Every once in a while an event comes along you feel is worth bathing for, the Coscap Foundation inaugural fund raising Gala is such an event.
It will be a big shin ding with top notch performers and its all in the name of a good cause to raise money for the good people at COSCAP.
If I sound like I am kissing up to somebody you are right, Coscap is the body that determines the liscense fees when you have live events and CroP Over is coming around again, so I would like to sweeten up Erica and Gale and them as much as possible, Erica loves it when I call her name…
I implore you to come out and support the most worthy and honorable event detailed below.

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, the COSCAP Foundation will hold its inaugural annual fundraising Gala at the Hilton. Hosted by Vic Fernandes and Cassandra Crawford, the Gala will be a black tie event with the theme: “Our Music, Our Artists, OurFuture”.

After dinner, there will be an artist showcase where guests will be entertained by stellar performances by Barbadians in widely varied genres such as gospel, calypso,rock, jazz, folk, hip hop, alternative, reggae, pop, tuk and acoustic. All of the music will be 100% Bajan. Confirmed acts will be a mix of established artists and some of the young up and coming talent including: Kareen Clarke, Sir Ruel, Gabby, John King, J-Storm, Threads of Scarlet, Buggy, TC, The Mike Sealy Quartet, Simon Pipe,Kite, Black Kla Soyl, Mistral Baldeo, Nexcyx, Billy Kincaid, Natahlee, Nicholas Brancker, Blood, Cherish Breedy, The JM Band.
The first annual Coscap Foundation Award of Excellence will be presented that night to the MerryMen in recognition and appreciation of their contribution to music and culture locally and internationally.

If you were hoping to have a controversy free Crop Over 2010 you can forget about it, compliments the NCF aka National Cultural Foundation.
Instead of wasting time embarking on matters of cultural development, NCF seems to be quite assiduously seeking to shove proposals down the throats of cultural industries which benefit no one other than themselves and other noncultural entities they are in league with.
I don’t know about you but I for one do not like things being shoved down my throat, so lets take a close look at what’s being shoved.
(1) TEXTING; NCF has proposed they want to take Party Monarch Judging out of the tents and make it a texting competition, so instead of sending judges to see a calypsonian perfecting his stage craft in a tent, they want to listen to cds select who they like and then let the public text to choose who will be Party Monarch finalists.

Why is the NCF so committed to removing Party Monarch from the tents and degrade it to a texting competition? the answer is simple, money. Texting revenues generated are split between NCF and the telecommunications provider.
The calypsonian does not benefit or the Tents but the NCF does, which is what they are all about plus of course the phone company.

While the NCF is meeting with stakeholders and going through the motions as though they are only considering this “texting” change and you are a part of the decision, NCF has already informed sponsors that this change will be happening and also given the impression tent managers and Calypsonians are all in agreement. Sounds like a big fat lie to me.

This system of text voting is lacking in transparency and highly open to manipulation, and I know for a fact in one Caribbean territory a telecommunications provider conspired with parties involved in a competition to influence the result. That could quite easily happen here, don’t you think? Hmm maybe it did, or maybe not.

The range of suggestions being put forward by NCF shows a dearth of any true commitment to the development of calypso culture, they are myopic in scope and will serve only to dilute our festival quality and erode our standards.
It is therefore left to the right thinking cultural practitioners who truly have a love for our art form to sit up and pay attention and not allow these flawed and corrupted proposals to slip through like a thief in the night.

Text me back a response, Boyce has left the building…

On the Vybz Kartel Movado issue, I think it is unfortunate that both these artistes came here separate without there being an issue and now that they are doing a joint production that there should be this bureaucratic and public outcry.
On the issue of Gaza vs Gully, there is no war here in Barbados that I am aware of based on this concept, even if there has been some isolated incident or incidents that might have occurred it has not reached national proportions which justify a “peace” effort here. the underlying suggestion that there is this “war” is causing more problems than the event itself.
How ever it is an undeniable reality that gang divisions do exist in Barbados, based on rivalry between various neighborhoods, so high profile persons speaking on quelling these feuds would be a positive thing.
The Royal Barbados Police Force have stated that they have concerns about the two Jamaican acts featured on the show as in their opinion they have negative influences on the Bajan youth. The Commissioner states that we have role models here and I agree with him, it should not be left to only outside acts to mentor our youth but our local entertainers as well should be involved in the effort.
Whether their concerns are justified or not what concerns me is the expeditious manner in which the Police is quick to withdraw their services from an entertainment event they are not in favour of, with the claim “they are busy”.
From what the Police Commissioner is saying it more seems to be a case that the police force should be adhering to their fiduciary responsibility to protect the life and limb of Barbadians by making sure adequate security will be in place at this event to ensure it is incident free.
By making public statements proclaiming the Police will not be in attendance causes more harm than good.
In the finals analysis let us hope cooler heads prevail and Promoters, artistes and Police can combine and achieve the perfect confluence of an entertaining and peaceful show.

It gun be hot up at Greenland Land fill this year, not just with the smells but with the music. NCF has announced that one of the venues they were considering hosting Party Monarch 2010 was the illustrious Greenland Land fill”.

Some would say when it comes to venues this is really reaching the bottom of the barrel, or the bottom of the garbage bin, but is it? Let us explore the opportunities a “Dump” Party Monarch presents to us.

First having Party Monarch at a dump would be a unique attraction, if not for people, at least for flies.

Not only flies but maybe this new location might attract a new breed of sponsors; Party Monarch can now be sponsored by the Sanitation Department and Garbage Masters.

As title sponsors the credit would be The Garbage Masters Party Monarch Finals coming to you from Greenland Dump.
NCF can also change their slogan, “Crop Over Festival Smelly fuh Days”.
Instead of the scenic East coast it would be marketed as a scent-ic location. It ought to be a great day out for the family, Bring the family out and picnic in the dump.

When you tell a calypsonian his party music sounds like garbage it would be a compliment, you would now be saying he sounds like he is headed straight to the Dump Finals.

One of the good things is that the NCF is announcing this early so Calypsonians can make changes to their songs, Edwin can now sing “In de middle of de Dump”

I can hear RPB singing “something’s happening, and it will be stinking”
Bag’s opening line would now be “I see, people jumping with flies,

Lil Rick would sing “wukking up behind the stinking truck”

Salt would be Smell me, smell me and don’t smell me smell me and don’t smelllll me

At least Sanitation wouldn’t have to clean up after the event, because you are at the dump already! you can just walk away and leave all your Garbage there.

We are always complaining NCF doesn’t come up with good ideas and we should give them 100% credit for this one, I am sure regionally and internationally, there has never been a music event that was held in a dump,
If it works out we can look for Freddy Al and Gilbert to follow with their events, soon we will get;

Reggae in the dump, Jazz in the Dump, Soca in the Dump, the possibilities are endless….
P.Boyce will be taking advantage of it listen out for my self penned number, guaranteed to take the Party Monarch by storm entitled “Stinkaroo Ah Coming” I got my goat cologne ready!

The National Cultural foundation recently made the proclamation that they will be doing some major cutting for Crop Over, my focus is not what will be cut but more what they will NOT cut.
For some time now our Crop Over has been characterised by regional acts being brought in to lord over the climax of our festival since NCF does not believe in the capabilities of Barbadian acts.
For the last two years thousands of u.s dollars have been paid to regional and international acts to headline Cohobblopot, so I wait to see what will happen this year under these new budgetary restrictions.

Cavalcades for instance we know will be affected as that is a free event design to “jump start” Crop Over and highlight established and upcoming Bajan calypso acts.
Chances are the performer’s fees will be cut and probably the amount of these events themselves might be reduced. So Bajans who look forward to partying for free will have to brace themselves for changes.

Next up who have to worry are the calypso tents, for some years now there has been a line of thought that government should not be subsidizing the tents.
Even under better economic conditions this funding has been questioned, from last year the cultural authorities had made statements which seem to indicate tent funding might be coming to an end.

So as Crop Over fast approaches we wait to see how the budget cuts will affect our national festival, which by the way generates millions of dollars in foreign exchange for the country.
So by instigating drastic budget cuts which affect the quality of events, NCF could end up shooting themselves in the foot.
So will it be the local Bajan cultural industries which face the cuts while big money is paid to outside performers, let we wait and see…

Here’s a release Boyce received from Pyramid entertainment, they are a local show business power broker who controls such artistes as Peter Ram, Philip 7 and Lil Rick who by the way was just adjudged Male entertainer of the Decade by the Barbados Music Awards. Lets take a read and see what they are saying about their French adventure at MIDEM.
Pyramid Entertainment is currently at MIDEM, the world’s largest music industry trade fair at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. The entertainment company took the decision to be present at MIDEM this year, although not a part of the Barbados delegation, as the benefits from participation in the event over the years have proven to be innumerable and always provides new perspectives for furthering the company’s goal of bringing its artistes into mainstream music.
From January 23-27, the Pyramid contingent will be taking part in both MidemNet, which focuses on monetising music, and the main MIDEM exhibition. As MIDEM offers music professionals from across the industry the chance to network with potential business partners and identify new business opportunities, Pyramid’s representatives already have several meetings with agents and promoters lined up and will participate in several conference workshops including those on digital licensing and new media.
Started in 1967, MIDEM now attracts close to 9,000 of the world’s largest music recording labels, agents, publishers, promoters, online and traditional distributors, live music professionals and artiste managers. This year’s key note line up includes a speaker session with Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and producer Pharell Williams and for the first time the tradeshow introduces the MIDEM Managers’ Village.

Wow that’s some great stuff they did there, kudos to Pyramid, I was hoping they would say something about if what they say about the French women is true, and if its true French men don’t like to bathe and is that why they are known as great lovers, but the entertainment update I can live with.
Darron the admin of Boyce Voice blog is down there, maybe he can investigate the other stuff for cultural purposes and send a report.

It is “time” for Rihanna to do a Soca song and put the genre on the international map”, that’s the “Timeless” position being put out by Ronnie Morris from the Barbados Music Awards.
Ronnie has been getting quite a bit of heat for this on my Facebook page and my FB friends Joyann and Marva insist I must make a comment so I am Boycing it.

I admire what Ronnie has done with the BMA’s and recognizing the contribution of Bajan artistes both old & new, Obviously he has a passion for our Soca music and would wish to see it grow and that is why he would have made his comment.
However I do not agree that Rihanna an obligation to do Soca music or any other Bajan genre.
The point was well made by Mark on FB, why should Rihanna target 3 million people in the Caribbean when you can target 300 million internationally.
She will release a Soca song and do what, try to win “Tune of the Crop”? When instead she could be on the top of the Billboard charts.

I think we should all be extremely proud of Rihanna and how she promotes Barbados.
She was on Rick Dee’s the other day and guess what? She shouted out Barbados and let Rick know that we listen to him here.
That is the kind of publicity you can’t buy.

When she wins awards and international attention is on her, she shouts “Barbados!!” Christ, what more do you want!?

It is noteworthy that many of the international potentials who perform at B.M.A’s do not do Soca.
The reason they choose ballads is because that’s what the international scouts are looking for.
So it’s therefore unfair for us to expect Rihanna to sing a “come and wine pun my bumpa“ song.
What Rihanna needs to do is keep on being successful and hailing Barbados and as Bajans we need to appreciate it more.
Kudos again to Ronnie and the great job he has been doing with the B.M.A’s helping to also put Barbados entertainment on the international map.

Boyce Note; if Rihanna ever does decide to do a Soca collaboration, there’s a popular artiste known as “Ali Singh” that might try a thing with her…

Big News from the Timeless, the Barbados Music Awards will be going regional! From next year the Barbados Music Awards will be no more but will be replaced by the “Caribfest Awards” a brand new initiative from the Ronnie Morris/Russell Ruck Timeless team.

The Caribfest Awards will be seeking participation from artistes in Antigua, Bermuda, Guyana, Haiti, Trinidad, Cuba, U.S territories Puerto Rico, and U.S Virgin islands etc, all the territories in the region.

Ronnie said that funding had becoming problematic as it related to the Barbados Music Awards but there was more potential sources for funding an awards competition which encompassed the Caribbean.
It was stated persons in the different islands had been very receptive to “Caribfest” and after its start up respective governments will be approached for their support.

Here is how the nomination process will work for “Caribfest”; there would be a committee of 20 persons that would be selected from the islands along with 5 international judges, the committee would then nominate artistes from all the areas. The eventual winners would be decided by the voting public from throughout the region.

In response to persons including myself, who expressed concern over the demise of the Barbados Music Awards especially after the excellent show which was staged on Sunday, Ronnie stated, if enough funding was made available to Timeless, they might still do the Barbados Awards event but it all depends on the support they get.
Ronnie wrapped up by saying local artistes now having to compete with regional counterparts for awards would now raise the bar as it relates to entertainment standards.

At the conclusion of the press conference there were no snacks served, which was ok cause I am not one of those people who go to events looking to get things to eat, so I did not notice there were no snacks nor drinks.

Boyce is out

I cut my hair and practicing Snizing which is what Tyra Banks calls smiling with your eyes, cause I looking to be a show stopper when I step on the red carpet at the BMA’s on Sunday yuh idiot!!
Below is a release Ronnie sent on what will be happening that night, I don’t see my name down to do anything so I guess he is saving me to be a surprise guest. Dorothy will also be there, after all, she knows Rihanna…

Patrons who purchased tickets to the 2010 Barbados Music Awards, being held on Sunday, January 10th at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, are in for a treat, as the event will be staged as a double feature which will begin with the entire 5th Anniversary Awards ceremoney, then end with a full concert by American Idol queen Fantasia.

“The concept is to have the full 2-hour Barbados Music Awards ceremony, complete with the award presentations, awesome performances by Barbados’ best including Edwin Yearwood, Natahlee, Livvi Franc, Jaicko, Ruby Tech, Ruth Collymore and others, along with the awesome Michael Jackson tribute which includes the phenomenal talent of Cerish Breedy, Tanya Clarke, Kareen Clarke, Ria Borman, Dwayne Husbands, TC, Omar McQuilkin and Alison Hinds among others.

Following that there will be a brief intermission, and fans will then be treated to a 45-minute Fantasia Live in Concert, which, to our mind, is a spectacular celebration of five years, being acknowledged by the global music industry, through the presence and participation of the likes of Joseph Jackson and Fantasia Barrino, along with the numerous major executives and global media which will be joining us for the event’, Ronnie Morris, Director of the annual Barbados Music Awards said.

The Barbados Music Awards is considered to be one of this island’s most prestigious annual events, and is also recognized as the Caribbean’s finest annual music awards event.

Happy New Year from Boyce Voice, want to wish you the best for 2010 etc and so on and so forth.
Let us resolve to make New Years resolutions and stick to them and one of mine is I will update Boyce Voice more regularly, so let’s get to it then.

I open up this New Year by writing about something old, no I am not writing about myself, I am writing about two amazing television shows that are living proof that when you create an excellent and quality product, it is timeless and will live on forever.

Am Boycing about the television shows “The Honeymooners” and “The Twilight Zone”.
On 2010 New Years day two television Network channels showed marathon back to back episodes of both those shows, so you might ask, what’s so damn amazing about that??
This,” The Honeymooners was produced in 1955 and the “Twilight Zone” is from 1959.
Despite the age if these “television dinosaur productions despite the fact that they are in black and white, in 2010 over 40 years since they have been produced, they still continue to be entertaining .

When I watched Jackie Gleason as Ralph Crandon in “The Honey Mooners” I still found him to be funny and the plots to be hilarious. In contrast to some current stuff that I find boring, Example “Everybody Loves Raymond” they must mean everybody except me, and “Tyler Perry’s House of Pain” cause that’s how I find Tyler’s so called comedy, painful to watch.

“The Twilight Zone” still continues to be intriguing and well written. Taking you into “another dimension of time” with guest appearances by young stars that made it big afterwards like Clint Eastwood, William Shatner, Robert Redford and more.

The original “Honeymooners and “Twilight Zone” Television shows are examples of how “form is temporary but class is permanent”.