Legendary singer Lalchan Rafi Singh return to Toronto is questionable

Lalchan Rafi Singh

Reported by Nirvan Balkissoon

Lalchan Rafi Singh’s return to Toronto is questionable due to a fall he suffered on Monday October 10, in Queens, New York.

“I was in New York at the time and in fact with Lalchan at the time of the fall. Lalchan came over to see me around 1 pm, We relaxed and played one of his CDs. He had a couple of drinks with Gerry and Joe while I just relaxed. We must have played the CD about 3 times while talking about his visit to Toronto and he also sang with the CD and enjoyed a wonderful time with us.

I connected him with Harold Boodoo so that Harold can prepare the music. Lalchan’s performance will be about 1½ hrs so he had about 12 songs and a medley that he would do in the second Harold, everyone started talking about some of the jokes that Lalchan would be belting out in between his performance as he stated he wanted people to come and enjoy themselves with him after 15 years away from Toronto.

Sometime around 4 pm we sat down to eat some food, I left Lalchan sitting at the table and went to lie down inside after finishing eating. After about 20 mins or so I was told that Lalchan got up from the kitchen table and said he was going home. While walking down the steps he must have lost his balance and fell down,. When I rush to the steps I saw Lalchan flat on his back fast asleep.

The landlord called the ambulance and they took him to Jamaica Hospital. The next day we visited him at the hospital to find him awake on a bed waiting for the doctor.

His left hand was bandaged up and in a sling. Lalchan told me at the time that he still wants to come to Toronto and would let me know as he’s supposed to come out of the hospital by the end of the week.

I spoke to Lalchan earlier this week and discussed his trip to Toronto and agreed that we’ll see how it goes with him on a day to day basis.

He still wants to come and perform and is hoping that he can still make it. His left hand is broken and he’s attending therapy but will keep me inform towards the end of the week.

At the time of this publication we cannot confirm whether Lalchan will be here to perform but if he does make it, everyone will be pleased.

Mausam screenings cancelled at TIFF

Mausam (Seasons of Love), a story about star-crossed Indian lovers and the directorial debut of noted Indian actor Pankaj Kapoor, has been withdrawn from the Toronto International Film Festival lineup.

TIFF officials announced Tuesday September 13 that all screenings and the press conference for the anticipated film — which had earned one of the festival’s prestigious gala spots — have been cancelled.

“We are extremely disappointed that the studio has informed us that the film will not have received the necessary regulatory approvals in India, forcing us to cancel all screenings of Mausam,” TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey said in a statement.

Mausam tells the story of a Punjabi Hindu named Harry (Shahid Kapoor) who falls in love with Aayat, a beautiful Muslim girl from Kashmir (Sonam  A. Kapoor) in rural Punjab. Though romance blossoms between the two, a variety of forces prevent them from being together.

Producers received special permission from the Indian Air Force to shoot scenes of the film at Gwalior airbase, as Kapoor plays an Air Force pilot.

As part of the deal, movie studio Eros International Media Limited agreed to give the IAF final approval on Mausam before it submitted the movie to the Indian film board for official certification.

In Mausam, Shahid Kapoor portrays an Indian Air Force pilot. To shoot scenes at India’s Gwalior airbase, producers agreed to give the IAF final say on the film before it was submitted to the Indian film board. TIFF According to Indian media reports, the IAF has objected to a dramatic aerial sequence featuring Kapoor in a fighter jet and is withholding approval until edits are made.

“We are very disappointed not to be able to present the world premiere of Mausam in Toronto and accept full responsibility for our absence,” said Mausam producer Sheetal Talwar, who added that the entire team offers its “deepest apologies to our audience in Toronto.”

In recent years, TIFF has helped increase the profile of Indian cinema by hosting the world premieres of prominent Indian films and holding special festival-related talks and panels featuring Indian filmmakers and stars.

“Toronto audiences have been powerful champions for the promotion and growth of Indian cinema abroad and it’s a shame that our festival audiences will be left disappointed,” Bailey said.

It’s the latest setback for Mausam. In August, a U.K. launch event for the film’s soundtrack — slated to feature performances by the two stars — was cancelled because of the London riots. The film opened in theatres across India on September 16.

Neeshan “D’ Hitman” Prabhoo set to perform in Toronto

Neeshan “D’ Hitman” Prabhoo

Since the Toronto Carnival 2011 weekend, Neeshan Prabhoo is set to make his next performance in Toronto on Saturday September 24 at the Soca Savanna in Mississauga.

“D’ Hitman” began singing film songs at around 16 years old as an hobby, until he tried his talent in chutney, producing his first and very successful hit “Don’t Hold Me Back.” This mega hit came out in 1997 which lead to the artiste touring the Caribbean and the rest of the world where chutney soca is enjoyed. 

In October 2003 he did an album entitled “Another Hit by the Hitman.” On this album one can find the biggest Chutney Soca tune of 2005 Carnival, More Rum for Me (better know as Mr. Shankar). The song can also be found on a Cd entiltled Trini Bashment. 

Starting as early as July since the album was released Neeshan started touring once again his first overseas trip being to Guyana. To date this song is currently being played on all the major radio stations both Indo and Afro along with the video which is has been played on Synergy TV both under the Soca listing and Chutney. 

More Rum for Me has not only dominated all the house parties, clubs and shows here Trinidad but is a major hit in the entire Caribbean and the world.

Prabhoo has performed so far in the  USA, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, St Lucia, Barbados and in more places.

Pass by any bar on any given day and you are bound to hear More Rum for Me being blasted. 

Another achievement is the Best Soca Chutney Song of the year award at the international soca awards held on October 1 2005 at Queens Hall.

For Carnival 2006 Prabhoo has once again done it with his new very popular tune Firewater (Rum Meh brother Say). 

2006 has seen the Hitman continuing his packed schedule with tours to almost every country that enjoys the chutney genre of music including Los Angeles in the USA.

in 2008, another hit song “Bring D Rum” was released and took over the airwaves.

Recenly, along with Fito Blanko, Prabhoo has experimented with a new genre called chutneyton which combines chutney music with reggaeton. Their most famous hit together has been a song called “Pretty Gyal”.

His most recent Chutney song is “Rum is not Meh Lovah.”

T&Tec Gaytones in Toronto

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
 DONNY GAYADEEN, RISHI GAYADEEN, 
VIDESH GAYADEEN & CAPIL GAYADEEN

On the night of Monday September 19, some of the members of the band T&Tec Gayatones arrived at Pearson Airport for the performance being held on Saturday September 24.

This is just the start of all performers arriving for the event. The entire event is comprised of 13 performers plus 2 surprise artistes.

Performers include: the band, Nadia Madoo, Neeshad Sultan, Oscar B, D’ Hitman, Soca Elvis and Avinash Maharaj.

All performers will be in Toronto by Friday for their dress rehearsal. The band is led by Rishi Gayadeen. Rishi Roland Gayadeen is a musician of extraordinary talent. At the tender age of six he began taking piano lessons and at twelve he began his musical career with the band T&TEC Gayatones.

For the past twenty years Rishi has performed around the world as Trinidad’s top keyboardist. He has performed in Canada, New York, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, England and India.

At home in Trinidad he is a well known arranger and producer for all the top chutney as well as some of the most popular calypso artistes, for example: Rikki Jai, Drupatee, Rooplal G., Vedish Sookoo, Rakesh Yankaran,  Rasika Dindial, Iwer George, Ronny Mc Intosh, Marcia Maranda, Machel Montano, Just to name a few.

When travelling abroad he has had the previllage to perform with Baron and top Indian artiste such as Sonu Nigum, Bankim Pattak and Anu Malik. Rishi has also worked with Reggae artiste Maxi Priests’ musicians, as well as Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Buju Banton, Sizzler, Capleton and many others.

Rishi Gayadeen and his band is one of the most well known Indian / crossover bands in Trinidad, performing at all the top Carnival events, chutney shows, night clubs, wedding receptions, farewell nights and concerts.

You can expect nothing less than the best of him and his band.

The founder of the band was Balwant ‘Capil’ Gayadeen. From early on he knew he was destined to play music and once encouraged by his musically gifted family, the sky was the limit for this multi-talented artist.

Capil was the fouth of eight children of a singing mother who also played the dholak. Facinated by just the look of the instruments it was not long he began to play them that he knew his calling. Armed with a toy piano, harmonica and xylophone, Capil began mimicking the many film songs he heard on television and in movies.

By the age of thirteen he attended a friend’s band rehersal and was in awe of the music they produced. He begged to join their band as an apprentice or anything. It was then that he got his his first opportunity to play with a true band wasted no time in learning to play other instruments such as the accordian and began playing with them on stage.

After some time, he left to join a larger band, Naya Andaz in Princes Town where he was their keyboard player for four years. Always searching for better opportunities, Capil then joined the prestigious AMAR Sangeet Orchestra as the the keyboard and bongo player. During this time he carefully watched their guitar player ply his trade and within a year taught himself to play the lead guitar. And with this newfound instrument he would occasionally play with the BWIA National Indian Orchestra.

Then came the birth of “GAYATONES”.

Two of Capil’s most memorable moments in music were performing at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground for the 1999 World Cup Finals in England and India for the second annual Insian Diaspora in 2004.

The lead female singer is Nadia Madoo. She won the national ladies singing competition at the age of 17. In the face of competition from experience female singers, most in their twenties and thirties with many years of professional singing behind them, Nadia took the top prize. She repeated that feat the following year with ease. She is currently our undisputed female singing champion.

The competition among the seventeen entrants was very stiff. All of the women in the competition had the prior advantage of performing before large audiences. Nadia was one of the youngest, and her performance was remarkable, said one of the event organisers.

When she came on the stage, the audience was captivated by her poise, grace, elegance, charm and charisma. What struck all though, was her humble manner. She is a simple, well brought up young lady. She made a powerful impact on everyone that night, with hardly any effort, just by being herself, but this was not the last in Madoo’s journey to distinction.

Nadia Madoo won the first place in the Children of Mastana Series and was a finalist in the 1997 Mastana Bahar Programme. She combines her work with the T&Tec Gayatones Indian Orchestra with freelance work for some of the country’s top indian music bands, and manages to balance all this with her studies. She has toured extensively and is today one of the most sought after female singers.

As mentioned before, the big event will be taking place on Saturday September 24 at Soca Savanna in Mississuaga. All $20 earlybird tickets are sold out, bringing the price up to $25. Kids under 12 are free.

For more information please contact 416-919-5770 or 647-701-0406.

Toronto Revellers sets the stage for Caribbean Carnival

Toronto Revellers

More than 2,000 junior masqueraders bared the Toronto heat as they jumped down Jane Street in the annual Kiddies Carnival this past week. After last year’s successful event, organizers decided to move the parade onto the main road anticipating the larger turnout.

“On Shoreham Road there isn’t the room to accommodate all the spectators,” explained Junior Carnival Parade organizer Greta Best. “By moving the reviewing stand to Jane Street literally thousands and thousands of people can see the kiddies performing
their routines in front of the judges.” For the past 10 years, the bands have been judged at the start of the parade along Shoreham Drive (Black Creek Pioneer Village).

However, this year the parade started on Shoreham Drive with the review stand about half way along the route which travelled from Shoreham to Jane, ending in the parking lot of the Yorkgate Mall (Jane & Finch).

While each band had three marshals per 20 masqueraders, a panel of five volunteer judges marked each band by visual impact, authenticity, creativity, mas on the move, clarity of theme, presentation and craftsmanship.

After all the jumping and waving, Jamaal Magloire’s Toronto Revellers band took the main prize for Junior Band of the Year, beating out Dexter Seusahai’s Tribal nights and Marcus
Eustace’s Carnival Nationz, who came in a close second and third respectively.

Toronto Revellers’ Jalen Gause won the Junior Male category for his portrayal of “The Timid King” while fellow Revellers’ Anastasia La Rose won the Junior Female category for her “Good
Witch of the North” costume.

Meanwhile, Tribal Knights’ Calena Seusahai and Carnival Nationz’
Demeko Minott took home the Junior Queen of the Bands and Junior King of the Bands awards respectively.

Here are the official results:


Junior Parade of the Bands
(Band Leader, Band, Theme, Points)

• 1. Jamaal Magloire - Toronto Revellers - Welcome to Oz - 261
• 2. Dexter Seusahai - Tribal Knights - Legends - 260
• 3. Marcus Eustace - Carnival Nationz - Mythical Creatures - 259

Junior Male Individual
(Contestant, Portrayal, Band Leader/ Band, Band Theme)

• 1. Jalen Gause - The Timid King - Jamaal Magloire/Toronto Revellers . Welcome to Oz
• 2. Maven Lee - Symphony of D’ Sea - Mark Deleon/Mas Toronto - Mas in Atlantis, A Carnival Mythology
• 3. Courtney St. Louis - Guardian of the Rainforest - Dexter Seusahai/Tribal Knights - Legends

Junior Female Individual
(Contestant, Portrayal, Band Leader/ Band, Band Theme)

• 1. Anastasia La Rose - Good Witch of the North - Jamaal Magloire/Toronto Revellers - Welcome to Oz
• 2. Canisha Edwards - Lost Treasures - Dexter Seusahai/Tribal Knights - Legends
• 3. Sariah Seon - Jelly Jamboree, Shake and Wine - Mark Deleon/Mas Toronto - Mas In Atlantis, A Carnival Mythology

Junior Queen of the Bands
(Contestant, Portrayal, Band Leader/ Band, Band Theme)

• 1. Calena Seusahai - Cleopatra - Dexter Seusahai/Tribal Knights - Legends
• 2. Rebecca Martinez - Hope and Tranquility - Narisa Ali/Blues Carnival Fusion - Mirage of Drums
• 3. Shanisse Kaola Jackson - Arabian Dancer - Will Morton/Fantazia International - Come Dance With Me

Junior King of the Bands
(Contestant, Portrayal, Band Leader/ Band, Band Theme)

• 1. Demeko Minott - The Gryphon - Marcus Eustace/Carnival Nationz - Mythical Creatures
• 2. Fabion Lee - Young King Neptune - Mark Deleon/Mas Toronto - Mas in Atlantis, A Carnival Mythology
• 3. Ty Williamson - Tin Man - Jamaal Magloire/Toronto Revellers - Welcome to Oz

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