A rainy day in Bim!

It's been raining all day and all night, but surprisingly no reports of flooding in Bim! I am feeling good after a week of a bug keeping me quiet the past week.The last while the big discussion here has been the recent Budget presented by the DLP government. Seems like a fairly balanced one except for the reduction of the reverse tax credit! I think that could have been left alone. Most likely the same savings would be achieved by efficiencies in all ministries! Seems that the payment of fees by students attending University of the West Indies in September 2014 is the hot topic instead of impact on those persons making less than $18,000 yearly. Most of the youth I've spoken with think that it is fair that U.W.I. students pay directly some of the costs (about 25%) of their education. Check out analyses by PWC, KPMG, and E and Y, and tell me what you think overall.
Off to catch up on some reading. Enjoy the remainder of August!

Cool photos of Bim by Deanna

A rainy day in Bim, so just relaxing at home reading, and catching up on mail. However, may soon check out Mr. Impact and friends performing for Mo's Grill at Oistins! Please check out these cool pics taken by a friend during her summer stay here by clicking on following link:
http---youtu.be-0QoRXsz6TYY

Boyzie wins second title at Spicemas!

Boyzie wins Road March with "Mas Everywhere" too. Got on a 6:30 a.m. LIAT flight that left at 7 a.m.  on Wednesday after two more days of revelry, mostly by the Careenage this year. Enjoyed Jouvert. Monday Night Mas, and two days of Pretty Mas with the final jump beside the Commancheros Steel Orchestra. Even helped to push the steel pan beds at times ensuring I didn't miss a beat!  The players were too sweet! Did not jump in the Careenage for a swim as I would do at Brandon's Beach in Bim after wukkin-up on de road for a few hours, so paid the price with some back and foot aches the next day! Rectified that with some swimming on Thursday at Dover Beach and later the usual relaxing and most enjoyable jazz session with Mike Sealy and Friends at Ocean 15 Hotel at St. Lawrence Gap! Please see NEWS section for more results of Spicemas, and have a wonderful weekend!

KETURAH is CALYPSO MONARCH of GRENADA!

The results came in close to 4 a.m. this morning as some of the 2,000 strong audience managed to stay and celebrate Keturah George's victory over defending monarch Scholar and eight other calypsonians in the Dimanche Gras Competition held at the National Stadium.She won with "Abuse is a Sickness" and "Calypso Abuse" which she rendered well as six judges scored the finalists on lyrics and melody, 30 points each; rendition and originality, 15 points each, and presentation 10 points. Scholar was second with "Invocation" and his popular "Cannot Deliver"; Sour Serpent placed third with "Spin Bowler" and "Witchcraft", while Sheldon Douglas was fourth with "Don't Forget" and "R.I.P". In sixth position was Rootsman Kelly; sixth was Randy Issac; seventh was Papa Jerry; eighth was tied with Foopy and Smallies, and in tenth spot was Shanda.
LIME Commancheros won Queen of the Band while Lazarus Antoine and Associates won King of the Band in competition with Helen Marie and Associates and Andre Garvey and Associates.
As I write now about 10:30 a.m. I take an occasional glimpse of  Jouvert from the balcony of a good friend which overlooks the Careenage from about 400 metres away. As a matter of fact we are not too far from Kirani james Blvd.! The jab jabs are well greased with oil, and the revellers are smothered in paint and mud and oil too as they jam to the latest music since 5 a.m. I am mostly hearing Whole Day We Jamming by Blaka Dan, as the DJ music trucks, steelbands, and percussion groups pelt out sweet and even humourous songs like "Washie Has Big Balls", and "Rolly Polly"(by Mr. Killa)!
See NEWS for detailed results of competitions please.
Wow, wow one more day of fantastic Carnival action... ah liking the vibe! Probably have some more 'oildown' with Delee and Dynasty today to recharge my system for Mas tonight and tomorrow!

Blacka Dan and Boyzie on top at National Stadium in Grenada!

Last night was certainly another fantastic night at the National Stadium in Grenada! I estimate over 7,000 patrons enjoyed themselves until just after four this morning as the finalists of the Groovy Soca Monarch and the Soca Monarch  Spicemas competitions energised this mostly under forty years audience. Around 5 a.m. Blacka Dan was crowned the 2013 Groovy Soca Monarch and Boyzie the Soca Monarch. If you weren't there it would be hard to believe the energy that the patrons still had when guest artistes Blaxx, Lyrical, and Skinny Fabulous came on at the end and had the stadium crowd dancing, singing and jumping to recent hits of the T and T Carnival and Vincymas. This major event, although starting 90 minutes late, and with patrons still arriving near midnight was a high energy affair most of the night. Nearly all of  the performers had spectacular presentations and delivered well! See News section for more results please.

What a celebration of the King himself!!

Wow wow wow! I'm still recuperating from that outstanding celebration of Ajamu's fiftieth birthday and thirty years as a performer of well crafted calypso and satisfying soca at the National Stadium last night! Thanks to a good lunch and a few Stags compliments of Delee and Dynasty on the balcony of Andala's in St. George's today I am now enjoying a CPL game between the Zouks and the Tridents on TV.
After dancing for pretty well five hours straight to the outstanding performances of Inspector, Black Wizard, Pink Panther, Swallow, Red Plastic Bag, Baron, Gypsy, Singing Sandra, the King himself Ajamu, a few of us left the grounds after David Rudder performed. I heard the fete didn't finish until after 3 p.m. What a jam! The sound system was excellent, and the ten member band with three back-up singers and the artists were in fine form. Except for an annoying light spotting on those of us on the grounds I estimate the over 4,000 patrons, including those in the stands, had a great time!Most were singing, swaying, and dancing throughout the evening. Tomorrow I must get a sea-bath to aid my tired feet at Grand Anse Beach tomorrow before hitting the Soca Monarch Competition at the National Stadium at 8 p.m.!

It was a hot Kadooment Day for sure!

Yes it was one of the warmest days for the season. Perspiration was dripping from so many beautifully costumed bodies, including those of Rihanna and Machel Montano! This is the first time in 20 years that I have not jumped all the way from at least Bankhall Crossroads to Spring Garden. Stopped by Wadadah's stall by Victoria St. and was made an honourary member of the Bankhall Folks Reunion 2013, and presented with a wristband by Ivor as Michael and Trevor Barrow protested but ever so softly! Had some tasty food and a couple beers by the Banks double decker stall on the Garden itself before swimming in the ocean nearby. Was surprised that Condense Condense by Porgy and Murduh, and Question of De Year by Coopah Dan weren't in the prize mix for Roadmarch since they were played very often all day on and beside the road, but then again there are special judging points where the bands must play the tune for it to be counted! Thought the winner would be Roll It by Mikey and Blood, and so it was! Here are the official results:

The Tune of De Crop for Crop Over 2013 is Roll It by Soca Kartel.  Their prize is $7500.

In a three-way tie for second place:

Behave Pon It by Lil Rick
Boat by Bobo featuring Fadda Fox
Dibby in a Fete by Verseewild

COHOBBLOPOT at Kensington Oval!

Cohobblopot was indeed well ignited last night by several performers! David Rudder and Red Plastic Bag were in fine form although arriving the same day from what i heard were outstanding performances in Toronto at the Double Tree Hotel in Toronto the night before. Bungi and Faye Ann Lyons had the crowd rocking as the audience swelled to what I think was at least 5,000 patrons. My group of limers, Snowman, Juliet, Gail, Carole, Michelle, Brian, Michael, enjoyed particularly Edwin, Mr. Dale, Soca Kartel, Biggie Irie, Bobo, Rupee, Lil Rick, and RPB! We left about 2 a.m. near the end to get some king fish from the coal pot and sweet potato platters of a vendor on Baxter's Rd. After that, Snowman insisted on a quick stop at Pink Star to pick up some lead-pipes to soak up the rest of the red Frutee we were drinking. Actually I took  mine home to have with my tea which I am finishing off  now before I head to the National Stadium to absorb the beauty of over 20 costumed bands as Crop-Over climaxes with Grand Kadooment. My traditional sea-bath at Brandon's Beach by Spring Garden after jumping beside the bands on the long winding route will be my last celebration for the season.... in Bim! Off to Grenada on Wednesday for a week of Spicemas...wow wow!!

IAN WEBSTER is the new Calypso Monarch of Barbados!

I am barely awake as I only had two hours sleep before I did my report to Kaiso Rising on CHRY 105.5 FM in Toronto and around the world at CHRY.FM. Yes it was a smashing Foreday Morning Jam with over 25 bands painted in mud and paint jamming from Bridgetown to Spring Garden Highway. That modified Mosaic pan side, with Ryan Blackman leading a wicked horn section and sweet iron pulsating in ways that one had to make sweet movementations whether watching from the side or dancing beside them, was outstanding!
What could be sweeter after a great show at Kensington Oval by Ian Webster, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, Blood, Colin Spencer, Aziza, Mr. Dale, TC, Serenader, Adrian Clarke, and Sir Ruel?! Webster won not only the crown but a Ford Focus car said to be valued around $88, 000 in Barbadian currency. Cummins-Beckles placed second, Blood third, Spencer fourth, Aziza fifth. Eight judges, mostly musicians themselves, scored them on lyrics. melody, rendition, and presentation.
Tomorrow night at this same Oval will see another hot show titled Cohobblopot which will be non-competitive and may even be more enjoyable especially for the party people. On Monday is the climax with costume bands parading from the National Stadium to Spring Garden Highway to the sweetest songs of the season. I had better get some rest now so I can continue to fully participate in this "sweetest summer festival"!!