Omar's Blog (218)

At the age of 78, prolific Tobago-born calypsonian Calypso Rose is having the best time of her career. Next month she will collect yet another honour for her contribution to music, the Grand Prix des musiques du monde, which will be presented at a special ceremony in Paris as part of the Sacem Grand Prix.

SACEM is the French-based Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music. Each…

Another son of the soil has left us, The Original De Fosto Himself (Winston Scarborough).

Only days before the veteran calypsonian had paid tribute at the funeral of another fallen hero, Winston Bailey, The Mighty Shadow.

Scarborough, who was just 64, died on Friday 2 November after suffering a heart attack. He had been…

Eddie Grant, a Guyana-born, world-renowned, phenomenal artist, was last Saturday conferred Doctor of Letters for excellency in music by Professor Eon Harris at the University of Guyana’s first such historic distinction, during the institution’s 52nd convocation ceremony at the National Cultural Center in Georgetown.…

Shanna Raymond, St Kitts Music Festival 2017

St. Kitts and Nevis are the sort of islands that dreams are made of: a lush tropical landscape, pristine beaches, luxury hotels, gourmet restaurants and…

Reggae on the Hudson Saturday, September 22nd…

Bright colours, scantily clad women and some of the world’s best dancers - it must be Rio's Carnival.

Carnival is one of the biggest events on the Brazilian calendar and one of the biggest festivals in the world.

An estimated two million people line the streets of the five day long festival which is held each year before Lent.…

Just less than a month before the massive West Indian American Day Carnival Parade takes place on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3, the president of the organizing group has died.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is celebrated as a…

Just less than a month before the massive West Indian American Day Carnival Parade takes place on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3, the president of the organizing group has died.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is celebrated as a public holiday in the United States.

William R. “Bill” Howard, the African American-born president of the Brooklyn-based West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), was found dead in his…

Ricky T & Teddyson John

King Arthur continues his reign as Groovy Soca Monarch and Ricky T adds another title to his ever-growing list of wins as he captures the Power Monarch title.…

Pure Grenada has the distinction of hosting the last and arguably the best Carnival experience and this year it is carded for August 13^th and 14^th.  Book now and you can look forward to wonderful tropical weather, upbeat island music, colour, splendour and our course, a culturally authentic awakening experience. Grenada’s signature festival is enriched by the costumes and masquerades that display the destination’s deep…

The 10 Hottest Costumes We Saw at Jamaica Carnival This Week

So for years this has been a pet peeve of mine. Jamaica has a vibrant and growing Carnival, arguably one of the major carnivals in the Caribbean, and yet from ash Wednesdays to good Friday there are essentially only one or 2 soca releases meant specifically for Jamaica.

For those of us that #dothedouble (Trinidad…

HAPPY EASTER, HAPPY PASSOVER