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Archived: No Time For Games. The A Team Band is Taking Over Carnival!

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The A Team band is THE carnival band these days. It’s been that way for a few years but ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s highly anticipated 2020 Carnival season, the band that’s got the musical prowess to back any Soca artiste, is darting out the gate, revolutionising the stage show and bringing a sound like no other.

EBUZZTT, in an exclusive sit down with A Team band manager, Zarin Morean learnt that in 2019, the A Team Band took Soca music to Germany- something that Morean says will be a highlight in each members’ career, for many years to come. They were contacted and asked to be a part of the BonFire Festival, delivering soca to the folks in Germany alongside Iwer George and Kes the Band.

Eddie Charles (right) brings years of stage experience to the A Team Band.

A band that rehearses continuously – twice per week, according to Morean, the A Team is indeed a unit that prides itself on preparedness. “We consider ourselves to be, to Soca, what Jamaica’s Ruff Cut band is to dancehall. While other bands have seasonal rehearsals, we rehearse every week, twice a week,” explained Zarin. He admitted it’s a herculean task to learn the music of every soca artiste who hits the stage with the band, at events throughout the carnival season. “It means not just knowing the music, but understanding each artiste’s repertoire and stage show.”

With names like Patrice Roberts, Swappi, Benjai, Erphaan Alves, Farmer Nappy, Preedy, Shal Marshall and so many others on their roster, the season ahead is guaranteed to be a hectic one for every band member. Zarin says his team is prepared though, ready for the action that always unfolds in the Greatest Show on Earth.

Already booked for several fetes, including Presentation College’s All Inclusive, Randy Glasgow’s Soka With Her, SOS in Tobago and not to mention Patrice Roberts’ Strength of A Woman, Zarin told us that he is confident in the ability of his unit. “I give tremendous credit to our sound engineer, Brenon Vergil, our musical director Miguel Charles, and each of the musicians. We foster camaraderie within the A Team so while some people may think rehearsals are always just that- playing music, sometimes it isn’t,” he explained. A firm believer in the concept of building personal relationships, Zarin told us that he’s always seen the need to allow the band members to truly get to know each other’s likes and dislikes and simply put, each person’s way. “The music is the easy part, because everybody knows the music. Understanding each other is the hard part,” he said, revealing that at their camp, sometimes a rehearsal amounts simply to a ‘cook’ and time spent together, chatting and bonding.

Ms. Kerlz and D Soca Trainer

Frontline vocalists Ms. Kerlz, Eddie Charles and D Soca Trainer are ready for the upcoming season. Already, Ms. Kerlz has unleashed a new single called ‘Independent Girl.’ Her band mate, D Soca Trainer also released a track on the Fetish riddim- something called, ‘Situational’. Eddie, Zarin told us, will be releasing two soca tracks for C2K20. For now, the band is busy delivering their vibe at Christmas functions across Trinidad and Tobago, having been booked by TSTT, Central Bank, Customs and even the Tobago House of Assembly. “I think it’s safe to say that the A Team band is the best sounding band in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Morean. He isn’t the first person to make such a pronouncement about this band and we doubt he’ll be the last.

In 2020, the A Team Band will be on the road with Chocolate City J’ouvert and Showtime Mas on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. They are excited to kick off the season of revelry – a season that will undoubtedly mean non stop work. “We all love what we do and that makes it that much sweeter,” said Morean. His one wish as the Christmas season looms, is that corporate Trinidad and Tobago sees the value in extending support to musicians and cultural representatives. “We have young musicians from Laventille and Morvant in the band and I feel that’s a good message for youths of those communities to receive. If corporate T&T would make use of these young, ambitious faces as endorsees for their brands, maybe the message being sold to the youths of T&T, could be better for not just them, but our country.”

Ebuzz News

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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