Day 13, 14 & 15/365…

If you’ve been following my 365 project, you’d have realised that I didn’t post anything on Saturday, Sunday or Monday (its early Tuesday morning as I type this).

Well, its Carnival time… and I went to my first Carnival fête: St Mary’s College All-Inclusive (read an interesting review of the 2008 edition of the fete here).  An “all-inclusive fête” is a Carnival fete where everything you need is included in the price.  You get as much as you can eat and as much as you can drink, as long as stocks last.  The fêtes usually go strong for as much as 10 hours… some start as early as 4pm… and they go ’til after midnight in some cases.  St Mary’s is my alma mater, and I usually attend the fete.

In lieu of my lack of photos, here’s a video I recorded of a performance at the fete: Kes the Band featuring Nadia Batson who sings with them as their female lead, although she’s an artiste separate and apart from the band.

Enjoy.

The Last Day of Christmas

I love Christmas.  Even though I don’t get to do all that I’d like to do, its always been a special time of the year for me.  Its the music on the radio…  The cleaning…  The shopping… The preparation… The anticipation…   The gift-giving…  The gift-receiving!

Too bad it only lasts for 12 days…

As Christmas comes to a close, I just want to share some of our local (Trinbagonian) Christmas traditional music: Parang.

Parang performers... performing! (Image taken from the Trinidad Guardian)

Here are some performances from the 2009 National Parang Champs – Los Alumnos de San Juan – that I was able to capture while attending the 1st annual “Jazzang” (a mashup of the words “Jazz” & “Parang”).   Hosted by the Jazz Alliance and Phase II Pan Groove (in their panyard) the event was well attended and very enjoyable.  I’m looking forward to attend the next one!

Peace and Rice and ALL the very best for the new year!

Enjoy the videos…

Shut Yuh Mout’, Go Away…

…”Mama, look ah boo boo dey.”

Harry Belafonte and Nat King Cole perform  a classic calypso “Mama Look A Boo Boo”, which was written in 1956 by Lord Melody (Fitzroy Alexander).

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I was also able to find the same song done on the steelpan… It was performed by a University student from California named Ziba Zehdar, as part of her university coursework or something.

Taken from Ziba's Vimeo profile...

What made me smile was that she’s so good, that the MC introducing her actually has to announce to the audience that – contrary to the thoughts and questions of many – that  he “didn’t hire her to play the steelpan”, and that she was a matriculated student at the school!

I was just in the mood for some old school kaiso.  I hope you do enjoy!  It always makes me happy and proud to see a facet of my culture being appreciated by other inhabitants of the big blue marble! 😀

Peace and Rice,

Boboleechron

A Wonderful Life

I need this right now.

Forgive me for being greedy.

Peace and Rice,

– Bobolee Chron

Here I go out to sea again
the sunshine fills my hair
and dreams hang in the air
Gulls in the sky and in my blue eye
you know it feels unfair
there’s magic everywhere

Look at me standing
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life

Sun’s in your eyes
the heat is in your hair
they seem to hate you
because you’re there
and I need a friend
Oh, I need a friend
to make me happy
not stand here on my own

Look at me standing
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life

I need a friend
oh, I need friend
to make me happy
not so alone…….
Look at me here
here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life

No need to run and hide
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to run and hide
it’s a wonderful, wonderful life
wonderful life, wonderful life

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When Words Fail…

…say it with music.

Rolling Stone

Rest In Peace, Michael Joseph Jackson.

Also, check out this Rolling Stone Pictorial “Michael Jackson at 50: Rare Early Photos”.

Peace and Rice,

jw

Sign Of The Times: The Prisoner Transport Van

A shot of a Prisoner Transport van stuck in traffic ahead of me on a rainy day.

It’s around 9.30am.  I’m twiddling my thumbs, bopping my head to the music, while waiting my turn to cross the intersection.

Then it hits me.

Court cases start at 9am.  There were prisoners in this van… I assumed they were being taken to the Magistrate’s Court right down the street… and it was 9.30am.

“Justice… On Time?”

The camera comes out…

*Click!*

*sigh* 😕

Peace and Rice.

(For those interested, this was taken at what’s known as “Green Corner” in Port of Spain… the corner of Park and St. Vincent Streets.  All the buildings on the corners are no longer painted green anymore, but it still retains the name.  The vegetarian place on the left painted itself green.  Let’s hope the others follow suit sometime.)

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2009 Pics

Hey folks!   I know I haven’t posted in a bit, but I was kept really busy at work.  I guess I should be thankful – being busy at work means that at least I still have a job!  Not many can say that, so I am grateful!  🙂

Like I mentioned in my last post, I was on the road for Carnival… Tuesday.   My feet hurt, my abs hurt… everything but my head, which was real niiiice.  So Monday after Jouvay, yours truly simply chilaxed by the girlfriend.  So we hit the road on Tuesday.

Here’s some of what I snagged.

Enjoy… more to follow!

Peace and Rice,

jw

UPDATE:  I’ve posted more Carnival pics, here:

https://boboleechronicles.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/trinidad-carnival-2009-part-deux/

…and here:

https://boboleechronicles.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/trinidad-carnival-2009-tuesday-night-mas/