Question,

Why don't we have our own Caribbean/West-Indian Station in Philadelphia!! I dont think we should be limited to Saturdays and 12p-3p on Sundays.

A little kompa, soca, reggae, calypso, ting ting ting.

What gives, I think we have enough representation!!!

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Don't talk to the monkey; speak to the organ grinder.

I never really developed much rhythm, unfortunately... I'm always open to some tasty food, though

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can you recommend some great artists (aside from the usual suspects in the reggae genre) for a little caribbean fever? calypso, steel drum, etc . I'd like to get a few CDs this summer (i'd ask about kompa or soca but am not sure what they are) because this is the way I feel

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My parents are island people. they are from PR.
Been there a couple times myself. The islands of the world are beautiful.

SoPHillylady there's a new radio station - 99.7 - that's all W.I., its a small station though, not too high-powered so it doesn't come im everywhere.

yah we all go to Brooklyn for Labor day too but there's also all the other carnivals - here, DC, Baltimore..... Camden has a Caribbean festival every year at Wiggins park on Camden Waterfront; I think its July 14 this year. Penns Landing has a big WI festival too, this year its August 19.

Philly carnival is June 16, and the night before on the 15th there's a big party/fete at Pangaea, 59th and Lancaster - steel band Panorama (competition) with bands coming from here, NJ, NY, Baltimore, and DC; selector and mas...... they say they goin all night like Jouvert so we'll see!

Club Ibis at 54th and Lancaster has a buncha stuff going now too since its comin up to carnival, mostly selector, but also live pan sometimes on Fri or Satday....

jtrain go to www.Toronto-Lime.com - they have a HUGE list of stuff; you can listen to clips - a lot of soca since it's a Trini site, but reggae, calypso and steel bands as well; there's a music section with classics and new music - reggae, soca, chutney, steelpan, calypso -

soca is a blend of calypso and East Indian rhythms, trinidad has a huge cultural mix, but its about evenly divided between African heritage and Indian heritage - so a lot of the music styles are all mixup mixup, soca evolved from that.

www.e-caroh.com also, mostly calypso there..... lots of clips to hear

for classic calypso check out Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow -some contemporary calypsonians are Scrunter, Baron, Shadow - gosh there's a million of 'em.

as far as steel bands there's so many of them too - you can hear clips on both sites i just mentioned. some of the big ones for traditional calypso-style music are are Renegades, Exodus, Desperadoes, Phase 2. For more jazzy-type modern music on pan there's Andy Narell, and Ralph MacDonald - smooth carribbean jazz with some pan in the mix......

there's a site called www.panonthenet.com that has a live streaming radio show, with a mix of old and new music with steel pan in it - although it's not all traditional calypso, they play jazz, r & b, reggae, all kinds of musical styles - always with some steel pan in the tune somewhere.

i could name a million different artists, go and look around the web and you will find a goldmine. even regular places like amazon and fye.com have good selections, cheap too if you get used CD's.

Yes, that is actually my cousin's and dem station. As soon as you come over the Grey's Ferry bridge, it gone Trying to get them to buy more bandwith!!

I always go to NYC Labour day carnival from when I was small small. I went to Philly's last year...sort of dry. Maybe this year it will be better..I think they should have the carnival come down 52nd street or the Parkway like all the other parades.

Back in the day I used to hit all the caribbean happenings, Wiggins Park, Penns Landing Festival, etc. but after awhile.to me IMO nuttin changed...same people, same set up, etc. but maybe it changed for the better...from my Temple SOCA days!!

J'ouvet gaan to be big this year...'affi check it out!

Tanks for the 'eads up.
:bitchslap:

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Don't talk to the monkey; speak to the organ grinder.

seen seen, i feel same way unfortunately. so you know what goes on.

wonder if we know your cousin? smaddy was at our panyard biggin up that station the other night, givin out fliers -?- Wish i could tell you his name, but i have nio idea who he was.

yah the philly carnival association had some troubles, it started out big in 2001 and 2002 but now a lot of bands won't participate any more (mine being one) cah dem never get paid yet from previous years, and seem like dem cyaan get it together..... so it goes.

maybe we'll see you on the 15th. i'm easy to spot cause i'm usually the only white gal playin pan.

Southphillygal, even though I'm not really from the islands, I grew up in Flatbush, in Bklyn, where there's a large Caribbean population. Personally, I consider myself an honorary Trini since some of my peoples are from Trinidad.

Personally, I still don't understand why WI's don't have one shop at South Philly, not one (excluding South St). There's got to be some of you living in SP, but no restaurant or store. The closest stores are either in SW or West :yuk:. If you know somebody (Jamaican or Trini), please tell them to either invest in South Philly (Snyder Ave has a lot of vacant properties), as well as Point Breeze ave, and a lot of the corners. Just check it out!!!

So glad I found this part of the blog! I am West Indian via my parents--- they are from Haiti and I grew up in NYC. Came to Philly for grad school. I miss NYC. Is there West Indian/Caribbean radio out here?The closest I got was the Latin station and they got rid of that right quick

I am in the process of finding a new apartment. Any reccommendations for some place clean and safe and half way decent but not too expenisve?

Thanks for the tips on places to hang and fairs to go to. I will try to take part if I can.

All West Indian Massive!!

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