Ebuzz News
Archived: No Time For Games. The A Team Band is Taking Over Carnival!
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.
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.
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.”
Reggae
New ‘Jamrock’ Documentary Celebrates Unforgettable Moments. Cruise Returns to Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa, This Year.
Ahead of its 11th annual voyage in November, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise shares its story through a new film. VIBE premiered All in the Same Boat, a documentary directed by acclaimed filmmaker, Reshma B and produced by Boomshots TV that traces Marley and his manager Dan Dalton’s brainchild from a bold, outsider idea into one of the most culturally significant movements in reggae and dancehall today.
With over a decade’s worth of unforgettable moments pulled from the last 10 voyages, this 30+ minute documentary captures the spirit of a global reggae community built on shared identity, resilience, and reverence for Jamaican culture. It features iconic performances, real conversations with the artistes and DJs, and the heartbeat of it all: the “Jamrockers.” These are die-hard reggae lovers from over 40 countries who pull up every year for one reason – to feel that irreplaceable connection to Jamaican culture and keep the Marley message of “One Love” alive.
Having successfully navigated challenges including extreme weather and a global pandemic, the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise continues to thrive. Its 11th staging will return for its annual voyage from November 11th to the 16th, sailing from Miami aboard Norwegian Joy.
Stacked from foundation to future, this year’s lineup brings together reggae and dancehall’s most influential voices: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen Marley (Traffic Jam Set), Burning Spear, Sizzla, Capleton, Beenie Man, Protoje, Barrington Levy, Elephant Man, Junior Reid, Lila Iké, Ding Dong & the Ravers Clavers, Tony Matterhorn “Man on the Moon”, Gyptian, 450, Richie Spice, Ghost, Mr. Lexx, Professor Nuts, L.U.S.T., Sister Carol, Sevana, Flourgon, Johnny P, and Jemere Morgan are confirmed.
The cruise’s famed Sound Clash at Sea will return alongside powerhouse sound systems including Stone Love (Geefus), King Jammy, Silverhawk Sound, Rory Stone Love, Renaissance Sound, Federation Sound, Warrior Sound, Rampage Sound, Kingston12 HiFi and Souljah1 Muzik, preserving a cornerstone of Jamaican music culture in its most authentic form.
Jamrock is a Premiere Reggae Event
The Jamrock experience has evolved into the premier reggae event at sea—one that continues to redefine how the culture is celebrated on a global stage. The five-day experience continues to immerse guests in the full spectrum of Jamaican life—from Nyabinghi sunrise sessions and sound bath meditations to dancehall workshops, fitness programming, and curated culinary offerings led by acclaimed Chef Lumley. A new addition this year includes a live theatrical production by legendary playwright Oliver Samuels, adding yet another layer to the cruise’s ever-expanding cultural canvas.
Following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in 2025, the cruise will return to Jamaica with renewed purpose, maintaining its distinction as the only chartered cruise with two Jamaican port stops. That commitment translates into tangible impact, generating millions annually for the island’s tourism and cultural economy while reinforcing a direct connection between the music, the people, and the place that birthed it.
As All in the Same Boat makes clear, Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise is a movement with its own rhythm, one that continues to bring the diaspora home, while inviting the world in. Since its inception in 2014, the mission remains the same: to create a space where reggae lives, breathes, and connects us all.
The documentary made its debut during the 10th annual cruise and later screened at Art Basel in support of hurricane relief efforts led by the Marley family’s Ghetto Youths Foundation. Damian Marley and Dan Dalton were executive producers of the film.
Music News
Popcaan Teams Up with the Legendary, Junior Reid on Brand New Single.
