On November the 30th 2009, the Bajan artiste you have been waiting for has finally arrived, and this time, “she’ll be sweeter” It’s the great Bajan songstress Wendy Alleyne in Concert at the Gymnasium on Independence Day.

Remember songs like “He’s so fine” “Stand by Love” “Midnight Blues” “I can’t control my emotions” to mention a few.

Wendy will be backed by the Rickey Aimey Band. Performers will include Tanya Clarke, Richard Stoute, Tony Grazette, Carolyn Leacock, Adrian Clarke, Desmond Weekes, Dwayne Husbands and Cherish Breedy The event will be under the patronage of Prime Minister David Thompson and his wife Mara. November 30th

What is also interesting about the Wendy Alleyne show is the promoter, a young guy by the name of Andre Craig who looks like he is not old enough to have seen a star pitch or he still has “he mother features”.
It’s really good to see a young promoter like that staging a show with a great like Wendy.
He has been able to do what others have tried and failed to do, woo Wendy and get her back to do a concert here. Over the years major promoters have been trying and Andre has done it, kudos to him.
So make it your business to be at the Sir Garfield Sobers Complex on Monday 30th November to celebrate independence in grand style, the local show of the decade, “Wendy Alleyne in Concert” “this time it will be sweeter” “you will not be able to control your emotions”.

My FaceBook friend Ian Walcott wrote this “Cock and Bull” review of the  2009 Laff it off production “Another Cock and Bull Story”, I thought it was a pretty excellent review, hence I am putting it here for you to read…

Unfortunately, the curtains finally came down on Laff-It-Off’s 2009 production “Another Cock and Bull Story,” that had one of its most successful runs in its 24 year history. For those who didn’t see this year’s production, let’s hope that there’s another weekend for the last minute stragglers for you certainly would have missed three hours of pure entertainment, intelligent comedy, good acting and belly laughs to make you fall out your seats. 

Cecily Spencer-Cross, in her role as director, brought a freshness to the script by modernizing our favorite Bajan rumshop, the Nook and Cranny Bar,” giving it a website, wireless Internet connection and taking us through the roller coaster ride of converting the bar into a strip joint. Now if that situation alone does not warrant a chuckle, watching Sue with two oversized bunny ears slide up and down a pole is the director’s guarantee that you will laugh. 

Sue, played by Carla Springer, was part of what I’d call the veterans, alongside Tony Thompson who plays Lemuel and Sybul Rice, and Peta Allenye who continues to play Wilhemina Herrassofat. It’s also refreshing that Miss Herrassofat has evolved from the passive-aggressive wife who tolerated the indiscretions of Lemuel, into a more liberated business woman who is willing to take new chances with love, lust and her profession. This new found freedom will allow her the space, as she rightly claims, to experiment with Internet dating and more liberal sexual adventures after being repressed by years of sexual frustration at the hands of her alcoholic-loser-husband. Sounds familiar?

If it rings a bell, it’s because since 1983 Laff-It-Off has always looked at problems and issues in the community and our daily struggles and held them up to our faces like a mural in which we can see ourselves, sometimes ridiculed, sometimes parodied but always truthful. It is this truth that makes the characters “sweet” and believable in their purest and most authentic form of Barbadiana. 

Sex sells but as a society we continue to be loath at the mention of the mere word so that we transfer our intellectual energy and ability to critique our society into polarized positions about politics, public personas and salacious newsbytes on issues like bestiality. This is precisely what makes Laff-It-Off so successful after all this time. The producers, director and actors all work as a team and decide each year to unabashedly turn these societal hypocrisies on their head and place them smack in our faces. 

It is hopeful, therefore, that the young talent in Barbados will take up the mantel and go forward with this rich tradition of Bajan comedy for which producer Ian Estwick must be given full credit. It was refreshing to see the young brilliant actor Chrispen Hackett as Woodall together with Jherad Alleyne as Panty Pollard, Ishiaka McNiel as Dolly and Toni-Ann Johnson as Allison. Though Alleyne can be charged a bit with hamming on stage, this young brigade brought a renewed sense of hope for the future of our theater. 

I will conclude that just as Daphne Joseph-Hackett in 1970 rightly predicted that Tony Thompson will be one of this region’s finest actors, as he has proven time and time again, I dare say that in 2009 we can make a similar prediction on Chrispen Hackett. He has already mastered the one ingredient that guarantees success on stage, he has perfect and precise timing and the lithe movements of his body together with mastering subtlety will take him into the top tier very quickly. A new star is born! 

Thanks again to Ian Walcott for that well written review, he dissected the plot and characters with impressive clarity and with some  fancy words too. Wasn’t it refreshing to reading something on Boyce Voice that is not proliferated with  dumb ass comments and cursing somebody? I can’t help, see I did it again, dumb ass me…..

The Cottage Studios, a subsidiary of Good Vybz Inc launched the cd singles by the 2008 winners of the 6-12 Cherish Breedy and 13-20 Quinn Belgrave categories of the Richard Stoute Teen Talent at the Garrison Secondary School on Friday February 20, 2009 at a special extended assembly at 9:00 a.m., at the time of the launch at the school, all radio stations across Barbados were sent a copy of the songs to be played at 9:00 a.m.

During the 2008 RSTTC, Good Vybz Inc., provided material for give-a-ways, members of the management team attended all of the preliminaries, semis – the semi-finalists were showcased at the Ship Inn every Thursday night during the Strategy performances, leading up to their final performances to give the contestants exposure, in a quest to making them comfortable in preparation for their big night, as well as presenting Mr. Stoute at the finals with a cheque for the cost of the full package promised which served as their commitment to the sponsorship package offered. 

Quinn is a past student and Cherish is presently a student of that school.

The song “I’m The One“ which Cherish sings, was written by a Garrison Secondary School old scholar, Toni Norville and produced by Matthew “Fewwture’ Ashby, Shane Forrester and Lori Worrell at The Cottage Studios.

This was the first time such an event was held at the school and the Principal, Mr. Matthew Farley and Master of Ceremonies was extremely proud.

It must be noted that Malcolm X, Kareen Clarke, Daddy Mark, as well as writer of Cherish’s song Toni Norville were present at the launch which was a grand affair and very inspiring for the entire school students pas t and present and teachers alike, also present was the first principal Mr. Sealy and from the legal profession two of a long line of attorneys Junior – Allsopp and magistrates and Ian Weekes. Ministers Michael Lashley and Chris Sinckler also attended.

Quinn’s song  “ Wit’ Me “ was written and produced by the latest addition to the Good Vybz Inc, team Michael “B-Roca” Holder, and it also features Kirk Brown whose initiative, through his interest in culture generally, has been primarily responsible for this effort. 

Cherish Breedy also celebrated her 13th birthday on February 20th making her the youngest and first teen talent winner to be recorded at this age (12).

Merle Niles presented two photos of the performers. Cherish and Quinn to the school to launch the opening of a photo gallery and announced that these photos will are the first in a long line of photos to be given to the school of persons who excelled.

Check  out the Garrison School Old Scholars on Facebook.

“The thoughtless theories of thirty thousand thespians” that’s a phrase I constantly repeat to myself, before any appearance whether it be radio television or a public speaking event. This was taught to me by the late Jeannette Layne Clark, the purpose was for me to practice pronouncing my “th’s” properly to correct the speaking fault most bajans are famous for…

I attended Jeannette’s “Speak for your self” course back in 2004 and because of the tutoring efforts of her and Sharon Marshall I started to pronounce my “th’s” correctly, so when you hear me on the radio saying three instead of tree, that is Jeannette’s teachings living on in my speech..

When you hear me speaking badly well you know that would not please Jeannette, she was known for calling up broadcasters and correcting them for their mangling of the English Language.

Jeannette was a woman who spoke her mind, back in December 1983 she said of Madd’s first yuletide release the song should be “thrown into the inner recesses of the nearest dust bin” even when she told you off she did so eloquently.

Which then led to Madd immortalizing her in our next release “Janet” which continues to get airplay all like now.

Jeannette was renowned for her proliferic writings, her weekly newspaper columns “Lick Mout Lou” and “Private line”.   Also the novel “A Villa in Paradise” and her hilarious comedy pieces “Okras in de stew” “Partners in profit” and the long running stage production “Pampalam”

I had the privilege of being directed by Jeannette in 30th anniversary Pampalam in 2007, which was the last one staged.

I was Ali Singh in the “Partners in Profit” piece for that year and I learnt a lot and enjoyed it immensely. Ali Singh got to ride a bicycle on stage every night that was bare fun.

Jeannette was brave enough to put the controversial Peter Boyce in her production which some people would not have dared to do. 

Also in that Pampalam were Marvo Manning, Merle Niles, Sade, Janice Perryman, Wendell Thomas Yolanda Holder, Eleanor Rice and Angela Weithers. 

The production was written, produced and directed by Jeanette.

At the end I got every body to sign the program for that year, but I missed getting Jeannette’s and drove around with the booklet for months intending to pass and get it signed… It’s too late now…

I sat with with Jeannette on the CBC Board on the one meeting she attended as Deputy Chairman before she resigned because of illness.

When I attended Jeannette’s funeral I made sure and pronounced my “th’s when I was singing the hymns, 

Jannette is gone but her excellence and legacy lives on

“The thoughtless theories of thirty thousand thespians”

If you desire to be a professional and “qualified” entertainer musician my buddy and associate Chris Harper has teamed up with the prestigious Berklee College of Music to offer barbadians an opportunity to be qualified.

Note use of the that word “qualified” that is something I find those of us in entertainment don’t pay enough attention to. Since no compulsory educational qualifications are needed to be an entertainer we can just say “I is an entertainer” and that’s it. Sometimes I read in the court pages an entertainer is charged for something and its someone that in all my 30 years in the business I have never seen them yet, but them pulling we down claiming to be part of our industry.

Thats why it would be good if it were mandatory that to be deemed an entertainer you needed some qualification, not only for that reason but because we have something to fall back on should times change.

That’s why its important to take advantage of this opportunity that Chris is offering us and I would like to publicly compliment Harper on his laudable efforts to uplift and educate the industry.

Over the past five years Berklee College of Music has partnered with Notes to Note Inc. to conduct the Barbados leg of their annual scholarship tour. This year the project has been strengthened and is an official project of the office of International Programs which will allow students to access more of the college’s resources through addition scholarships and financial aid.

 The scholarship office released the follow statement on the scholarship tour.

 ”Berklee travels the globe visiting over 40 cities annually seeking those talented musicians who we feel are an excellent match to the college.  By participating in a live audition and interview, applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships towards the full-time program or the Five Week Summer Performance Program.”

 The scholarships auditions will take place on Saturday 21^st February from 9:00am at the Barbados Community College.                 

Persons from Barbados and the region who wish to take part in the audition process need to complete the application for admission online at https://www.berklee.edu/apply/.

  On Thursday 19^th and Friday 20^{th of} February at the Barbados Community College at 5:00pm each day there will be a lecture on the admissions process and a pre-audition workshop respectively. These will be conducted by Vice-President of student affairs Steve Lipman and Professors John Pierce and John Marasco of the Berklee College of Music.

For further information on auditions please contact:

Chris Harper  

Managing Director

Notes to Note Inc.
phone (246)427-2555
email: notestonote@caribsurf.com 

Hope you had an excellent Christmas eating the Ham, Black Cake. Jug Jug and enjoying the things associated with this festive season.
A musical airplay trend that I have noticed in recent years is where radio stations no longer play exclusively Yule tide music in the days leading up to Xmas.
Years ago it was a standard that for the entire month of December it would be 100% Xmas selections that would dominate the radio.
I can speak to this with authority as I remember having a half hour on radio in the 90’s and having to seek permission from the Station Program Manager to play some non yuletide music I wanted to promote.

What is the possible negative impact of this? We here in Barbados don’t have snow and all the weather related characteristics that signal Xmas, the only thing which signifies that is the music. So if you are hearing less Xmas songs you are feeling less in the yuletide spirit which means you less inclined to go out there spending and injecting the much needed money into the economy.

Our retail industry depends on the ambiance generated by songs like “Dreaming of a white xmas” the xmas shoes” song (which I hate) ““little drummer boy” to motivate customers to come out.
A great percentage of the annual store retail sales happen at Christmas, December revenue becomes the savior of many shops and is the reason they exist.
One should then see the possible danger that might develop if we see a trend where less Xmas music is played in December which will equate to fewer retail sales less financial activity and become a possible danger to the economy.

Boyce Voice takes this opportunity to wish you the best of the season!

All Hail Mr. Hal Linton!
It’s good to finally seeing a Bajan male finally making impact internationally, I read in the media of Evan Rogers who discovered Rihanna now has his own label “Syndicated Rhythm Production”.
 Rogers also stated it’s the Barbadians he has signed to his label that is making him a force to be reckoned with in the international world. Those artistes would be superstar Rihanna, Shontelle Layne and now Hal Linton.
Hal would have been his most recent addition and Rogers said there is extreme interest in him from music industry executives.

Linton has already been a winner four times at our Barbados Music Awards, Song of the year, best new artiste, song Writer of the year and R and B single of the year. The song that put him on the map is “Cardiac Arrest” which we are featuring below.

I wrote a post in February querying if a Bajan male singer would need to have a sex change and become a woman in order to attract the attention of the international world. http://www.boycevoice.com/blog/2008/02/03/i-want-to-be-a-woman/
Hal Linton was one of the talented males I mentioned that was deserving of world wide recognition.
In fact now that I think, it’s probably Boyce Voice that brought the attention of the world to Hal.
In which case we are probably deserving of some commission or something, I’ll get Evan’s cell number and give him a call…

In the mean time click below and view Hal performing “Cardiac Arrest” as we celebrate him making it internationally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S67ZhNfI8q0

I have seen the light! Soon brothers and sisters you will be referring to me as Pastor Peter Boyce !!

I have become convinced that we in the entertainment industry are in the wrong business, while we get on stage singing wuck up songs and telling nasty jokes for little or no rewards, I have noticed that church pastors have been preaching the good word of the lord reaping financial sweets and getting through licking.

When you look the newly refurbished “Power in the Blood” Church just completed in Tudor Bridge you will see what i mean. Feast your eyes on the fancy architecture and the massiveness of the structure, that’s got to be close to a million dollars in building, plus they own two other properties on the same stretch of road.

When was the last time you saw an entertainer make enough money to build an auditorium?
All the years our entertainers still renting venues from government and others, hoping they refurbish the Empire theatre so we could rent some more. That is why we need to see the light!

 Entertainment promoters invest thousands of dollars into high risk shows trying to get people to come out.
Then when we do get an audience we got to pay vat and taxes.
Churches don’t have to advertise to get their congregation and the financial contributions they collect are tax and vat free.

You know another way the goodly men of the cloth get out? Women! That’s right, all those church ladies with problems who go to their pastors seeking counselling looking for a shoulder to cry on, their pastor gives them that comforting shoulder and other additional body parts too, soon he is pumping salvation into their souls.
Look how often salacious Pastors are in the news with some sex charge (will not call Jippy’s name) We entertainers must take a back seat to them, We need to see the light!

Don’t think that I am being bad minded and criticizing the church and priests; in fact I am admiring them.
That’s why I done with this wuckless singing  and joke telling, I am  turn over a new leaf and become Pastor Boyce. I have seen the light and you need to see it too…

Jerry Lewis makes another anti-gay slur
Oct. 25, 2008, 8:24 AM EST
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Jerry Lewis made an anti-gay slur on Australian television similar to one he apologized for using on his annual telethon a year ago.

Caught this just now on MSN.com Jerry Lewis again dropping nasty remarks at gays, but not what this post is about lets us return to the remainder of the news release.

Following a news conference in Sydney Friday, Lewis, 82, was asked by a Network Ten national TV reporter for his opinion on the Australian nation sport of cricket.
“Oh, cricket? It’s a f– game. What are you, nuts?” Lewis replied.
The network broadcast the comment in full on its Friday evening news bulletin along with footage of Lewis handling an imaginary cricket bat with an effeminate gesture.

Now that’s where we need to draw the line Jerry, Dropping remarks at Gays is one thing but when you bring cricket into it that’s where we must draw the line…
Where is the connection between cricket and fags? I think they 82 year old Jerry is going off his rocker or maybe at 82 he needs to stay on his rocking chair and shut to ass up.
And wha is dat about handling a cricket bat with an effeminate gesture… Jerry should be aware that he is treading on a dangerous cricket ground, in the Caribbean it is more known that you must be a fag if you DON’T like cricket.
Allow Boyce to take some time pick Jerry Lewis and the Americans breadfruits which hang pretty damn low..
Is Jerry Lewis aware of the practice in his national game American foot ball of the male players slapping one another on their behinds when they score a touch down? That’s why they wear those tight ass sissy pants when they are playing.

Let’s not even speak on how they call the game foot ball but yet spend the whole time running around with the ball in their hands, and it’s not even a freaking ball it’s some oblong thing. Some body should inform Americans that balls are round.
Isn’t it in the same American football that all the male players jump down on one another in a pile supposedly over a ball, those players lose no opportunity to get in contact with one another in a most gay like manner?

Is Jerry aware that his United States of America has the most fag laws you have ever come across? They are now three states in the U.S where men can marry other men legally, I challenge Lewis to come down here and identify a cricket playing Caribbean territory where Ellen can marry her girlfriend.
Mr. Jerry Lewis I would advise you to stop up in Australia and make your stupid comments if you come down to the Caribbean talking yuh shite holding a bat effeminate to prove your point, next thing one of we beer drinking west Indian cricket fanatics hit yuh round yuh fagging head with the same freaking bat and out yuh lights, yuh *gun see.

Cricket is a Game of glorious uncertainties, one thing for certain, IT IS NOT A FAG GAME!

*Gun is used hear deliberately cause if he is in Jamaica he probably “Gun see” for truth
Some parts of this post were written deliberately in dialect so Americans reading it would not know what I mean but would skin their teeth anyway…

Local politics just got more entertaining….

With the news that entertainment lawyer and artiste manager Santia Bradshaw is now taking entering the political arena. Santia will be running to represent the Barbados Labour Party in the St Michael South East constituency aka “The Pine”.
The same way you know about Obama and McCain you should know that Hamilton Lashley resigned from the BLP to become an independent and so Santia is looking to take over that position.
Ms Bradshaw aka Santia has been involved in entertainment for some years now, her company Pyramid Entertainment manages Peter Ram, Lil Rick, Mr Dale Philip 7 and numerous other artistes that if you are a regular reader to Boyce Voice you should know.
Santia is also well versed in copyright and intellectual property being a well studied British trained lawyer.
She has used her legal knowledge on behalf of the industry to help bridge the perennial gap which seems to exist between local artistes and the National Cultural Foundation.

Santia’s father Delisle Bradshaw was also in politics which according to political pundits gives her an advantage, it will be most interesting what Santia Bradshaw brings to the political table with her in-depth entertainment background and the perspective which will be presented as it relates to the industry.