Successful September I wish you! Where does the time go? Well if you are busy enjoying the summer by attending several CropOver and Spicemas events, and by seeing your grandaughter frolic on the beach it goes quickly, and nicely!
It was another year of sweet tunes with some of my favourite Crop Over soca: "Soca You" by Adrian Clarke; "I Am Alive" by Red Plastic Bag; "Breakfast In Bed" by Lil Rick; "Feting Family" by Mikey; and "Jiggle Jiggle" by King Bubba! Some of my fave calypsoes were " Conversation With Bussa by Smokey Burke; "Kaiso Ain' Afraid by Structure; Sexual Harassment by Mr. Blood; Prayer for De Children by Donella, and Great Again by Jude Clarke. After a few tent nights, Soca Royale at Bushy Park, and the Calypso Finals at the Oval, and a Kadooment Day where I missed the live bands, especially a steelband on the road, I headed to Grenada for Spicemas!
There I enjoyed the Groovy Soca competition at the packed National Stadium but could not stay awake to even the middle of the Power Soca performances which ended after four in the morning! Chipping behind Flow Commancheros Steelband to their sweet renditions of Trouble in the Morning by Vaughn, Tombstone by Mandela Linkz, Pum-Pum by Scholar, and Get in Yuh Section by Little Natty and Thunda a.k.a. Wuss Ways was the highlight of Spicemas for me! Another highlight of my visit to Grenada was the Friday night after the finale Pretty Mas on Tuesday when I saw Kidnap Love, a well-crafted comedy written, directed and presented by Richardo Keens-Douglas! This slightly over 90-minute play was well received by an audience of around seven hundred at the Trade Centre as the six actors gave excellent performances. I heard it was repeated two weekends later to another appreciative audience of about four hundred and fifty patrons. It is certainly a drama that can be repeated internationally!
Now I am working on presenting a first for Canada: An Intimate Evening with Red Plastic Bag! It is a concert in a Toronto theatre where RPB will take us on a celebration of his forty year music journey! He will play his guitar while singing his classic hits, and he will be accompanied by Neu Jenarashun, an outstanding nine-piece band with three talented horn players! This special show takes place on Friday, October 26 at 8:30 p.m. at the Armenian Youth Centre Theatre, 50 Hallcrown Place in Toronto. For those who like sweet music, you will not want to miss it! Please contact me at alexbajan2018@gmail.com for more information.
In the meantime, I will leave you with a list of some of the best songs, in no particular order, of Crop-Over and Spicemas:

1. SOCA YOU - AC
2. BREAKFAST IN BED - LIL RICK
3. TROUBLE IN THE MORNING - VAUGHN
4. I AM ALIVE - RED PLASTIC BAG
5. FETING FAMILY - MIKEY
6. CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSSA - SMOKEY BURKE
7. KAISO AIN'T AFRAID/WE HAVE TO WORK - STRUCTURE
8. TOMBSTONE - MANDELA LINKZ
9. PUM PUM - SCHOLAR
10. RAIN - BOBO
11.BEST IN ME - IWEB
12.GIFTED - DASH
13. THE CCJ - ROOTSMAN KELLY
14. GREAT AGAIN - JUDE CLARKE
15. SEXUAL HARASSMENT - MR. BLOOD
16. PRAYER FOR DE CHILDREN - DONELLA
17. COME OVER/AH COMING OUT - BARACKA
18. DEAR FATHER - COLIN SPENCER
19. ADARA - IWEB
20. JIGGLE JIGGLE - KING BUBBA
21. PIECE AH DE ROCK - CHRYSTAL CUMMINS-BECKLES
22. MUDDA SALLY/TRUE STORY - LIL RICK
23. COUNTRY - BIGGIE IRIE
24. FEELING GOOD -SHELDON DOUGLAS
25. FUNKY BUSINESS - FIMBA (VincyMas)
26. FETE LOAN - SANCTUARY
27. AT LARGE - MARVAY
28. BOLD AND BRAVE - MR. DALE
29. GET IN YUH SECTION - WUSS WAYS a.k.a. Lil Natty & Thunda
30. THANK GOD FOR SOCA - PAPPY-BOI
31. TICK TOCK - STATEMENT
32. UP IN IT - BOYZIE
33. LOYAL SIDEMAN - BLAKA DAN
34. BILLBOARD - SEX CHANGE
35. CHANT OF THE SUMMER - SHORTPREE

Peace out!
aw

Since returning from Dominica in March it has been an enjoyable time in good ole Bim! I must say that Dominica was another great experience in my life. My first visit to Dominica was very different to my first trip to Nairobi and Maasai Mara in Kenya, and yet they were both enjoyable! Staying in Maasai Mara with the Me To We program was luxury that I did not expect but was quite welcome. Staying in Kalinago Territory and Canefield,next to the capital Roseau, in Dominica was a little rough but was very pleasant. I went to both places to do some volunteer building and a little sightseeing.  In the Masai Mara area, I was helping plaster walls for new classrooms at a local elementary school while in Kalinago Territory it was mainly making windows and doors for new mostly plywood small houses. In Masai Mara, my daughter Alexandra and I slept on beds in a large tent with bathroom and electricity. In Dominica, I slept on a mattress on the floor, limited solar lighting, and cold showers, except for one bath at a warm sulphur spring. Mind you I could have slept in a bed which a Carib couple, who had lost their entire house to hurricane Maria on September 18,2017 and who were staying at their son’s house, gave to me on my first night there. When I realized what was happening I had to insist that I sleep on the floor in the living room and they sleep in his bedroom. Their hospitality, especially my new friend’s mother, was outstanding during my stay!

So was the hospitality of their neighbours and many of the approximately 2,500 people who lived in hamlets with names such as Salybia, Mahaut, Sinekou, St. Cyr, Bataca, Touna Aute, Gaulette River, and Crayfish River in St. David parish. The resilience of these Caribs is wonderful. I did not do enough work to help families complete their mostly wooden houses made of plywood and hardwood from the nearby forest! I helped on only one of the few cement brick houses. There are some houses that have been built to withstand strong storms and they intend to build more, but I guess most persons just want to have their own homes after shacking up in shelters and tents for several months now. Electricity is lacking as many of the poles are down or leaning precariously over the rough roads. It is an extensive job for the water company DOWASCO, the electric company DOMLEC, and the Internet providers FLOW and DIGICEL to restore their services to pre-Maria levels!

I hope that they will concentrate more on this Carib Territory soon. Although there is plenty devastation one can still see and feel the beauty of this 15 square kilometres northeast coastal district. Indeed Dominica is a beautiful island!

In Bim I was pleased to attend the official launch of the Red Foundation at Holder’s House in St. James on March 17^th! “Le Diner en Rouge” was very tasty and most enjoyable as we were serenaded by Kellie Cadogan and Roger Gittens. They jazzed up several RPB tunes beautifully! Alvin Jemmott the Chairman of this charity in his brief address said, “ The Red Foundation grew out of the desire for renowned Caribbean entertainer and businessman, Stedson Wiltshire a.k.a. Red Plastic Bag (Bag), to give back to a society that has given so much to him.” Also, he said, “there is an old African proverb that says “It takes a Village to raise a child.”  It means that a child does not just grow up within a home, where there may be a single parent or a combination of parents, but a child will grow up in a community, a village.  That a child will not grow up just in a home but in a social world with input and understanding from the village.  That child will thrive if he lives surrounded by people who have a sense of community. A sense of community means that we all feel responsibility to promote the concept of love thy neighbor, that we look out for each other, be our brother’s keeper, be there for those who need us, respect others; and that the elders in each community seek to pass on wisdom, customs, standards and practices to the youth, in a way that helps them to grow and to also nurture the community.” He outlined that their “It takes a Village”  program is one that will seek to bring like-minded individuals and agencies together to work towards strengthening communities and facilitating guidance for at-risk youth in communities across the islands – home communities, geographical communities, school communities, and that Red Foundation will seek funding to assist these efforts. Stedson Wiltshire, the founder and patron, noted that The Red Foundation’s mission is to “mobilize people and resources to work together to relieve poverty, help those in need and elevate society through education and  community empowerment.”

The Board comprises Stedson Wiltshire  - Patron/ Founder; Alvin  Jemmott  - Chairman; Henderson Griffith - Deputy Chairman; Kim Deane  - Treasurer; Gail Callender  -  Secretary; Erica Smith, and  Dr. Juliet Daniel. I urge you to support this very worthy cause however you can! You may contact The Foundation by email: Redfoundationbarbados246@gmail.com.

Plenty Bajan activities in GTA this Autumn!

It's almost officially autumn and the weather continues to be nice this September in the Greater Toronto Area! Earlier this week I came back to Toronto from a very enjoyable Crop Over Festival and Carifesta 13 in Barbados. The Canadian contingent of Roger Gibbs, Macomere Fifi, Susan G., Moses Lewis, Judith Lezama, Rhoma Spencer, Michael Lashley, and at least thirty other artists represented well on the concert stage at the Esplanade on Bay Street in the parish of St. Michael and on stage during the Marketplace at the Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre during Carifesta! Alexandra and I especially liked the signal dance event at Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium where some of the most outstanding pieces were performed by excellent dancers from St. Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Belize, and Barbados!
Now I am looking forward to attending the 10th Annual Errol Barrow Memorial Dinner in Toronto on September 23rd where Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is the guest speaker, and Barbados Day in Ottawa the next day which will feature Allison Hinds, Red Plastic Bag, Lil Rick, Marvay, Susan G, Nikita,Rum and Koke,Elan Trotman, top chef Creig Greenidge, and mixologists Philip Antoine and Trevor Burnett, investment and tourist information,among other activities!
On October 14th I will be producing Laugh Fuh Days featuring two of the hottest young comedians of the Caribbean Chrispen Hackett and Simon Alleyne, better known as Rum and Koke! In the newly refurbished 600 seat De La Salle College Auditorium at 131 Farnham Avenue in Toronto it will be belly bursting laughter with this dynamic duo from Barbados! Roger Gibbs will be playing his guitar and singing some hilarious calypsoes and folk songs too. The flyer,with more information, will be available shortly.
In the meantime enjoy this beautiful warm weather,.... and donate what you can to the victims of Irma in Barbuda through the efforts of the Antigua and Barbuda Consulate on St. Clair Ave, and Tropicana Community Services in Scarborough. Also,here are some songs that you, family, and friends can enjoy. Peace out!

AW's BARBADOS 2017 CROP OVER FESTIVAL TOP TUNES!
1. BOATRIDE - RED PLASTIC BAG

2. PARADISE - TC & BUGGY NKENTE

3. BLESSING/ENERGY - LIL RICK

4. GIVE IT TO YUH - MARZVILLE

5. TAX-HE/BEGGAR/WINNERS CIRCLE - EDWIN

6. COLLATERAL - SHAQUILLE

7. ANTIDOTE - MARVAY

8. PICK ME UP - SANCTUARY

9. DE TWO OF WE - GRYNNER & RAS ILEY

10. ADVANTAGE OF ME - LIL RICK

11. SPLIT IN DE MIDDLE - FREEZY

12. ALL KINDA GIRLS/WAIT TILL TONITE - LIL RICK

13. LOVAH/SALESMAN/UP - I WEB

14. CARRY FESTIVAL/SAME WAY- NIKITA

15. INCREDIBLE GIRL - KIRK BROWN

16. REHAB - BIGGIE IRIE

17. SINGLE(ANSWER BACK)/HIGH - ALISON HINDS

18. UPSIDE DOWN - PETER RAM

19. DIP - HYPASOUNDS

20. RIGHT HERE- MR. DALE

21. SOCA MADE ME DO IT - KING BUBBA & LIL RICK

22. WOOD - SCRILLA

It's Spring! It's Festival time!

I just got back to Toronto from Barbados a few days ago and it was feeling rather cold! You are probably saying what does he expect when he is coming from thirty to ten degrees Celcius!Ah but it's warmer this week and will be hotter in more ways than one as Victoria Day weekend approaches. Actually, in about ten days it will be the very hot and sweet BARBADOS ON THE WATER FESTIVAL at Harbourfront Centre, downtown Toronto! From 6 p.m on Friday, May 26th until 7 p.m. on Sunday 28th you will experience Barbadian culture at its best! Outstanding musicians, thespians, artists, fashion, and tasty dishes will be features that you will not want to miss. Two very special presentations will be Laff It Off with Rum and Koke as the opening act, and Barrow: Freedom Fighter; the first two shows being some of the very best live comedy fresh from Barbados, and Barrow: Freedom Fighter a well-produced and acted docu-drama about the first Prime Minister of Barbados filmed in Barbados! Also, in concert there will be top notch performers Red Plastic Bag, Edwin, Arturo Tappin, Rupee, Mighty Grynner, Biggie Irie, Lil' Rick, Peter Ram, Marvay, King Bubba, Kellie Cadogan, Eddie and Quincy Bullen, Two Mile Hill Band, Gibbs Brothers, Susan G., Sonia Collymore, among others. Excellent chefs Craig Greenidge and Chris De La Rosa, and mixologist Philip Antoine will be giving demonstrations that will satisfy your taste buds! Please see full schedule below or check Harbourfrontcentre.com as Barbados salutes Canada's 150th Anniversary this month!

Joyful times in Bim as 2016 comes to an end!

Prince Henry of Wales, Rihanna, and Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

Special greetings to you at this holy time! It has been awhile since I blogged. Tempus fugit! It is now officially winter in Canada and I’m still enjoying a somewhat rainy season despite a cold which didn’t dampen my independence celebrations of Bim. I especially liked the unveiling of the 50^th Anniversary of Independence National Monument at the Garrison Savannah, St. Michael. The next day the Nation newspaper reported, “The unifying tone of the hour-long ceremony was set with a comprehensive prayer session by Hindu practitioner Pundit Thakor Pradash, Dr. John Hunte from the Spiritual Baptist faith and Dr. John Holder, Anglican Bishop of Barbados.” Also enjoyable was the Golden Anniversary Spectacular Mega Concert at Kensington Oval that same November 30^th night. Several dignitaries attended including Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Prince Henry of Wales, and Rihanna. It featured several talented performances from the calypso, spouge, soca, and pop music genres of Bim! There were outstanding performances during this five hour free event that saw over ten thousand patrons.

Prince Henry, more popularly known as Prince Harry, who was on a 15-day tour of the Caribbean, brought on to the stage a Bajan environmentalist, Jamilla Sealy, and said, to cheers from the crowds, she had been named one of the Queen's Young Leaders for 2017.

He told us that, "She has been selected as one of the 60 exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth who are making an extraordinary impact in the lives of others. She will travel to London next year to build relationships with her peers from around the world and to be honoured by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. I know that we will be hearing a lot more about her in the years to come."

Among the Bajan artists performing during the night was Emile Straker, lead singer of The Merrymen, a group which has performed over fifty years to international audiences, and Red Plastic Bag - Stedson Wiltshire - a hugely popular calypsonian singer who too has performed in Europe, America and the Caribbean to great acclaim during a career spanning more than 30 years. We saw a reunion of The Sandpebbles which included original members, Norman Barrow on bass guitar, Roger Gibbs, lead singer who lives in Toronto, Canada,  and Andy Weekes on drums (who now lives just outside Munchen in Germany and has not performed in Barbados in over 25 years), and an outstanding refreshing duet performance of Allison Hinds and Edwin Yearwood!

So now we are a few days from Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, so I want to wish you happy holidays and God’s blessings for 2017! I say Chag Chanukkah Sameach, Merry Christmas, and Joyous Kwanzaa!   

I am presently reading From “Superman” to Man by J.A. Rogers on loan from my friend L.D. Perch, and The Dark Land by Ronald A. Williams, his fifth well-written novel in as many years which can be purchased at Cave Shepherd in Bridgetown. In case you missed them their names are: Four Saints and an Angel, A Death in Panama, A Voice from the Tomb, and The Butterflies Coat. I highly recommend that you give any of these as a present at this special time. Also, I think you will find the CD titled Bim: Folk Songs of Barbados by the Gibbs Brothers, and the coffee table book Beyond Rum and Salt Fish excellent gifts for this festive season!

In the meantime, I continue to give thanks for a beautiful Xmas gift from my son Julian as Katherine gave birth to Liana on Tuesday the 20^th!!

Andre and Penny were outstanding at Olympics 2016!

Those heady days in Rio are now over but we still continue to enjoy the success of the Canadian athletes who garnered twenty two medals! Penny Oleksiah became the first Canadian to win four medals, one gold, one silver and two bronze, at a summer Olympics games!Andre DeGrasse  became the first Canadian to win three sprint medals, one silver and two bronze in the same Olympics and was the recipient of three of Canada's six track and field medals in Rio! She is 16 years old and he is 21. Great going for these youths in their first Olympics!Congratulations son and to all  who represented Canada and the other 204 countries too!

LIL RICK and GWYNETH SQUIRES TAKE HOME THE TOP PRIZES ON GRAND KADOOMENT DAY in BARBADOS!

Lil' Rick captured the Tune of the Crop or Road March yesterday with "I's a Bajan", while Stiffy's "Tek Off Someting" placed second, and tied for third most plays at selected judging points were Grynner's "Turn Up De Speaker", and Marzville's "Bang Bim". Lil Rick' prize was $7,500, Stiffy received $5,000 and Grynner and Marzville earned $1,000 each.  Gwyneth Squires won big band of the festival with her "Spirit of our Nationhood". Unfortunately after leading her band through the National Stadium at the start of the parade outstanding bandleader Renee Ratcliffe of Jump Promotions Happy Go Lucky Band died on her way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown. Our condolences to her family and close friends.

Aziza wins Barbados Calypso Monarch Competition!

Aziza makes history by being the youngest person and the second woman to win the calypso crown at the annual Crop Over Festival in Barbados. Around 1:40 a.m. today she bursted into tears as her name was announced after Ian Webster came second, Mr. Blood placed third and Crystal Cummins-Beckles and Donella tied for fourth position. She won a Mazda car from MQI worth over 70,000 Barbados dollars. Her winning songs were "Bring Back Respect" and "One People, One Nation". MQI and Mount Gay Rum were the title sponsors of this keenly contested PIC-O-DE-CROP COMPETITION.

Edwin and Lil Rick are tops at Soca Royale at Bushy Park, St. Philip, Barbados!

Edwin Yearwood came first in the MQI/ 98.1FM Sweet Soca Monarch competition with "Home Sweet Home". In second place was Marvay with "Know De Face", while in third position was Peter Ram with "Good Morning", and in fourth spot was Mr. Dale with "Nuttin Sweetuh"!
In the Party Monarch competition Lil Rick with "I's A Bajan" was the winner. In second place was Mr. Blood with "Get On Bad", while Peter Ram placed third with "The Tribe", and Mikey was in fourth position with "Live Fuh This". The winners of the competitions were awarded a KIA car worth about BBD$80,000, $10,000, a flight to New York compliments of Jet Blue,and a vacation package at Divi Southwinds Hotel, among other prizes. If my memory serves me correctly Edwin's "Home Sweet Home" is one of only two songs that he did not write and record in his over 25 year career! His beautiful song "Happy Birthday" was written by Ian Wiltshire and released in 1998, and this 2016 winner was written by Jason "Shaft" Bishop. So far this year's Crop Over Festival has been most enjoyable. If you have not checked out the beautiful art displayed in the Grande Salle of the Central Bank and at Pelican Village, Bridgetown please do it this week because you won't be disappointed! Next Saturday we look forward to another keen song contest as the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados presents the Calypso Monarch competition at Kensington Oval at 8 p.m.

Four Women Going to Calypso Finals on July 30th at Kensington Oval, Barbados!

Aziza, Donella, TC and Crystal Cummins-Beckles are the four women among nine persons who will be competing against reigning king Classic for the Calypso crown of Barbados! Joining them will be two time Calypso Monarchs Adrian Clarke and Ian Webster a.k.a. iWeb, Adonijah, Mr. Blood, and Colin Spencer. Smokey Burke is the reserve.
It was a most enjoyable Friday evening as the 18 semi-finalists performed two songs to an audience of about 1,500 at the National Stadium. From 7 p.m. with the opening classic song Cat Attack by Observer, it was a night of quality music and performances until about 12:30 a.m. This included a thirty minute intermission. My partnuh, who likes attending the Calypso competitions yearly, and I particularly enjoyed the first timers for Semis Jamal Slocombe and Aziza, Apache, as well as the Finalists! The Finals will be a keen contest, and we anticipate another enjoyable night come Saturday July 30th!

Tonight, July 15th, it is the Barbados Calypso Monarch Semi-finals at the National Stadium!

It's that time again during the Crop-Over Festival when many of us who like good music focus our attention on a keen competition to see who will be judged worthy of moving on to the Pic-O-De-Crop Calypso Monarch Finals taking place on Saturday July 30th at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown by a panel of ten judges selected by the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados! Here is a list of the calypsonians performing for the eight spots available to compete against reigning Monarch Classic:

2016 MQI/Mount Gay PIC-O-DE-CROP COMPETITION
tabulated by Price Waterhouse Coopers SRL
TENT	ARTIST
Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent	Adela
Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent	Aziza
Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent	Colin Spencer
Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent	Donella
De Big Show	Adonijah
De Big Show	Adrian Clarke
De Big Show	Chrystal Cummins-Beckles
De Big Show	iWeb
De Big Show	Jamal Slocombe (JSlo)
De Big Show	T.C
Headliners Tent	Mr. Blood
Headliners Tent	Smokey Burke
House of Soca	Amazing Dre
House of Soca	Sammy G
House of Soca	Sir Ruel
Super Gladiators	Julie
The Experience Calypso Tent	Apache
The Experience Calypso Tent	Billboard
RESERVE
Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent	Hee Haw

Songs are as follows:

JSlo:                 Be A Politician & The New Normal

Billboard:          State of te Art & Lick Dem

MrBlood:           Female Monarchy & How To Get Away With Murder

Ah-Dee-Lah:      I Now Land & Barbados Your Mother

 Adonijah:         Bashment Commentary & That Is a Bajan

Donella:            The Criteria & The Vision

Julie:                 Barbados Happy 50th & You Can Do Better

T.C.:                  Tek What Yuh  Get & Golden Age

Apache:             Mr. Forgetful & For De People

Sir Ruel:            Save the Environment & Paper View

Chrystal Cummings-Beckles: That's What Barbados Means to Me & Hall of Fame

Aziza:                  One People One Nation & Bring Back Respect

iWeb [Ian Webster]:      Rights & Big Up

Amazing Dre:        Meterological Terms & Granny

AC [Adrian Clarke]:     49 Not Out & What Is A Politician

Smokey Burke:      King Kaiso & All The Way to the Bank

Colin Spencer:      No Trussing & Toilet Paper

Sammy G:            Colour Blind & Optimistic 

Athletics Canada Team Nominated for Rio 2016

Posted on 11 July 2016 by Athletics Canada

TORONTO (July 11, 2016) – On Monday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Athletics Canada named the 65 athletes nominated to represent Team Canada in athletics at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from August 5 to 21.

Some of the athletes selected include: Shawn Barber (pole vault, 2015 World Champion) and Derek Drouin (high jump, 2015 World Champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist) as well as 2015 IAAF World Championship individual medallists Andre De Grasse (sprints), Brianne Theisen-Eaton (heptathlon), Benjamin Thorne (race walk) and Damian Warner (decathlon). The team is led by Head Coach and Chief Technical Officer, Peter Eriksson.

The athletes earned their spots at the Canadian Championships and Selection Trials which took place July 7-10 at Foote Field in Edmonton, Alberta.

All athletics competitions will be held at the Olympic Stadium (Engenhão), except for the marathons which will take place in the area of Sambódromo and race walking events in Pontal.

At Rio 2016, Canada expects to field a team of approximately 315 athletes.


QUOTES

“This is the strongest and most well-rounded team I have ever been a part of. The team counts multiple world medallists and a talented roster who will challenge for the podium on the track, and in the field. My teammates and I are ready to compete for Canada in Rio.”

Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Rio 2016 athlete

“Following a very competitive Trials in Edmonton, we have nominated a versatile and focused group of athletes who will be ready to perform on-demand in Rio. The team is comprised of veterans who have already experienced international success, and up-and-coming athletes who are ready to take the next step.” 

Peter Eriksson, Head Coach, Athletics Canada

“The recent results of these nominees is very good reason for Canada to be excited about track and field. This group continues to grow and I’m excited to see what they will bring to Rio. I wish all of you the absolute best in your final preparations as you set your sights for success.”

Curt Harnett, Rio 2016 Team Canada Chef de Mission

“As excitement grows for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, I know our track and field athletes are ready to make an extra effort to push for the podium against the world’s best. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I commend the work done by Athletics Canada to prepare our athletes named today to Team Canada. We’re all behind you.”

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

Prior to being named to the final Canadian Rio 2016 Team, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations.

- See more at: http://athletics.ca/athletics-canada-team-nominated-rio-2016/#sthash.oNkE9rb0.dpuf

Canadians compete in Edmonton on the road to Rio!

Canada’s deepest, most talented

pool of track and field athletes

ever set to compete in Edmonton

Posted on: 05 July 2016

Canada’s deepest, most talented pool of track and field athletes ever set

 to compete in Edmonton for Olympic and Paralympic berths

 to the Games in Rio de Janeiro 

EDMONTON – The Road to Rio is crowded with talented Canadians who

 will all be at the Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials

 this weekend to punch their tickets to the 2016 Summer Olympics and

 Paralympics in Brazil.

Led by the likes of sprinters Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown, and 2015

world champions Shawn Barber (pole vault) and Derek Drouin (high jump),

 the lineup of athletes from July 7-10 at Foote Field may be the deepest

 and most talented ever at a Canadian Trials.

“The 2016 Trials are shaping up to be the best in our history, with more than

 70 athletes entering with the Olympic standard, and 15 with the Paralympic standard,”

 said Peter Eriksson, Athletics Canada Head Coach and Chief Technical Officer.

 “The depth and level of competition will serve the athletes well as they enter 

their Rio final preparation phase.”

The high points that Edmonton track and field fans can look forward to this weekend include:

• De Grasse, Canada’s 2015 breakout sprint star, going head-to-head with Brown in
•  the men’s 100 and 200-metre dashes. Brown had his own breakthrough at a Florida meet
•  in June, posting a best time of 9.96 seconds to serve notice Canada has two sub-10-second
•  sprinters heading to Rio.
• A high jump duel between Drouin, the 2015 world champion, and Mike Mason, who pushed
•  his Canadian rival at last year’s Canadian Track and Field Championships, also held at 
• Foote Field.
• Melissa Bishop, the 800-metre runner who won silver at the 2015 World’s in dramatic fashion,
•  has twice run sub-1:59.00 times this season, promising results in an Olympic year.
• The 100-metre hurdles will be intensely competitive, with specialists Nikkita Holder
•  and Phylicia George being pushed by heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton.
• Edmonton’s Angela Whyte will also be in the 100-metre hurdle mix. Whyte, 
• whose first major international competition for Canada was the 2001 World Championships
•  in Athletics at Commonwealth Stadium, has a serious shot at qualifying for her third
•  Olympic Games at 36 years of age.
• In the field events, javelin thrower Elizabeth Gleadle is looking to improve on
•  the 11th-place finish at 2015 World’s. Long jumper Christabel Nettey was a strong fourth
•  in Beijing in 2015.
• All-around athletes Brianne Theisen-Eaton (heptathlon) and Damian Warner (decathlon),
•  both won silver medals at the 2015 World’s and brought home gold from the prestigious
•  Hypo Meet in Gotzis, Austria in May.
• Headlining the field of Paralympians is Guillaume Ouellet, who won gold in the 5,000-metres
•  in dramatic fashion in the heat and humidity of Doha, Qatar at the 2015
•  International Paralympic Committee World Championships.
• In wheelchair racing look for Michelle Stilwell (T52 classification) and Diane Roy
•  (T54 classification). Stilwell won gold and silver at the 2012 London Games,
•  and a pair of gold medals in Beijing 2008. Diane Roy has 5 Paralympic Games
•  medals to her name, and won gold and bronze at the Parapan Am Games in Toronto
•  last summer.
• In wheelchair throws Pamela LeJean and Becky Richter are IPC and Parapan Am medallists

If you can’t make it to Foote Field AthleticsCanada.tv has you covered with a free live webcast

of the event beginning on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. MT / 1:00 p.m. ET. The live webcast is 

also available through Athletics Canada’s new mobile app.

For ticket information, fans should visit TrackTownCan.com. 

Tickets also can be purchased at the Foote Field box office.

- See more at: http://athletics.ca/2016trialspreview/#sthash.X7bbtdBh.dpuf

ANDRE CONTINUES WINNING WAYS AT HARRY JEROME CLASSIC in Vancouver on Friday June 17, 2016!

The Harry Jerome International Track Classic is held annually in honour of Harry Jerome, whose talent and tenacity on and off the track inspired a generation of Canadians to “never give up” in their own endeavours. His legacy of athletic excellence and commitment to youth and sport remain pillars of motivation and inspiration today

Men 100 Meter Dash Fairmont Pacific Rim

1 Andre De Grasse Canada 10.32 -1.4

2 Joe Morris United States 10.41 -1.4

3 Kemar Hyman CAY 10.48 -1.4

4 Akeem Haynes Canada 10.51 -1.4

5 Arthur Delaney United States 10.58 -1.4

6 Jerome Blake Canada 10.64 -1.4

7 Donate Richards-Kwok Canada 10.67 -1.4

--- Ryan Bailey United States DNF -1.4

Men 200 Meter Dash CTV

1 Andre De Grasse Canada 20.46 0.2

2 Joe Morris United States 20.61 0.2

3 Arthur Delaney United States 21.06 0.2

4 Donate Richards-Kwok Canada 21.16 0.2

5 Jerome Blake Canada 21.37 0.2

6 Tremaine Harris Canada 21.82 0.2

7 Francis Klimo Canada 22.14 0.2

--- Jermy Dodson SAM DNF 0.2

Men 400 Meter Run Fairmont Pacific Rim

1 Jeremy Wariner United States 46.64

2 Nathan George Canada 47.06

3 Rayshaun Franklin Canada 47.76

4 Michael Aono Canada 48.16

5 Frankie Wright United States 48.66

6 Quin Litherland Canada 48.69

7 Daniel Kelloway Canada 48.94

--- Phliip Osei Canada DNF

Men 800 Meter Run Resonance Branding

1 Anthony Romaniw Canada 1:47.36

2 Harun Abda United States 1:47.55

3 Alex Ullman Canada 1:48.47

4 Prince Mumba Zambia 1:48.62

5 Dusty Solis United States 1:48.64

6 Cory Bellemore Canada 1:48.78

7 Duane Solomon United States 1:50.23

8 Geoff Harris Canada 1:51.94

--- Mark Wieczorek Pace United States DNF

Men 800 Meter Run National TIMEX

1 Sacha Smart Canada 1:48.93

2 Hans Roelle United States 1:49.71

3 Adam Paul Morris Canada 1:50.00

4 Brendon Restall Canada 1:50.22

5 Cameron Proceviat Canada 1:50.31

6 Matthew Swanson Canada 1:50.47

7 Daniel Block Canada 1:50.59

8 Tyler Smith Canada 1:50.96

9 Lukas Jarron Canada 1:51.35

10 Dean Ellenwood Canada 1:51.54

11 Tommy Land Canada 1:53.04

--- Joshua Johnson Pace Canada DNF

On Sunday May 29th it's Kellie Cadogan, Vita Chambers, and Marisa Lindsay, among other superb musicians at BOTW at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto!

On this Queen Victoria Day holiday (In Quebec "National Patriotes Day" or Journée Nationale des Patriotes),I'm getting excited as we draw closer to the last weekend in the merry month of May because it will be the return of Barbados on the Water at Harbourfront Centre! Arturo Tappin Band, Allison Hinds, Lil, Rick, Biggie Irie, Eddie Bullen, Quincy Bullen, Roger Gibbs, Susan G. & Neu Jenarashun, and many more will be entertaining us at what will be a fine festival displaying the arts and culture of beautiful Barbados! Here is some information on some of the outstanding performers:
Kellie Cadogan

Jazz singer Kellie Cadogan released her first album "The Nearness of You" in January 2009. The following year she received the Barbados Music Award for Jazz artiste of the year. Since then this dynamic performer, who is also a trained musician and vocal coach, has performed in Brazil, Boston, Belize,Suriname, and music festivals such St. Mary's Jazz festival (Virgin Gorda) the Barbados Jazz Festival, Naniki Music Festival(Barbados),Honey Jazz Barbados and Jazz on the Square at St. Lucia Festival, all to impressive reviews.

Marisa Lindsay

Marisa Lindsay's vocal talent reflects her naturally charismatic personality while drawing the listener in, to reveal a deep, soulful, sensual woman. Her  musical journey encompasses almost every aspect of vocal performance from choir to solo artist, background to lead vocals, from hotels and restaurants to nightclubs, voice-overs to jingles, stage to studio.
Marisa's warm spirit and genuine love for her art is seamlessly woven into the fabric of every performance. Her purpose is evident in her effortless yet compelling presence as she commands her stage. Marisa as a proud representative of Barbados has toured throughout the Caribbean, London, Ireland, Scotland, Toronto, Ottawa Jazz Festival, New York, Las Vegas and Portugal. Marisa has also opened for many international acts such as Air Supply, Brian Mc Knight, Peabo Bryson, Macy Gray and Babyface.

Convinced of the enormous potential of Marisa's talent, Thunder Dome Sounds CEO and Juno Award winning producer, Eddie Bullen, took on the task of personally investing in the recording and the artistic development of Marisa in 2006. Collaborating to achieve mutual goals of success, artist and producer have since created two albums which epitomize the synergy evident in their creative union.

In 2007 , Marisa’s debut album“Submit 2 Love” ,presented her to the world as a major talent coming out of Barbados bridging the gap between standard, contemporary and smooth jazz.In 2009 the pair followed up with “Deeper Love", which marked her foray into R& B/Neo Soul, a departure from the jazz cover tunes that were predominant on her first album.
Committed to documenting Marisa’s artistic evolution as an authentically Barbadian export,  Thunderdome Sounds is set to release the first  single from Marisa’s new album  in the summer of 2016. The album continues the tradition of superb production ,arrangement,signature vocals and the honest purpose driven soul-lyric that Marisa Lindsay fans appreciate.
Prior to the successful launch of her recording career, Marisa was quietly honing her skills, taking time out to expand her musicality and receive vocal training in Cuba. It is this culturally rich island that she credits for the major transformative experiences which molded her into the vocal artiste and vocal coach she is to this day.

Vita Chambers
At age 16 Vita Chambers was signed by Sylvia Rhone to Universal Motown. Vita toured with Justin Bieber as one of his opening acts for twenty seven shows on his My World Tour in 2010, as well as performing at Lilith Fair in 2010, Bamboozle Road Show, PopCon, and touring with Forever The Sickest Kids. She also performed with Estelle at the 2010 Soul Train Awards in Atlanta, and opened the halftime NFL Motown 50th Anniversary show in Detroit in 2009.

She released  her single, "Fix You" on Canadian radio in 2013 as an independent artist, which was nominated for the Best Dance Record for the 2013 Juno awards.Within three months "Fix You" entered the Top 40 and went Gold in Canada and sold over 350,000 copies worldwide. She was the #4 Emerging Artist on the Canada Billboard chart, and was Bell Media "Artist of the Month" in May 2013.

 As an independent artist Vita Chambers has done sixty-five shows throughout Canada since 2013. She opened for Chaka Khan at Pittsburg Pride in 2014, Hamilton Pride and Toronto Pride in 2014 and Winnipeg Pride in 2013 with Christina Maria . Vita also headlined the Vaughn Winter festival in 2015, and for Canada Day in 2015 in Burlington, Ontario. She also toured Tokyo and Thailand in 2014.

In 2014 Vita received two nominations at the Canadian Music Radio Awards for Best New Group or Solo Artist CHR and Best New Group or Solo Artist Dance/Urban/Rhythmic. Her latest projects "Tell Me " and "Atlas" gained #1 spots for four weeks  on the European Indie Chart. Vita writes, co-produces and co- directs all of her music and music videos released under her company Gold Note Productions Ltd. Her next release coming soon is "His Love". This will be her ninth release as an independent artist. 

For schedule of performances please see www.harbourfront.com or www.visitbarbados.org 

Musical group Spice & Company will return to Canada after 21 years! And you must not miss Elan Trotman! Both at Barbados on the Water Festival, downtown Toronto, May 27,28 & 29th!! !

Spice and Company was founded in 1976 by four young teenagers born in Barbados. Alan Sheppard, Dean Straker and Roger Foster went on to compose, arrange and produce a catalogue of hit songs in the Caribbean between 1982 and 1995. Spice & Company toured Canada extensively from 1986 to 1994 gaining massive popularity on the college and university circuit resulting in them being awarded the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities Award for top recording act in 1988.  Shortly after, the group was awarded the Caribbean Band of the Year in 1989 at the Sunshine Awards in Miami.  After numerous hits including the Disney classic "In De Congaline", Spice & Company disbanded in 1995 at the zenith of their career for personal differences.

 In 2010 after a fifteen year hiatus, they came together to produce one of the most talked about shows ever seen in Barbados at the Globe Drive-In to a crowd of 8,000 Barbadians spanning three generations of all colours and classes. As the relationship between the members rekindled, the band has performed during the last 5 years on rare and selective occasions, also making International appearances albeit for short tours only. From 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Friday May 27, 2016 in Toronto promises to be filled with emotion, excitement, nostalgia and a super performance on the West Jet Stage - Harbourfront. They will perform their hits which include Give Them Freedom, Bob's Song, Rastaman, Irie Feeling, Aware Africa, Always On My Mind, Lift Ya Leg Up, Make Noise, Take Ya Clothes Off, and The Guns among others!

-Taken from Spice Media Release

Besides Rihanna, Jazz sax-man Elan Trotman is the only other Barbadian recording artist to have charted on Billboard over 10 times with Top 30 radio singles! The Berklee College of Music graduate is the founder of the annual Barbados Jazz Excursion at the Crane Resort, which features many world class artists like Javier Colon, Jeff Lorber, Gerald Veasley, Jeffrey Osborne, Peter White and others. Trotman is also the creator of the "Never Lose Your Drive" Foundation which brings celebrities, entertainers and athletes together at Elan's annual golf tournament to raise funds to help young musicians in Barbados attend College. Elan is currently based in Boston, and continues to tour as a solo act and with an A-list of artists that include Jonathan Butler, Earl Klugh, Peter White, Keiko Matsui and others. Please visit www.elantrotman.com, www.barbadosjazzexcursion.com and www.neverloseyourdrive.com

Elan Trotman performs on Stage in the Round from 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday May 28^th at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto!