Kaiso Fiesta 2010 line-up at Skinner Park

[daryn]

I was in the park and I thought they called Protector name.

yea he in d finals. allrounder on d other hand should not be

Steups...I usually like All rounder but what de hell he doing in the finals....well if all rounder made it, then I was hoping Count Robin would have made it too..

well, I doh know how it was on tv but I think allrounder was one of the performances that the crowd enjoyed more.

Did not know crowd response was a criteria. D song is piss poor.

but presentation is.  and if the thousands of people in the park received the performance better than the majority of the other performances then maybe the judges who were in the same venue ...

in any case it wasn't so poor that it didn't make the grade to get into semi-finals.

[WestCoast]

I was in the park and I thought they called Protector name.

yea he in d finals. allrounder on d other hand should not be

Steups...I usually like All rounder but what de hell he doing in the finals....well if all rounder made it, then I was hoping Count Robin would have made it too..

well, I doh know how it was on tv but I think allrounder was one of the performances that the crowd enjoyed more.

Did not know crowd response was a criteria. D song is piss poor.

but presentation is.  and if the thousands of people in the park received the performance better than the majority of the other performances then maybe the judges who were in the same venue ...

in any case it wasn't so poor that it didn't make the grade to get into semi-finals.

that reminds me of the judging scandal in the winter olympics
Crowd and judges did not agree with results

just like FIFA, ah just love de freaking IOC

[Brownsugar]

I was in the park and I thought they called Protector name.

yea he in d finals. allrounder on d other hand should not be

Steups...I usually like All rounder but what de hell he doing in the finals....well if all rounder made it, then I was hoping Count Robin would have made it too..

well, I doh know how it was on tv but I think allrounder was one of the performances that the crowd enjoyed more.

Did not know crowd response was a criteria. D song is piss poor.

Thank you Weary.  I still wondering what the song was all about....level steups!!!...

[STEUPS!!]

I was in the park and I thought they called Protector name.

yea he in d finals. allrounder on d other hand should not be

Steups...I usually like All rounder but what de hell he doing in the finals....well if all rounder made it, then I was hoping Count Robin would have made it too..

well, I doh know how it was on tv but I think allrounder was one of the performances that the crowd enjoyed more.

Did not know crowd response was a criteria. D song is piss poor.

but presentation is.  and if the thousands of people in the park received the performance better than the majority of the other performances then maybe the judges who were in the same venue ...

in any case it wasn't so poor that it didn't make the grade to get into semi-finals.

what presentation. his delivery wasn't so clean, d song is nonsense and i cudnt for d life of me understand why his daughter wid d locks had to dress so off key

ah guess d vibes different in d park dan in front muh tv 

[davyjenny1]

I was in the park and I thought they called Protector name.

yea he in d finals. allrounder on d other hand should not be

Steups...I usually like All rounder but what de hell he doing in the finals....well if all rounder made it, then I was hoping Count Robin would have made it too..

well, I doh know how it was on tv but I think allrounder was one of the performances that the crowd enjoyed more.

Did not know crowd response was a criteria. D song is piss poor.

Thank you Weary.  I still wondering what the song was all about....level steups!!!...

Deep Nepotism, political ties and hierarchy personnel involvement was the order of the day

[davyjenny1]

From The Trinidad Guardian:

Kurt: Teach youths composing skills
Michelle Loubon
Published: 19 Feb 2010

Calypso Monarch Kurt Allen performs his
winning selection Too Bright.
Michelle Loubon

Reigning Calypso Monarch Kurt Allen says young people should be allowed to develop the skill of composing. He made this comment yesterday morning during an interview with CNC3 presenter Paolo Kernahan. Allen, with his social/political commentary Too Bright, dethroned Dr Hollis Liverpool, aka Chalkdust, on Sunday night. Liverpool’s selection was When Mas Is Mas. Allen said: “The people who have been winning are the composers. They are able to articulate their views. I would like the young people to focus their skills on composing.” He also called on more people to get involved in the Carnival art form. “We have to teach the young people about calypso; educate the young people about the exponents of calypso. The ministry (Culture) should teach the arts in general... whether it is drama, poetry or calypso,” added Allen.

He said they would develop a sense of social responsibility. Allen said he wanted the public and the media to adopt his sobriquet—The Last Badjohn of Calypso. Allen said: “I want the media and the public to know I have a sobriquet. It is The Last Badjohn of Calypso. They announce it in the tents. You only hear the badjohn in the music. You don’t get it from Kurt Allen.” Having secured the victory, Allen said he was “thankful.” “I am normally a happy person. I am thankful to all the people who supported me.” But he is still struggling to come to terms with the victory. “After Dimanche Gras, I went home and I couldn’t sleep. I lay there and reflected on my career since 1983. I didn’t go out and palance on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.”

Icons honour Allen
Allen said his mentor Weston Rawlins (Cro Cro) was planning two concerts in his honour at the Icons’ Tent, Ambassador Hotel, St Ann's, today and Saturday. Among the cast expected to perform are M’ba, Michelle Henry, SuperBlue, Cardinal and younger bards, including Heather Mc Intosh and Dwayne O’Connor. Both Mc Intosh and O’Connor made it to the semi-finals of the Calypso Monarch Competition. Allen said: “It will be a special show for Sparrow, Cro Cro and I. We are the three monarchs in the tent.” He also would be performing at the Champs in Concert tomorrow.

[davyjenny1]

From The  Newsday:
The Monarch celebrates

Friday, February 19 2010

KURT ALLEN’S victory in last weekend’s National Calypso Monarch competition will be celebrated at the Icons Calypso Tent with two shows scheduled for tonight and tomorrow at their home base, Ambassador Hotel, Long Circular Rd.

Allen, who dethroned calypso veteran Chalkdust (Dr Hollis Liverpool) to take the coveted title last Sunday night, will perform his winning composition “Too Bright”, a well-crafted calypso which dealt with political decision makers in this country deeming them “too bright”.

In an interview shortly after winning the title, Allen, 40, said he felt thankful to have won.

“This is a victory for calypso; this is not a Kurt Allen victory.”

He said the win has now given him a mandate from the people to launch some of his plans to help calypso: “This is a victory for the youth in calypso and you are going to see that in the next couple of months.” This is just the latest title for Allen who in 1999 won the Soca Monarch title with “Dus Dem”. He also won the Calypso Young King title in 1993, is a former Junior Calypso Monarch and is only the second calypsonian to have won both the Soca Monarch and National Calypso Monarch titles.

The new Calypso Monarch has been in the arena for 29 years. Allen was a Calypso Monarch finalist in 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997, before switching to soca for a decade, only to return to the Big Yard as a finalist in 2008. Allen composed the song, “Heroes”, which won the 2001 Calypso Monarch crown for Denyse Plummer.

Allen started singing at age 11 at Curepe Junior Secondary School

He took a break from calypso after 1997 until 2004 and concentrated on his work for the Caricom Secretariat with his organisation, Caribbean Vision.

“I came back because of my passionate love for the art-form, calypso,” he said.

At the show on Dimanche Gras night, Allen had full support from his family. His daughter, well-known youth speaker Choc’late Allen, 16, was in charge of the musicians while his wife handled the stage-lighting.

“It was a family affair. My cousins, aunts, uncles, everybody was here to support,” he said.

This weekend’s shows will offer calypso lovers a final opportunity to enjoy entertainment in a tent setting now that the 2010 Carnival season is officially over.

The Icons Tent is managed by Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins), who is himself a former National Calypso Monarch. The cast includes Calypso King of the World, the Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco), former Soca Monarch and Road March champ Super Blue (Austin Lyons).

Other prominent calypsonians in the cast are Mba, Cardinal and Gary Cordner. Also listed to perform at this weekend’s shows are Dictator, Bianca Hull, Heather McIntosh, Duane O’Connor, Jayson, Durango, Disciple and others,

MC is popular radio personality CG. Music will be provided by Icons Maestros and the chorus is Honey Voices of the Icons.