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Trinidad Rough Riders ®

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Trinidad Rough Riders

Trinidad Rough Ridersconsist of skillful, talented and proud Trinidadian's locally and internationally. An example of our rides would be Trinidadian singers, deejays, sound systems, tassa groups, international athletes, promoters, models etc... representing our country and talent globally. This is our Official Trinidad Rough Riders home base page on myspace.
We also try to help international trinidadians with this myspace page providing useful information about our country (for those who need it) like news (links), live radio station(links), new singers/deejays (links/updates), Promotional Purposes and of course, new Trinidad music/hits for you to listen and add. We roll with true Trinis to de bone & heart, who represent the red white and black proudly. We have no weak links in our rough riders movement, strictly hard hitters, so we welcome you Trinis into our community as one unified family. We only have one question for you,..........when is de lime?

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If you have any ideas, personal comments or features
you would like to see on the Trinidad Rough Riders page,
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Soca

Soca
Soca is a modern form of calypso with an up-tempo beat. There is a popular misconception that soca is a fusion of American soul music and traditional calypso. Hence the name "so-ca," soul/calypso. Though this sounds plausible, it is simply not true. Soca music originated as a fusion of calypso with Indian rhythms, thus combining the musical traditions to the two major ethnic groups of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Father of Soca
Born October 6, 1941 in Lengua, Trinidad, Garfield Blackman would become the creator of soca. Blackman began singing calypso at the tender age of seven. Performing under the name Lord Shorty, he rose to fame in 1963 with his recording of Clock and Dagger. The name Lord Shorty is a paradoxical reference to his imposing height of 6-ft 4-in.
Talk that calypso was dying, and reggae was the new thing, prompted Lord Shorty to experiment with the calypso rhythm for nearly a decade. He combined Indian rhythm instruments (particularly the dholak, tabla and dhantal) with traditional calypso music. The result was a new energetic musical hybrid called soca. In 1973, Lord Shorty introduced soca to the world with his hit song Ïndrani. The release of his 1974 album Endless Vibrations prompted dozens of musicians to adopt the new soca style.
Lord Shoty initially referred to his musical hybrid as "solka", representing the true "soul of calypso." The "Indianization" of calypso brought together the musical traditions of Trinidad and Tobago's two major ethnic groups, the descendants of African slaves and of indentured laborers from India. The name was later changed to "soca" by a music journalist.
Endless Vibrations, the first soca album, contained the popular Om Shanti, a song that sparked controversy because of its use of a Hindu chant in the chorus line. Lord Shorty was no stranger to controversy in the ensuing years performing songs such as The PM Sex Probe, which poked fun at the Prime Minister. He was equally adept at performing songs dealing with social and political issues as in his hit Money Eh No Problem.
By the turn of the 1980s, "the father of soca" had become disenchanted with music he had created, saying that soca was being used to "celebrate the female bottom, rather than uplift the spirits of the people." Lord Kitchener's classic hit Sugar Bum Bum is a prime example of what he meant.
Around 1981, Lord Shorty converted to Rastafarianism, changed his name to Ras Shorty I, and moved into the Piparo forest in southern Trinidad, 50 miles from Port of Spain. There the prolific musician, composer and innovator continued to explore new musical frontiers while devoting himself to writing songs about spiritual matters and the dangers of hedonism. He formed the group Love Circle with his wife Claudette and several of their children. (He is said to have fathered anywhere from 14 to 20 children.) In the late 1980's he introduced a new style of music, jamoo, (Jah Music) which combined elements of reggae and gospel.
In 1997, he released the anti-drug song Watch Out My Children which went to the number one spot in the Caribbean. The song became an international hit and has been translated into ten languages.
On July 12, 2000 at the age of 58 Ras Shorty I died after a battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. His greatest legacy is the soca rhythm he created, bringing calypso into the modern era. The infectious soca rhythm has made calypso assessable to the young and the young at heart everywhere.
The Evolution of Soca
Innovative Montserrat singer Arrow did much to popularize soca internationally with his 1983 number one soca classic Hot Hot Hot. Arrow has also recorded a string of CDs including Knock Dem Dead (1988), O'La Soca (1989) and Soca Dance Party (1990) which have become timeless examples of the best of the genre.
Some of the most popular soca recordings include Sugar Bum Bum - Lord Kitchener (1978), Soca Baptist - Super Blue (1980), Meh Lover - Lord Nelson (1983), Hot, Hot, Hot - Arrow (1983), Tiny Winey - Byron Lee & The Dragonaires (1985), Nani Wine - Crazy (1989), Teaser - Becket (1990), Dollar Wine - Collin Lucas (1991), and Machel Montano- Big Truck (1997).
Soca has continued to grow and evolve giving rise to offshoots such as ragga soca and the increasingly popular chutney soca. Today soca is the definitive indigenous musical form associated with the Eastern Caribbean. Thanks, Lord Shorty.
What is Soca?
Calypso

Calypso
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in Trinidad and Tobago at about the start of the 20th century. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of African slaves, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song. This forged a sense of community among the Africans, who saw their colonial masters change rapidly, bringing French, Spanish and British music styles to the island of Trinidad. The French brought Carnival to Trinidad, and calypso competitions at Carnival grew in popularity, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834. While most authorities stress the African roots of calypso, in his 1986 book Calypso from France to Trinidad, 800 Years of History veteran calypsonian The Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon) asserted that calypso descends from the music of the medieval French troubadours.
Over 100 years ago, calypso further evolved into a way of spreading news around Trinidad. Politicians, journalists, and public figures often debated the content of each song, and many islanders considered these songs the most reliable news source. Calypsonians pushed the boundaries of free speech as their lyrics spread news of any topic relevant to island life, including speaking out against political corruption. Eventually British rule enforced censorship and police began to scan these songs for damaging content. Even with this censorship, calypsos continued to push boundaries.
The first calypso recordings, made by Lovey's String Band, came in 1912, and inaugurated the "Golden Age of Calypso". By the 1920s, calypso tents were set up at Carnival for calypsonians to practice before competitions; these have now become showcases for new music.
The first major stars of calypso started crossing over to new audiences worldwide in the late 1930s. Attila the Hun, Roaring Lion and Lord Invader were first, followed by Lord Kitchener, one of the longest-lasting calypso stars in history—he continued to release hit records until his death in 2000. 1944's Rum and Coca-Cola by the Andrews Sisters, a cover of a Lord Invader song, became an American hit.
Calypso, especially a toned down, commercial variant, became a worldwide craze with the release of the "Banana Boat Song", a traditional Jamaican folk song, whose best-known rendition was done by Harry Belafonte on his 1956 album Calypso; Calypso was the first full-length record to sell more than a million copies. 1956 also saw the massive international hit Jean and Dinah by Mighty Sparrow. This song was a sly comment as a "plan of action" for the calypsonian on the easy availability of prostitutes after the closing of the United States naval base on Trinidad at Chagaramas.
In the 1957, Broadway musical Jamaica Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg cleverly parodied "commercial", Harry Belafonte style Calypso.
Early forms of calypso were also heavily influenced by jazz such as Sans Humanitae, the extempo melody in which calypsonians lyricise impromptu, commenting socially or insulting each other, without humanity—once again the French influence. Many calypso chord progressions can be linked to twelve bar jams in jazz as demonstrated by Lord Kitchener, one of the most famous calypsonians and a melodic genius.[citation needed]
Elements of calypso have been incorporated in jazz to form calypso jazz.
Chutney

Chutney
Chutney music is a form of music indigenous to the southern Caribbean (primarily Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname) which derives elements from soca and Indian filmi songs. The music was created by Indo-Caribbeans who were transported to the West Indies as indentured servants and later immigrants, during the 19th century. The chutney artist writes lyrics in either Hindi, Bhojpuri or English and then lays it on top of beats that come from soca and Hindi film songs.
Some current chutney artists are Rikki Jai, Rakesh Yankaran, Devanand Gattoo, Heeralal Rampartap and the late Ramdew Chaitoe who composes the Surinamese based Baithak Gana in his album The Star Melodies of Ramdew Chaitoe. Among the best known examples of chutney music are Sundar Popo's Pholourie Beena Chutney, Sonny Mann's Lotalal, Vedesh Sookoo's Dhal Belly Indian, Anand Yankaran's Jo Jo, Neeshan 'D Hitman' Prabhoo's Mr. Shankar and Rikki Jai's Mor Tor. Chutney music is mostly popular among the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and also the West Indian diaspora communities in Toronto, Canada, The Netherlands, New York and South Florida.
Chutney is an uptempo song, accompanied by dholak, harmonium and dhantal, played in rhythms imported from filmi, calypso or soca. Early chutney was religious in nature. Chutney is unusual in the predominance of female musicians in its early years, though it has since become mixed.
The melodies and lyrics of religious songs sung in Trinidad in Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, and Bhojpuri are used, as well as songs which were and still are used from Bollywood. Calypso, Soca, Ragga, and Reggae (Rocksteady/Dub) are other musical influences on chutney.
Early chutney was religious in nature, and sung by Indo-Trinidadian female family members, who, as customary in Trinidad society, sang before a typical wedding celebration to prepare the bride-to-be for her role as a wife. This can be thought of as a kind of bachelorette party, celebrated only by the female members of the families. The music and the dancing (and some of the suggestive lyrics sung at the events) leaked out into the wider community and society, and became enmeshed into Trinidad society as a whole.
The year 1970 was perhaps the biggest turning point in East Indian music. In this year a young man from Barrackpore, Trinidad by the name of Sundar Popo leapt to fame with the song "Nana & Nani." The song, almost comical in nature, described the affairs of a grandfather and grandmother, perhaps his own. Sung in Hindi and Trinidadian creole, and backed up with the music of the dholak and dhantal as well as that of the more western electric guitar, bass guitar, drum machine and synthesizer, the song instantly became a number one hit in Trinidad and Guyana(Popo, 1972).
Sundar soon became known as the King of Chutney, the name given to this new popular form of music. The word Chutney was derived from the Hindi word that was used to describe a hot peppery mix of spices. "Nana & Nani" became the biggest selling Chutney single of its time. Sundar's lyrics of "Nana drinkin white rum and Nani drinkin wine," were heard just about everywhere, from the rice fields of Nickerie, Suriname, the wedding houses of Berbice, Guyana to the rum shops in San Fernando, Trinidad.
ChutneySoca

ChutneySoca
Chutney soca is a prime example of how Indo-Trinidadians have established roots in Trinidad and have created an original, syncretic art form. Resulting from the intervention of Indo-Trinidadians into Soca music in the 1980s, the addition of chutney-soca to the island's musical life signified a consolidation of the East Indian influence on Trinidadian culture and politics, particularly during the 1990s. It was during this time that Trinidadian musicians, performing in the popular style of calypso and its substyle, soca, began to incorporate Indian themes into their lyrics.
An early, significant example of this is the song 'Sundar Popo,' by Black Stalin. This song, whose whimsical lyrics concern a veteran Indian singer, won Black Stalin the coveted Calypso Monarch Prize in February 1995. Although it was neither in chutney style nor in Hindi, 'Sundar Popo' was labelled chutney-soca because of its theme. Similar efforts followed in the wake of May 30, 1995, which marked the anniversary of the first arrival of "indenturees" in Trinidad and was designated by the island's government as Indian Arrival Day.
Chutney-soca's rise in popularity through the mid- to late 1990s was expedited by its changing role in Trinidad's Carnival celebration. The 1995-1996 Carnival season saw the establishment of the Chutney Monarch Competition and the performance of a number of chutney-socas during the calypso/soca competition by creole musicians, including Marcia Miranda, Tony Ricardo, Chris Garcia, Brother Marvin, and Luta.
Embraced as it was by non-Indian performers, who abandoned formal Indianisms, sang solely in English and emphasized the soca beat, chutney-soca became a national fad. Since the late 1990s chutney-soca has spawned the similar styles of chutney rap, chutney jhumar and chutney lambada, dance music whose Indo-Caribbean themes are mixed with Bombay film music and American popular music.
Rapso

Rapso
There is a popular myth that rapso is the fusion of American rap music with soca, hence the name rapso. Sounds plausible, but not true. Rapso is a unique style of street poetry from Trinidad and Tobago that originated in the 1970's. Rapso was created to relate to the everyday experiences of everyday people. The late Lancelot Layne is the man responsible for this genre.
Origin of Rapso
During the 1970's Trinidad and Tobago experienced much political and social unrest. The 1970's saw the rise of the Black Power Movement and a corresponding pro-African sentiment. Trade unions also began to take a stand. This is the environment that gave birth to rapso. Some of the first rapso songs were chanted on the picket lines.
Lancelot Layne's 1970 hit Blow Away was the first rapso recording. Layne is also well remembered for his 1971 recording Get off the Radio. In 1976, Cheryl Byron was the first rapso artist to perform in a calypso tent. At the time, she was scoffed at "whoever heard of poetry in a calypso tent?" Today Cheryl Byron is recognized as the Mother of Rapso.
Brother Resistance
Born Roy Lewis in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the man known today as Brother Resistance is one of the founding elders of rapso. Renowned as one of the most important contemporary Caribbean poets, Brother Resistance began writing poetry as a schoolboy. Everyday he and a group of friends would write poetry and exchange it among themselves. He later went on to join the church choir, but still did not realize that he would become a singer. For a time, he worked as a disc jockey and adopted Resistance as his DJ moniker.
In 1980, Brother Resistance and his Network Riddum Band released their debut album, Busting Out. It was the Network Riddum Band that coined the term rapso. Since then Brother Resistance, also known as Lutalo Makossa Masimba, has gone on to become one of the Trinidad's best known rapso performers. He has written a book, Rapso Explosion, and along with Karega Mandela and Brother Book, was instrumental in establishing a day of celebration for rapso in Trinidad and Tobago. Some of Brother Resistance's more memorable songs include Tonight is De Night, Ring De Bell, Mother Earth, and Handclapping Song.
Rise of Rapso
The 1990's gave birth to a new generation of young rapso artists. Combining the positive messages of rapso with dance rhythms, artists such as 3 Canal, Kindred and Black Lyrics have done much to popularize rapso music.
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Member Since: 12/03/2007
Band Members:

[ Under Construction ]
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T & T Radio Stations

{::Live Trinidad & Tobago Radio Stations::}
Click on any radio station you want to listen too
Listen to Carnival Updates, Political Issues & Debates, New Soca, Reggae, Chutney and more... :
Soca 91.9fm
Rhythm City 94.1fm
i 95.5fm
96.1 WEfm
Red 96.7fm
Shakti 97.5fm
Isaac 98.1fm
Power 102.1fm
Masala 101.1fm
Heritage 101.7fm

T & T News Papers

{::Trinidad & Tobago Daily News Papers::}
Click on any news paper link and you’ll get Trinidad & Tobago daily news
Get your daily information on whats happening in Trinidad & Tobago today.:
Trinidad Express
The Tobago News
Trinidad Guardian
T&T Newsday
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
Trinidad Sunday Punch
T&T Mirror

T & T DJs & Sound Systems

{::Trinidad & Tobago Sound Systems/DJs::}
Click on any DJ/Sound System link and you’ll get Trinidad & Tobago Finest
Get a good Trini DJ/Sound System right in your area to rock your occasion.
(List in no special order):
PowerLine Sound System - America, Trinidad
DJ Kay - Hoston TX
DJ Renny - Orlando FL
DJ Face - Charleston SC
DJ Dougla - Orlando FL
DJ Fatal Angels - New York
Jr Mafia Soundz - Virginia Beach VA
Vendetta Sound System - Trinidad, London, Atlanta, New York
Gemstone International - T&T, FL, Toronto CA
Trinfex Sound - Minneapolis MN
Massive Heat Sounds - Boston NY
DJ Benjamin - Boston NY
DJ Tony Tempo - Atlanta
DJ Stephen - Atlanta
DJ Spice/Mills Brothers Sound System - New York City
DJ Total Impacc - Staten Island
Trini Soca Warriors Int’l Soundcrew - Toronto CA
D’Ultimate Sting - Toronto CA
Dj Garnet "De Icenan" - Toronto CA

Influences:

RoadMarch


The Carnival Road March is the musical composition played most often at the "judging points" along the parade route during Carnival. The Road March title is among the most prestigious titles in Trinidad Carnival. The most Road march titles have gone to the Mighty Sparrow and Super Blue with 8 each and the late Lord Kitchener with 10. Originating as part of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, the term has been applied to other Caribbean Carnivals.

The Road march title is given out every year since 1932, the scoring is based upon a rank and points-system devised by a Carnival committee before the start of the parade.

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Road March - 1932 -2008

1932 King Radio- Tiger Tom Play Tiger Cat
1933 King Radio- Wash Pan Wash
1934 Dougla- After Johnny Drink Me Rum
1935 Lion- Dingolay Oy
1936 Lion- Advantage Could Never Done
1937 Lion- Netty Netty
1938 Lion- No Norah Darling
1939 King Radio- Mathilda
1940 Beginner- Run Yuh Run
1941 Lion- Whoopsin Whoopsin
1942 45 No Carnival – War
1946 No Competition
1947 Pharoah- King Pharoah
1948 Melody- Canaan Barrow
1949 Wonder- Ramgoat Baptism
1950 Killer- In a Calabash
1951 Terror- Tiny Davis
1952 Spit Fire- Post Post
1953 Spit Fire- Bow Wow Wow
1954 Blakie- Steel Band Clash
1955 Happy Wonderer- North American Ballad
1956 Sparrow- Jean and Dinah
1957 Valerie- North American Ballad
1958 Sparrow- Pay As You Earn
1959 Sparrow- Mae Mae
1960 Sparrow- Royal Gaol
1961 Sparrow- Royal
1962 Blakie- Maria
1963 Kitchener- The Road
1964 Kitchener- This Is Mas
1965 Kitchener- My Pussin
1966 Sparrow- Obeah Wedding
1967 Kitchener- Sixty Seven
1968 Kitchener- Miss Tourist
1969 Sparrow- Sa Sa Ya
1970 Kitchener- Margie
1971 Kitchener Madison Square
1972 Sparrow- Drunk and Disorderly
1973 Kitchener- Rainorama
1974 Shadow- Bass Man
1975 Kitchener- Tribute to Winston Spree
1976 Kitchener- Flag Woman
1977 Calypso Rose- Tempo
1978 Calypso Rose- Soca Jam
1979 Poser- Smoke Ah Watty
1980 Blue Boy- Soca Baptist
1981 Blue Boy- Ethel
1982 Penguin Deputy- Essential
1983 Blue Boy- Rebecca
1984 Sparrow- Doh Back Back
1985 Crazy- Soucoyant
1986 David Rudder- Bahia Girl
1987 Duke- Thunder
1988 Tambu- This Party Is It
1989 Tambu- Free Up
1990 Tambu- We Ain’t Going Home
1991 Super Blue- Get Something and Wave
1992 Super Blue- Jab Jab
1993 Super Blue- Bacchanal Time
1994 Preacher- Jump and Wave
1995 Super Blue- Signal To Lara
1996 Nigel Lewis- Movin
1997 Machel Montano- Big Truck
1998 Wayne Rodriguez- Footsteps
1999 Sanell Dempster- River
2000
Super Blue- Pump Up
Tied
Iwer George- Carnival Come Back Again
2001 Shadow- Strangers
2002 Naya George- Trinidad
2003 Faye-Ann Lyons- Display
2004 Shurwayne Winchester- De Band Comin’
2005 Shurwayne Winchester- Dead or Alive
2006 Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts- Band of D’ Year
2007 Machel Montano- Jumbie
2008 Faye-Ann Lyons- Get On
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