***In April’s edition President Obama is urged to keep the West Indian (Caribbean man) Alexander Hamilton, a co-founder of the US, on the US$10 bill. President Obama is urged to create a $25 bill to honor a woman.

*** We list the major Caribbean events worldwide for Summer 2016.

** Enjoy “Trump: Caribbean People Friend, Until.

*** And many more exciting and informative features in the Caribbean-American magazine Plus Hillary Clinton Caribbean Friends.

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The 2016 EVERYBODY’S Magazine Global-Caribbean Calendar, formerly known as the Caribbean-American calendar, is available in print and digital formats. Most major Caribbean events around the world in 2016 are listed including the dates of carnivals and other festivals.

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Port-Of-Spain, March 5:      Soca star Machel Montano’s “Ministry of Road” – MOR – is the Road March tune of the 2014 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival which ended yesterday.  Montano has the titles of 2014 Road March champion and 2014 International Power Soca Monarch.  (Photo of masquerader in yesterday’s carnival: TDC)

The Road March is the tune played most frequently and masqueraders and revelers dance to during the carnival parade.

At most locations across Trinidad and Tobago where the tunes are scored and costume bands judged, most DJs played “Ministry of Road” selected by masquerade bandleaders. “Ministry of Road” – MOR was played 374 times.

Trailing way behind were Farmer Nappy’s “Big People Party” played 59 times and Benjai’s “Come Out To Play” the DJs blasted Benjai’s hit only 39 times.

BAND OF THE YEAR: “De River Come Down”  has won the Downtown Band of the Year. It was produced by Ronnie & Caro.

All results of Trinidad & Tobago carnival 2014 competitions – Costume bands, soca, calypso, panorama and Road March are listed below on the day after each event.

 

Port-Of-Spain, March 3:  Grenada born and Trinidad & Tobago raised, Dr. Conrad Murray who spent years in prison for causing the death of Michael Jackson, is playing mas in Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. Dr. Murray usually play in a masquerade band on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

This is his first carnival in Trinidad & Tobago since the Michael Jackson tragedy.

Murray and his family arrived in Trinidad over the weekend.  He will be in the large mas band, Bliss, on Carnival Tuesday.

Although Dr. Murray can no longer practice medicine in the U.S., he is free to resume his career in Trinidad & Tobago.

Dr. Conrad Murray is part of the Rush family in Grenada but carries his stepfather’s name.

The famed doctor is one of many global celebrities in Trinidad & Tobago for carnival.

Usain Bolt will be dancing across the Queens Park Savannah on Tuesday. Will the band he is in capture the title of Band of the Year?

Port-Of-Spain, March 3:  Shortly after 1am, Eastern Caribbean time, former Miss Universe Janelle Penny Commissiong-Chow and former Olympian Ato Bolton came on stage at the Queens Park Savannah at the conclusion of the Dimanche Gras show to announce the 2014 National Calypso Monarch of Trinidad & Tobago.

Chucky – Roderick Gordon

2nd – Kurt Allen

3rd –   Selvon Noel – Mistak Shak

The new monarch prize is TT$1,000,000, approximately, a little less than US$250,000

Port-Of-Spain, March 2: In the wee hours of this morning, Carnival Sunday in Trinidad & Tobago, the results of the 2014 Panorama finals were announced. Phase II Pan Groove in the large bands category and Pan Elders in the medium size category.

The competition started Saturday evening at the Queens Park Savannah.

Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove got 287 votes with the tune, “Jump High,” arranged by the icon, Len “Boogsie” Sharp. Sharp and Pan Groove retained the championship.

Neal & Massey Trinidad All-Stars lost by one vote. It got 286 points after an excellent performance of “Excitement,” arranged by Leon Edwards.

BP Renegades place third with 283 points.

Pan Elders dethroned last year’s champion, Buccooneers Steel Orchestra of Tobago.

The National Calypso Monarch is this evening, a part of the Dimanche Gras show.

Port-Of-Spain, March 1: Early this morning the soca monarch competitions for T&T Carnival 2014 ended and the results given. Machel Montano retains International Power Soca Monarch title. The new Groovy Soca Monarch is Kerwin Du Bois.

INTERNATIONAL POWER SOCA MONARCH RESULT

1. Machel Montano:  Ministry Of The Road”

2. Hollice “Mr Kill@” Mapp:  “Rolly Polly”

2. Neil Iwer George : “Mama Oye”

2. Destra Garcia:   “Mash Up”

GROOVY SOCA MONARCH RESULT

1. Kerwin Du Bois:   “Too Real”

2. Machel Montano:  “Happiest Man Alive”

3. Darryl “Farmer Nappy” Henry:   “Big People Party”

4. Destra Garcia:   “First Time”

It is the first time in the young history of the soca competition on Carnival Friday Night a three-way tie for 2nd place was proclaimed.  It is also the first time a non-Trinidadian placed very high. Mr. Killa@ is from Gouyave, St. John’, Grenada.

In both soca events hot soca artists from Barbados, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada made it into the finals.

 

Port-Of-Spain, Feb. 28:  Carnival parades and reveling in the streets of Trinidad & Tobago, Rio, Dominica, New Orleans, Haiti and Carriacou are Monday and Tuesday, March 3 & 4. In Trinidad & Tobago and Dominica, calypso and soca competitions, integral components of carnival, begin tonight.

Today is  “Fantastic  Friday” here in Trinidad & Tobago. It begins the final countdown of Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2014. The premiere event tonight is the Soca Monarch competition. It determines the International Power Soca Monarch and the Groovy Soca Monarch. 

The National Calypso Monarch finals is scheduled  for Sunday as part of the Dimanche Gras show.

In Trinidad & Tobago the winner of the International Power Soca Monarch gets TT$2 million. It is US$500,000-$600,000.

Machel Montano defends both titles.

Soca artists from Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent and Dominica are in the competition. (PHOTO: Tal Pree of Grenada who is performing in the Groovy Soca competition. He performed at last year’s Mother Day Saturday Concert in Brooklyn.)

Celebrities arriving in Trinidad & Tobago for the climax of the Carnival-Calypso-Steelband and Fete season include the world’s fastest human being Usain Bolt of Jamaica and actor Damien Dante Wayans.

Bolt is in the carnival as an ambassador for Digicel; he has been photographed partying in many fetes and drumming in a Tassa Band.

Here are the finalists in the Power Soca, Groovy Soca and National Calypso Monarch competitions in Trinidad & Tobago.

ORDER OF APPEARANCE AND SONG:  International Groovy Soca

1. Ravi B  (Bread)

2. Mr Famous  (Play More Local)

3. Erphaan Alves  (Contagious)

4. Skinny Fabulous  (Behaving the Worst)

5. Denise “Saucy Wow” (Belfon Chuku Chuku)

6. Biggie Irie  (Need A Rhythm)

7. Destra Garcia  (First Time)

8. Tallpree  (Jab Nation)

9. Farmer Nappy  (Big People Party)

10. Cassi (Man In Yuh House)

11. Kerwin Du Bois  (Too Real )

12. Machel Montano  (Happiest Man Alive)

ORDER OF APPEARANCE AND SONG:  International Power Soca Monarch

1. Ann-G  (We Love Carnival)

2. Snakey  Dhoti Short)

3. Nadia Batson  (Rated R)

4. Patrice Roberts  (Feting Di Most)

5. SuperBlue  (Carnival YoYo)

6. Iwer George  (Mama Oye)

7. Lyrikal  (Lockdown)

8. Devon Matthews  (Level It)

9. Destra Garcia  (Mash Up)

10. Mr Killa  (Rolly Polly)

11. Machel Montano (Ministry of Road )

ORDER OF APPEARANCE: National Calypso Monarch (Sunday, March 2)

1 Pink Panther

2 Cro Cro

3 Queen Victoria

4 Mistah Shak

5 Bodyguard

6 Chucky

7  Myron B

8 Kurt Allen

9 Chalkdust

10 Skatie

11 Brian London

12 Alana Sinette

Port-of-Spain, Feb. 23:  Trinidad & Tobago carnival climaxes this weekend. The 12 finalists who are competing on Sunday, March 2 for the title of the National Calypso Monarch of Trinidad & Tobago has been determined. A panel of judges selected 11 from 40 artists in last Saturday’ semifinals. The 11 represent various Calypso Tents.  The 2014 National Calypso Monarch will win a cool TT$1,000,000 approximately US$155, 785.59 and a brand new car.

This Friday, Feb. 28, the Groovy Soca Monarch and the International Power Soca Monarch will be held and each winner will walk away with a purse of TT$2,000,000.

Here are the finalists for each category:

NATIONAL CALYPSO MONARCH FINALISTS, SUNDAY, MARCH 2

Cro Cro

Queen Victoria

Mr. Shak

Body Guard

Chucky

Myron B

Kurt Allen

Chalkdust

Skatie

Brian London

Alena Sinette Khan

Pink Panther (2013 Monarch, defending his title)

INTERNATIONAL POWER SOCA MONARCH FINALISTS, FRIDAY, FEB. 28

1 Mr. Killa
2 Iwer George
3 Destra
4 Snakey
5 Devon Matthews
6 Patrice Roberts
7 Nadia Batson
8 Ann-G
9 Lyrikal

2013 co-monarchs Machel Montano and Super Blue will defend.

GROOVY SOCA MONARCH FINALISTS, FRIDAY, FEB. 28

1. Farmer Nappy
2. Kerwin Du Bois
3. Destra
4. Saucy
5. Skinny Fabulous
6. Cassi
7. Biggie Irie
8. Tallpree
9. Mr. Famous
10. Erphaan Alves
11. Ravi B

Defending 2013 Groovy Monarch Machel Montano will defend his title.

 

Once Trinidad & Tobago Carnival and Calypso-Soca season ends next Tuesday focus will be in North America, England and the Caribbean where many artists will perform in concerts and calypso tents.

The first major2014  Calypso-Soca concert in New York is the EVERYBODY’S Mother’s Day Saturday Concert at  Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts.

Tickets are on sale at Brooklyn Center for  the Performing Arts Box office and online from EVERYBODY’S Magazine. www.everybodysmag.com

EVERYBODY’S Calypso & Soca Festival & Tent is scheduled during the week of Brooklyn’s Carnival, last week in August.