a unique opportunity to showcase their talents in the performing, literary and the visual arts", Lashley said.
The King of the Crop title was won by Grantley Hurley, his 11th title, Judy Cumberbatch won her 12th Queen of the Crop title.
Those receiving this year's Crop Over Stalwart awards were were veteran calypsonian/writer Edward Rowe aka the Mghty Herring,award winning band leader and designer Marcia Chandler and longstanding vendor Cora Jordan.
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>>>>>>>> July 1, 2011 <<<<<<
Big Show Opens With A Bang.
The Big show open last weekend at the Plantation Theatre
last weekend.
A crowd was in attendance to listen to the kaiso fare of some of the
top names in local calypso like Red Plastic Bag, TC, Pompey, John King, TC, Adonijah
and last year's monarch Gabby.
TC performed Sing It Again in the first half and the
uptempo Coming Down.
Red Plastic Bag wooed his fans with De Ting and Once Upon A Wine,
Gabby paid tribute to calypsonian Tass who died this year with a song by the same
name, in the second he sang a rearranged version of his song Well Done.
John King
was in the fast lane with Hijackers but the star of the opening night was Adonijah
with Barbados By 2 and Bajan Station.
Time for Businesses To Invest In Cultural Events.
Businessman
Tony Hoyos says it is time for the Government to set the mandate for the Crop Over
events but let private entities take the risk.
According to Hoyos, this would allow
individuals with years of experience and who do it day to plan the events and thereby
succesfully increase the current revenue the Crop Over festival is purported to be
received from the festival.
Licence Required to Party Since 1985.
Acting Chief Town
Planner George Browne says that the public entertainment licence has been a requirement
for promoters since 1985.
He spoke on the issue after an outcry from a number of promoters
of Crop Over events, that they had only learn last week that they must obtain an
entertainment licence prior to staging events.
However, Browne pointed out the the
public entertaiment licence is a requirement of value added tax(VAT) under the Public
Entertainment Act, which came into existence on April 1,1985.
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>>>>>>>> June 20, 2011 <<<<<<
Gabby Defending Crown
Reigning monarch, Gabby will be defending his crown in this year's Pic O De Crop Competition, according to the nine times monarch,he will bringing something unusual when he takes to the stage.
"I like to do the unusual, so I bring songs like Ole Ashe to make people talk about it a year later. The public will say they don't understand it but the musicians say it is fantastic, so I know within the musical family that I have pleased almost 100 percent of them", says Gabby.
The veteran entertainer added that he has sent the last year touring and working with several calypsonians in the various calypso competitions.
Reigning Junior Monarch Out of Competition
Reigning Junior Monarch in 8-12 category Myles Z will not be in this year's competition.
His father Roger Gittens told Crop Over Vibes, that the defending monarch will miss the competition for personal reasons.
Myles Z who have won the competition for the last two years would have been a contender in the senior category this year.
John King Out of Pic O de Competition
Two times Pic O de Crop monarch John King will not be participating in the competition this year.
According to King, a group of young people challenged him to to enter the Party Monarch and Sweet Soca competitions and he has accepted it.
"After so many years you seek more challenges and for me Party Monarch and the Sweet Soca competitions are a challange, because I have never entered them", says King.
The outspoken King, recently said that on a radio show that the judging of the Pic O de Crop Competition should be changed.
Admiral Must Go says Panta
Caypsonian Bert Panta Brown, is vex over comments made by Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) DJ Anthony "Admiral" Nelson.
Last week Nelson played Brown's 2011 calypso's I Feeling De Soca, and asked if he should play or throw it in the garbage.
Brown has written a letter to BCC deputy general manager Rod London noting the incidents, describing it as disrespectful.
London has asked that the matter be investigated.
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>>>>>>>> June 13, 2011 <<<<<<
Smokey is back
Veteran Calypsonian Smokey Burke is back in the Pic O De Crop Competition
this year.
Smokey, who underwent treatment for cancer last year told Crop Over Vibes
that he is physically and mentally ready to participate in the festival this.
Burke
has three tunes this year,Paul Radical (party song) and two commentaries De damage
Already Done and Big Breed Fowl Cock.
He is performing in Cave Shepherd All Stars.
Cave
Shepherd All Stars First Tent Out of the Block
The Cave Shepherd All Stars open at
Queen's Park Steel Shed last night.
Tent manager Eleanor Rice says she is happy with
the cast of calypsonians that are performing with the tent this year.
Among the line
up are two times monarch Adrian Clarke, Colin Spencer,Smokey Burke,Ronnie Clarke,Chrystal
Cummins Beckles, Mr Impact and veteran entertainer Mark Lord.
Bag May Be Out
Nine time
Pic O De Crop monarch Red Plastic Bag is not sure if he will contesting the crown
this year.
Bag told Crop Over Vibes:"I always feel an urge to do what my fans want
me to, but I have lost my enthusiasm for competition.For the last five years, I have
competed because of my fans".
"If I was to make a decision now, I would say that I
do not wish to be part of the competition but I am going to wait until the tent start,
and i would made a decision then", he added.
Bacchanal Time Pleads For VAT Ease
The management of the Bacchanal Time Calypso tent,
has made a plead to the Government to give a VAT concessions to calypso tents this
year.
Bacchanal Time Pleads For VAT Ease
The management of the Bacchanal Time Calypso tent,
has made a plead to the Government to give a VAT concessions to calypso tents this
year.
Co-Manager of the tent, Eric Lewis told Crop Over Vibes that the situation has
placed the tent in a very difficult position of trying to balance their mindfulness
of the recessionary times and the financial sustainability of the tent.
Lewis acknowledge
that had it not been for continued sponsorship, things would have been severely worse.
Calypso about sheep causing a stir
One of the most popular songs of the Crop Over
season so far is "I carry my sleep in town" by the relatively new artiste ''Stiffy''
The
calypso depicts a financially motivated woman, bleating sounds are infuses into certain
words into the chorus.
Some women see the calypso to be funny but others regards it
as being disrespectful to women.
President of the National Organisation of Women,
Yvonne Walkes, said that the song is trying to downplay the great strides women have
made over the years by referring to them as sheep.
Adonijah back in the Pic-O-De- Crop Competition
Veteran calypsonian Adonijah is making
a comeback to the Pic-O-De-Crop Competion after a six year break.
This year is Adonijah
30th in the artform, he won the Road March Competition in 1981 with Rock in Ethiopia.
His best yearin the calypso competition was in 1985 when he placed second to the
mighty Gabby with "Woman" and "Robot".
Adonijah is performing with the Big Show this
year, his two songs are "Bajan Station" and "Barbados X2".
Concerns Over The Quality
of Crop Over Music
Popular DJ Admiral Nelson, has express concerns over the quality
of music that has been released for the season so far.
According to Nelson, essential
elements such as melody and holding keys are missing from most of the songs that
are being played on the airwaves.
Nelson stated that most of these songs were being
recorded by small studios, which were producing them at a cheaper cost.
The veteran
DJ is of the view that bumpers and drinking were the themes of too many songs this
year, and that a number of calypsonians were sounding similar years.
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