Major changes to be implemented at the 2012 Chutney Soca Monarch

Major changes will be implemented at the 2012 Chutney Soca Monarch held annually during the Carnival celebrations in Trinidad & Tobago.

New rules and regulations, exciting new elements, and a new theme in 2012, will all make up what is carded to be the biggest ever Chutney Soca Monarch in the history of the competition.

The Chutney Soca Monarch is the most important and largest Indo Caribbean event in the world. Held annually, it has also become one of the ‘Big Four’ events in our Carnival every year, the others being the International Soca Monarch, the Dimanche Gras and the Panorama Finals.

The event is being re-branded and will have a new look in 2012.

2012 theme - Chutney Soca Monarch

The Chutney Soca Monarch remains one of the most colorful productions in Carnival, and 2012 will be no different as the theme of the event reflects an embracing of the Caribbean spirit, Caribbean music and Caribbean people - ONE – One Caribbean, One music, One People – the theme for 2012.

New venue and new date

The Producers of the 2012 Chutney Soca Monarch have decided to move the event to Port of Spain. We have been having discussions with the National Carnival Commission with the intention of hosting the event at the Queens Park Savannah. These discussions are still ongoing.

Producers will also be moving the event one week closer to Carnival  and has proposed the Grand Final to be hosted on Saturday 11th February 2012.

New rules and regulations

2 new rules will be introduced to the competition in 2012.

Artistes will not be allowed to use film melodies in their songs, which have plagued the competition over the last few years. Only songs that have 100% original melodies and lyrics will be allowed to compete, and there will also be a screening of the music to ensure that lyrics and topics are positive.

Guyana to be included in a major way

In 2012, a number of new features will be added to the event.

3 artistes from Guyana will be taken directly to the Grand Final of Chutney Soca Monarch through a special screening process that will see eliminations gradually come down to the three selected Guyanese artistes.

2 judges from Guyana will also sit on the judging panel for the Grand Final should in case the technologies fail onthe night.

The Grand Final of the Chutney Soca Monarch will be broadcast ‘live’  via satellite to Guyana and featured on a major TV network in Guyana.

Finally, the event, which is judged by 100% text votes, will also give the Guyana public the opportunity to participate at this level, as arrangements are also being put in place for the people of Guyana to be able to vote via text voting through a local network.

By 2013, it is expected that a ‘Guyana Leg’ of the Chutney Soca Monarch competition will take place in Georgetown.

Other voting

In 2012, apart from Guyana nationals being allowed to vote through a local network, online voting will take place as the event will be streamed over the internet to a ‘live’ viewing public. Text voting will also take place as in years gone by in the USA, Canada and of course Trinidad & Tobago.

Major international act for CSM 2010

A major International act will be included in the program for Chutney Soca Monarch 2012. An act that will further enhance the production and add major value to the show. The event will also have an International co-host, and the opening of the show will feature several Caribbean countries.

Other Carnival events

In 2012, Southex will start a Jr. Chutney Soca Monarch that will crown a young champion. The event will feature one grand show that will showcase the talents of those artistes below the age of 18yrs.

Chutney on D Sutton, one of the most successful events in 2011 will once again be a feature on the Calendar of events.

Girlz Gon White, held at the Space Car Park over the last 3 years will also find a new home in 2012, as the event has outgrown the present venue.

Conclusion

Southex is projecting that 2012 will be the biggest and most exciting year in the history of the Chutney Soca Monarch. The Grand Final’s move to POS is a positive one, and one that will position the event where it should be.

Many other countries will be added to the 2013 event, as Chutney Soca Monarch starts to spread throughout the Caribbean.

Machel & Rikki Jai to return to Trinidad’s Calypso Monarch

Machel Montano & Rikki Jai

Reigning International Power (Soca) Monarch Machel Montano and defending National Chutney Monarch Rikki Jai will compete in next year’s National Calypso Monarch Competition.

They made the joint announcement of their return to competition which served as the foundation for their careers at Sunday’s staging of Saute Trinbago, produced by Cloud Nine Promotions at the NCC Carpark at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

Montano hinted that his selection for the competition was likely to be The Youngest Veteran, while Jai’s will per Machel Montano & Rikki Jai form Love, Family, Life. Contacted for comment on this development, reigning Calypso Monarch Karene Asche welcomed the news.“By all means. The competition is open to everyone and I don’t see why not. It would be interesting,” she said, chuckling.

Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba) president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO), also hailed the return of Jai and Montano to the competition, describing it as “very good.”

“Machel and Rikki Jai are very much welcome. We look forward to the vibration they will bring. The Calypso Monarch competition is open to all artistes from T&T. It will bring a sense of excitement to the competition. That’s where they started. Machel was a former Junior Calypso Monarch. I could understand the calling,” he said.

Young calypsonian Chucky (Roderick Gordon) was delighted by the news. Chucky, who described himself as a young artiste in the calypso genre straddling the generation gap, said the presence of Machel and Jai would draw the attention of a younger audience to the competition. 

Jai and Montano were winners of the $2 million first prizes awarded to the Soca Monarch and Chutney Soca Monarch competitions this year.

Ravi B pleads not guilty

Leaving San Fernando Court

Ravi “Ravi B” Bissambhar pleaded not guilty, on September 27, to inciting a crowd to throw bottles during the Soca Chutney Monarch finals back in February. 

Bissambhar appeared in Court along with his lawyers.

It is alleged that on February 20, Bissambhar did encourage or counsel members of a crowd in attendance at the Chutney Soca Monarch competition, to throw missiles after he was dethroned by Rikki Jai on the night of the show. 

Chankar read the charge to him that: “On February 20, 2011 at Skinner Park, San Fernando, you did encourage or counsel members of the crowd in attendance at the Chutney Soca Monarch 2011 to throw missiles to the annoyance of the said persons.”

The charge was laid by ASP Ramlal under Section 69, Chapter 11:02, of the Summary Offences Act. Before Bissambhar could enter a plea, his attorney, Sophia Chote, asked the magistrate to allow him to enter a plea on the next occasion.

She explained that she needed time to conclude her research on the legal aspects. The magistrate offered to stand down the matter but Chote said it was a matter of legal research. 

Chankar, however, said she would prefer he entered a plea. Bissambhar subsequently pleaded not guilty.

Chote suggested an adjournment date in December, indicating that the nature of his job wIll sometimes take her client out of the country. However, the matter was adjourned to October 31.

In August, Bissambhar turned himself in at the San Fernando police station,Trinidad, after a summons was issued for his arrest following the alleged bottle throwing incident. 

Bissambhar, the lead singer of the chutney band Karma, was at the Chutney Soca Monarch finals defending his title. He placed second to Samraj “Rikki Jai” Jaimungal.

Bissambhar was accompanied to court yesterday by a bodyguard, his sister Nisha Bissambhar and other band members. They were greeted by members of the public as they entered the courthouse.

You Tube Video on the incident Below

Toronto’s Calypso Monarch crowned

Bryan “Structure” Thornhill

Bryan “Structure” Thornhill brought a sold out crowd at the Chinese Cultural Centre’s P.C. Ho Theatre to its feet last Saturday (July 23) when he was crowned the 2011 Kaiso 365 Calypso Monarch champion.

Presented by the Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA), Structure won the hotly contested battle between the nine finalists for the fifth time with his renditions “Uprising Is First” and “Trenton Monster.”

The Barbadian-born singer, who also won the coveted People’s Choice Award, took home six other awards
including Best Lyrics, Melody, Presentation, Originality, Rendition and Humour.

Structure, who won the Calypso Monarch title in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007, took home a cash prize of $6,000 beating out five-time champion Michael “Beginner” Moore, two-time winner Pat “Pan Man Pat” McNeilly, Denise “Spice” Quammie-Alexander, Newton “Newton P” Philips, Steve “Mr.Wonderful” Clarke, inaugural champion Clieve “King Smokey” Henry, one-time winner Michael “Redman” Thomas and three-time and defending champion Eulith Tara “Macomere Fifi” Woods.

With the victory, he will represent Canada in London, U.K in next year’s Notting Hill Carnival, as part of an exchange program with the Association of British Calypsonians (ABC). As part of the program; last year’s London Calypso Monarch Alexander D’ Great made a special visit and performed several hits.

Structure, who entered the Calypso world in the 1980’s in his native home Barbados with the social commentary “Product of the Classroom,” was a regular in the yearly Pic-O-De-Crop competitions.

In 2002, after immigrating to Canada, he entered the OCPA Calypso Monarch competition and placed
second.

The Calypso Monarch competition attracts singers from across the GTA and beyond and has been held annually in Toronto for the past 30 years.

Here are the final results:

2011 Calypso Monarch Results

• Winner: Bryan “Structure” Thornhill
• 2 (tie):– Eulith “Macomere Fifi” Tara Woods (defending champion) & Pat “Pan Man Pat” McNeilly
• 4: Michael “Beginner” Moore
• 5: Denise “Spice” Quammie-Alexander
• 6: Steve “Mr. Wonderful” Clarke
• 7: (tie) Newton “Newton P” Phillips & Michael “Redman” Thomas
• 8: King Smokey – Clieve “King Smokey” Henry

Special Awards

• Best Lyrics: Structure – Trenton Monster
• Best Melody: Structure – Trenton Monster
• Best Presentation: (tie) Structure – Trenton Monster & Newton P - Old Age Pension
• Most Original Calypso: Structure – Trenton Monster
• Best Rendition: Structure – Trenton Monster
• Best Composition on a local topic: Pan Man Pat – Stop The Gravy Train

Most Humorous Calypso:

• Structure – Trenton Monster
• Best Arrangement: Michael “Skel”
• Redhead – Tackling The Issues (sung by Macomere Fifi)
• People’s Choice: Structure