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Archived: More Than 5 Things To Remember About Machel Monday 2016!

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Four days. It’s been four days since a phenomenal occurrence took place in Trinidad. Amid the Carnival hype, amid the talk of the Monk Evolution, Machel Montano, Tony Chow Lin On better known as Chinese Laundry and their team of diligent movers and shakers, created a shift that some absorbed and embraced; others however, have frowned, seeing only a double standard that they say,  relentlessly meanders through the Carnival and soca music industry in Trinidad and Tobago and possibly, the Caribbean.

Machel Montano's Evolution of Monk album is now available. PHOTO CREDIT: Machel Montano

Machel Montano’s Evolution of Monk album is now available. PHOTO CREDIT: Machel Montano IG.

The Monk Evolution album is now available via online music distribution outlets- this, announced one day after the concert that pulled a mammoth crowd at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. For Machel Montano, such numbers aren’t at all unique. In fact, by now, the Monk as he’s called, must be accustomed to gathering thousands at one venue, year after year. On Monday night however, amid the jamming to artistes like M1, Ravi B and Karma, Farmer Nappy and Patrice Roberts and even an acoustic set with the son of the late, great Lord Kitchener, Kernal Roberts, fans of Machel Montano and all that he’s offered the world in his 34 years in the business, got a lot to ponder.

On stage, Machel was the epitome of stardom. He delivered as he usually does, belting out hit after hit and introducing fans to music done in the past few months with artistes like OMI out of Jamaica and Nigerian artiste, Timaya. He brought some Cuban heat to the fore when, dressed from head to toe in chilli pepper red, Latino heartthrob, Pitbull came forward to share the spotlight, his waistline almost saying to female onlookers, “come hither. I’ve got just what you need…” Hip Hop hype man, Lil Jon was even moved to share a sentiment of true appreciation for the hard work he’s seen Montano put in, time and time again, telling him, “I have seen just how hard you work, man…” There was even a short performance by slated guest performer, Tarrus Riley, who Montano collaborated with on the remix to his single, “Memory”. Riley came on and was off in under 10 minutes, delivering his other blockbuster reggae anthems ‘Royal’ and ‘Gimme Likkle One Drop’ to a tolerant audience. Voice, a superb young soca artiste was allowed his moment to shine at MM, as was Aaron Duncan, the youngster who continues to win titles in junior calypso and soca categories much to the satisfaction of Montano who one week earlier had said, “he reminds me a lot of myself at that age.”

The set that rocked the stadium- Chinese Laundry and Signal 2 Noise reunite musically at Machel Monday.

The set that rocked the stadium- Chinese Laundry and Signal 2 Noise reunite musically at Machel Monday.

Machel Monday was indeed a concert. It was not a fete as many had hoped to experience. EBUZZTT, looking around, noticed a drastic reduction of high-heeled fashion and a powerful inclination by beautiful women to simply dress comfortably to enjoy the occasion. That in itself was refreshing, proof maybe that the words of many radio personalities were seeping through the airwaves and making sense to many. What would come, just before 2am on Machel Monday however, would prompt a thought or two that the flats worn were being used for an unexpected reason.  In a surprise move, Montano introduced his friend and business partner, former MC, Chinese Laundry. Behind him, taking the Serato machine would be none other than Signal 2 Noise. The duo had, in years gone by, made dancehall a phenomenal force in Trinidad and Tobago and on this night, they would do so again. On this night, in the heat of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, soca would be pushed to the back burner for possibly 30 minutes, to accommodate Chaka Demus and Pliers, Wayne Wonder and the legendary dancehall DJ, Cutty Ranks. A surprise moment no doubt, for children of the eighties and nighties who lived for the music and vibe that Laundry and Signal delivered, all hands seemed to reach to the sky, almost thankful that something was presented to make them remember the days when ‘dance was nice.’

Machel looks on at the crowd in amazement, almost as DJ Assassin stands to his right.

Machel looks on at the crowd in amazement almost, as DJ Assassin stands to his right. PHOTO CREDIT: Assassin Singh IG

When that moment ended and the focus switched back to Machel Montano- the Taipan of Soca, the energy had to be maintained. He would bring on three DJs he coined the best Soca DJs. Assassin Singh, Private Ryan and his road DJ, DJ Stephen would then lead Montano into a high energy soca set that made even the Monk shake his head a few times, possibly pondering just how he’d managed to do it and continue to, at the age of 41. His monster anthems, too many to call, lifted the spirit of his fans, almost as if they too, wished they could re-live those hit-making moments. “I going after my 8th road march,” said Machel amid it all. His former drummer, Kernal Roberts had reminded him, on stage, that he was up to number 7 and together they had made magic. Roberts was given an opportunity to show off his acoustic skills, delivering the raw notes of some of the road march hits he and Montano had won together. Later, as the curtains came down on Machel Monday, the possibility of an 8th road march title  roared in the hearts of fans. He left them with it… just a little something to think about maybe. In true Machel style, he gave them “Waiting On De Stage”.

Today, four days after Machel Monday, some among us, silently mumble, “so how is it that when some promoters introduce foreigners in the carnival, everybody upset but when Machel do it, it’s ok?”. Some now argue, there will always be a double standard. Suffice to say, the moment has passed, but as we said when we began, Machel Monday 2016 has left many, with much to ponder.

 

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Real Party Lovers, It’s Time. The Resurgence is Here. ‘The Gathering’ Will Start A New Wave.

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A major effort to recant what is now the norm in entertainment, is here.

One team, one mission – to recalibrate the energy and bring the real party vibe back to what it once was. Radio personality and well known DJ in Trinidad and Tobago, Jus Jase is part of the Timeless Entertainment team. His brothers in the music industry, Jon Boi, Beats By Robin, Franco, Ken Simmons and Kevin Baker collectively agree that the time has come to regenerate interest in the the party scene. They’re the team that’s behind an upcoming event that’s guaranteed to leaving a long lasting impression.

Jus Jase is one part of the Timeless Entertainment team of DJs.

On September 23rd – the night before the Republic Day holiday in Trinidad and Tobago, party people are set to enjoy great music coupled with the perfect ambience, at The Gathering. This highly anticipated event that’s marketed to the grown and sexy, is being held at Sideline Sips- a venue adjacent to the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya. “We’re not new to this. In fact, we’ve been down this road before and we know what’s needed,” said Jase in an interview with Ebuzztt. He said from the days of hosting events at Ambassador Hotel and other venues across the country in the 2000’s to hosting more intimate house parties when venues became a challenge, the Timelesss team of DJs have seen it unfold in real time. Now, they’re prepared to use their knowledge of music, business and promotion to give real music lovers a product they’ll have no problem buying into. “We still have the appetite to deliver that vibe people once experienced at those events back then, today and we’ll be doing that at The Gathering,” said Jase.

Partnering with Abslut Vodka for welcome cocktails and Hookah & Chill to ensure Hookah lovers are catered to, the team is going all out to provide the very essence that makes a grown and sexy party what it should look and feel like. “We’re coming as one army of top tier DJs, powered by a quality sound system in QCW Sounds from East, Trinidad, and as tastemakers in the game, we can say with every bit of confidence, that we will leave every patron thoroughly satisfied,” Jase affirmed.

The event is not a Back in Times party. Music from every period will be juggled with the level of refined expertise that only these seasoned selectors, can deliver. “Early bird $200 tickets are now sold out and $250 tickets are still available, but we encourage everyone to secure them soon. We have a special that offers three ladies on one ticket for the price of just $400,” said Jase, highlighting that a cash bar will be available for patrons’ convenience. “This event is everything people have been asking us for, over the years. We’re catering to the thriving cigar culture with a cigar station as one of our features, along with flavored Hookah, and even a Paparazzi area for the selfie lovers. It will be an overall sexy, mature experience and we want our patrons to come out looking their best and feeling their best to truly enjoy the kind of experience they’ve been yearning for.”

Ready to welcome folks from all walks of life and certainly the young and mature alike, the Timeless Entertainment team is promising music that’ll invoke emotion on September 23rd- music that will be played to make everybody move. “Our team isn’t a team of DJs that are in competition with each other. In fact, we hang out a lot together and we’re a family. This is the energy that will show itself in the way this party feels from beginning to end,” he assured. Jus Jase, like the rest of his crew, understands that music holds immense power and how music is played is essential to how the event is enjoyed. “We formed this alliance after meeting at a party that we were all at in Chaguaramas. We were standing there together and we all had the same facial expression in observing the way the DJs were playing the same old school music. They just were not doing justice to the music. We started laughing about it and that’s how the conversation to create a proper option for party lovers, started.”

From a simple desire to do things the right way for patrons who truly want to get out and have a good time, to now preparing for the first of what they guarantee will be many more to come, Timeless Entertainment is bringing back the heat. “We’ve lost the art of people meeting people at events because of the phone culture over time. People are not going to experience the true authenticity of an event through a phone screen. Over time, there has been a divide in what people do when they come out to party nowadays. Even carnival has suffered from that. We don’t want to encourage that,” said Jus Jase. He says The Gathering will show music lovers just what it means to chase all inhibition away.

The team plans on delivering club-style events across the country. Together, they’re embarking on something that many have been calling for, for quite some time. “We won’t be at this particular venue all the time. We may bring back some clubs again and we’ll eventually do a Boat Ride and other types of events. Timeless Entertainment is bent on showing everyone, everywhere exactly how the party vibe should be.

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Around the World

T&T’s Full Blown Taps Into African Music Market, Collaborating with Ghanaian Artiste,Black Sherif.

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The Atlantic Ocean has long connected Africa and the Caribbean through history and culture. That connection finds a powerful new expression with “Love Again,” an Afro-Caribbean collaboration between global Ghanaian superstar, Black Sherif and Trinidad and Tobago’s acclaimed songwriting and performing duo, brothers Kory and Kevon Hart of Full Blown.

The single was released globally through EMPIRE on September 4th. Built around themes of vulnerability, healing and the courage to love again, the record arrives at a time when
creative partnerships between Africa and the Caribbean are reshaping the sound of global music.

‘Love Again’ captures the emotional highs and lows of choosing hope after heartbreak. For Black Sherif, whose introspective storytelling has earned him over 1bn+ streams from his previous album “Iron Boy,” over 5bn+ streams across his catalogue, and a global audience, the collaboration represents another step in expanding the dialogue between African and Caribbean music.

For Kory and Kevon Hart, internationally respected producers and songwriters whose work has shaped countless Caribbean hits, it marks an opportunity to showcase their artistry alongside
one of Africa’s defining voices. As Black Sherif continues to share his life through his music, he is not shy about discussing intimacy and love. “Almost all of the necessary affections that I have needed, and have gotten, came from afar, physically and figuratively. As a result, I have a tough time receiving and keeping love or better say intimacy, even though I crave them intensely,” he shared.

Black Sherif

He admits that in his adult years this topic “has become one of the greatest discussions in my bedroom mirror and with this project, I have allowed you a glimpse of it.” Remarkably, despite creating this song together, the artistes did so from different parts of the world. They did not meet until the filming of the official music video. The reality TV-inspired video, which drops on October 15th, further celebrates the undeniable musical chemistry between West Africa and the Caribbean – regions whose cultural ties continue to inspire some of the world’s most exciting sounds.

Full Blown’s involvement in this project further supports their continued exploration of themes related to love and relationships. “This project felt natural and fits our vibe and style perfectly,” the brothers expressed cohesively.

Hailing from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, where Soca music is the dominant genre, a big part of their dream for the genre has always been to carry the sound of Soca music to the corners of the globe, and to collaborate and share their particular vibe with artistes from different cultures. “This project is another step forward for Full Blown. We’re keeping our
dream alive,” said the duo.

As Afrobeats continues its global rise and Caribbean music expands its international reach, ‘Love Again’ reflects a broader movement bringing African and Caribbean artistes closer together. Rather than borrowing from one another, the record celebrates a shared musical lineage while pointing toward an increasingly connected future.

‘Love Again’ is one of 6 tracks featured on his EP titled SUN SHERIF, which is set to follow the success of his second studio album.

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