2010 BMA Nominees Announced

The 2010 Barbados Music Awards Nominees has been announced. Here are the nominees.

Soca Up-Tempo Single
Edwin Yearwood- In De Middle A De Road
Mikey- Rhythm Section
Timmy- Tim De Tool Man

Red complete listing here:>>

Air Jamaica Pulling Out of Barbados

Air Jamaica has annnounced that it will be cutting its Barbados-Jamaica route, part of a larger package of route cuts that are expected to eliminate hundreds of jobs at the struggling air carrier.

AIR JAMAICA is making more cuts to its flight schedule to Barbados in less than two weeks.

Executive vice-president of commercial for Air Jamaica Subodh Karnik confirmed that the airline would no longer be flying its New York to Barbados route as of April 20.

This comes less than six weeks after its chief executive officer Bruce Nobles said Air Jamaica would no longer service its route between Barbados and Jamaica from February 26, citing low numbers as a result of the global economic crisis.

At the time, Nobles said the airline would continue its flights between Barbados and New York.

However, yesterday Karnik said passengers had booked elsewhere, but for those who paid and were ticketed by Air Jamaica, they would be offered a refund, or the airline would attempt to rebook them on American Airlines (AA) via John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, or Miami International Airport.

“The reason why we decided on April 20, after Easter, was because our advance bookings were very very low – probably the lowest in our time – we can say single digits for April, May and June, so it is something that action had to be taken,” he said.

Without confirmation from his agents, he believed that there would be no problem re-booking on AA because of low numbers.

He said Air Jamaica would continue an ongoing review of its status to see if it might resume its flights to Barbados, “but we have no intention of saying that in a X number of months, if the economy reaches a state, that we will.”

Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy stated earlier this year that Air Jamaica’s stoppage of flights from Barbados to Grenada was a setback, but said plans were in place to counteract any possible fallout.

But with this new twist, he would comment on the matter at a later date.

One passenger, who requested anonymity, said he had booked a ticket on Air Jamaica to travel from New York to Barbados on April 23, for one week.

He said his flight was canceled but the airline promised a full refund.

President of the Travel Agents Association of Barbados, Ann Sealy, said the airline “would be missed, but not in a large way because its frequency was not great”.

“The scheduled times out of New York were not the most favorable. As a result, they were not frequently the first option unless you were a frequent flyer, or a person who preferred Air Jamaica.

“Unlike, say American Airlines, that has a daily schedule, if that was to go, of course it would have a major impact. I don’t think the loads on Air Jamaica out of here were very healthy, which is the reason behind them having to pull out all together.

“They were losing quite a bit of money on the Barbados route,” she said.

Source: nationnews.com

Baby girl for Fay-Ann and Bunji

SOCA’S ROYAL couple, Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez and his wife Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez are now parents of a baby girl, as Fay-Ann gave birth yesterday afternoon at the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital.

Up to late yesterday Fay-Ann, winner of this year’s Soca Monarch and Road March competitions, and her newborn babe were said to be resting comfortably at hospital with Alvarez by their side.

Sunday Newsday was told by a medical source that Fay-Ann gave birth via C-section given the fact that her blood pressure was high. The baby came shortly after midday and Alvarez was there at hospital to witness it. Read more..

KEVIN LYTTLE RELEASES NEW SMASH SINGLE

Launching with an a cappella version of his trademark tune, “Turn Me On,” Lyttle pulled out the classics before unveiling his new single for fans. He stepped into the crowd afterwards to take pictures and sign autographs. If the night and rave reviews of the records prove anything, it is that Lyttle will soon have another hit on his hands.

“Anywhere” is expected to go into regular rotation within the next few weeks on POWER96 in the Miami market. Lyttle will then make his way to New York City to meet with media houses as he continues to bring his soulful soca vibes to pop culture.

Get turned on to news and new music from Kevin Lyttle by logging on to www.kevinlyttle.com or www.myspace.com/kevinlyttle.

INTRODUCING ANNYA LI

Merry Christmas from Bajanfuhlife Blog!

Merry Christmas from Bajanfuhlife.com

Christmas from around the world.

photos from www.huffingtonpost.com

An Iraqi dressed as Santa Claus or Father Christmas rings a bell as children dressed in Christmas outfits wave Iraqi flags during a pre-Christmas celebration in Baghdad

Christmas at the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Pope Benedict XVI blesses pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square during his traditional Christmas blessing.

Christmas at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia

US soldiers dressed as Santa Claus in southern Baghdad

Visitors walk past a Christmas tree near Chinese traditional buildings at Yu Garden in Shanghai, China

Palestinian Greek Orthodox Christians carry children dressed in Santa Claus costumes as they arrive for Christmas day mass at a church in Gaza City

Santa Claus makes his way through Johannesburg, South Africa

Christmas in Dubai at the Wafi shopping mall

Christmas at the Zocalo Square in Mexico City, Mexico

Putin seen with a man dressed up as Ded Moroz, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land, Russia and other Orthodox churches that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world.

Christmas at the Rockefeller Center in New York

Patrice Looking Hot

Patrice Robert & Zan rock the Party Stand on Sunday December 21st 2008. This was round 2 [Round 1 in Jumbie St. Lawrence Gap in 2007] for Patrice as she filled the Party Stand to capacity. Also gracing the stage were Gorg, Answor, Tara Holldip and special guest included PETER RAM and MR. VEGAS. Mr. Montano “the Host” was not present due to travel issues.

View complete gallery

Edwin Yearwood is not Dead!

THE GENERAL is indeed moving on but he is not yet with the Master.

A concerned and very much alive Edwin Yearwood has dispel rumors that spread throughout the Caribbean that he had passed on.

The krosfyah lead singer said he got word of his death when he arrived home from Trinidad yesterday morning.

“As soon as I land I started to hear this thing. A few people that used to belong to Dread And The Bald Head called me actually crying,” said Yearwood, adding that he had similar calls throughout the day.

He said he did not know where the rumour started, but he got a call from Antigua and the news was spreading in Guyana, Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, Jamaica and Trinidad as well.

Reports of his sudden demise sent promoters in Trinidad who had booked him for some appearances into a panic and he has had to reassure them.

“I’m alive and well. I’m just glad to be able to speak and tell you that,” he said to his fans.

The news took him for a loop, he added, and made his mother Margaret very concerned. But other than being “a little rundown”, he insisted that all was well.

Yearwood spent two days in Trinidad, where he performed with Bunji Garlin and worked on a remix of Nah Missing Me.

The triple-crown monarch is also working on his second album for VP Records, which is due for release in the new year.

Those who still need reassurance that he is alive can see him tonight at the Spirit Of The Nation Show at the gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, the Soca Village in Bayley’s, St Philip, or at the University of the West Indies.

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA

“CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA”

Barack Obama racked up a decisive victory Tuesday crushing John McCain in almost every battleground state. On January 20, he will become the nation’s first black chief executive.

Exit poll data show Obama beating McCain by an overwhelming 57-41 margin among women, and carrying men by four points, 51-47. Obama is positioned to become the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 to win break 50 percent of the popular vote, something Bill Clinton failed to do in both 1992 and 1996.

Among the key battleground states called by the networks by 10 pm, Pennsylvania went for Obama 55-45; New Hampshire 55-43; and Ohio 53-46:

While not among the early network calls, exit polls in Virginia — which has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 — showed Obama ahead 54-45; Indiana, once considered a Republican bastion, appeared to be solidly in Obama’s camp, with women backing him 55-44 and men split 49-49.

Nationwide, according to network exit polls, Obama did far better among whites that his recent Democratic predecessors. Kerry lost white men to George W. Bush 62-37, a 25 point spread; Obama lost white men by 14 points, 42-56. Similarly, Kerry lost white women by 9 points, Obama by 5.

While all white voters over the age of 30 cast majorities for McCain, those under 30 backed Obama by a decisive 57-41 margin.

Obama, like other Democrats, continued to have difficulty winning the support of less affluent whites. Among whites with incomes of $50,000 or less, Obama lost by a slight margin, 48-50. Among whites without college degrees, Obama lost decisively to McCain, 41-58. Whites with college degrees were split, 49-50.

While Kerry won black voters 88 to 11 while Obama won among blacks 96-3. The exit poll data suggested a significant increase in the black turnout, which rose from 11 percent of the total to 13 percent. These figures may underestimate the increase because they do not include early voting which was very popular among African Americans this year.

McCain received a big initial boost after he picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, but by election day she had become an lead weight. By a margin of 60-38 voters said she was not qualified to be president.

Democrats who had backed Hillary Clinton during the primaries backed Obama 85 to 15.

What has become known as the “marriage gap” played a huge role in the outcome. Obama won single voters by a landslide 66-32, while McCain edged out Obama among married voters, 51-47. Working women were another key source of support for Obama, backing him 61-38, while non-working women were almost evenly divided, 50 for Obama, 48 for McCain.

Young voters under 30 backed Obama by better than two to one, 68-30, compared to a much more modest 54-45 win among this age group for Kerry.

McCain’s support among Christian conservatives dropped slightly below recent levels of support for Republican candidates. In 2004, white, born again evangelicals backed Bush over Kerry by a 78-21 margin. These voters backed McCain 73-25.

In addition to performing far better among whites, Obama improved significantly on recent Democratic margins among rural voters. In 2004, Kerry lost this constituency 59-40, or 19 points. Obama also lost, but only by 4 points, 47-51.

source: huffingtonpost

Obama Draws More Than 100,000 At Denver Rally

Barack Obama drew a crowd of over 100,000 at a rally in Denver on Sunday, October26th 2008.

The Obama campaign released an initial crowd estimate of 75,000 people. That was later upgraded to “well over” 100,00 people, a tally confirmed by a Denver police spokesman.
The setting, on a sparkling day in this battleground state, said perhaps more than Obama did in his actual speech. His campaign is capitalizing on the scope of such rallies to get people to cast votes early, permitted in Colorado and more than two dozen other states.

Below are some great photos of the event, courtesy of Getty.

Powell’s Obama Endorsement Sparks Reaction: “Nail In The Coffin” For McCain

Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama reverberated throughout the world of politics, with lawmakers and pundits across the political spectrum declaring it a huge boost for the Democratic contender.

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich told ABC News, “What that just did in one sound bite… is it eliminated the experience argument.”

On the stump today, Joe Biden celebrated the endorsement telling an 11,500-strong rally in Tacoma, Washington that it should put to rest any questions about Obama’s readiness to be commander in chief.

“Today we’re proud, and I mean this sincerely, very proud to add another critical voice in American public policy and military affairs for the past 25 years to the endormsent list of those who have joined endorsing our ticket, Colin Powell!. Thank you, Colin!”

David Gergen, longtime aide to both Republican and Democratic presidents, called it “the most important endorsement of the campaign.”

And an unnamed GOP official told Politico: “This Powell endorsement is the nail in the coffin,” said one Republican official, speaking anonymously to offer candid thoughts about the party’s nominee. “Not just because of him, but the indictment he laid out of the McCain campaign.”

Even Kevin Madden, the telegenic former spokesman for Mitt Romney who’s hit the airwaves to support McCain, said:

“Endorsements tend to reaffirm what voters already know or like (or dislike) about a candidate’s personal and ideological attributes. But the endorsement of Colin Powell is significant because of its timing and the message it sends to swing Democrats and independents… His endorsement is aimed at easing those doubts about Obama’s readiness and experience right at the time voters are making their decision on whom they will support on Election Day”.

And Norman J. Orenstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, told Politico:

“A Powell endorsement now is a huge step to close that sale, to make Obama seem even safer and more attractive as a president”.

Susan Eisenhower, the formerly Republican granddaughter of President Eisenhower, who was busy stumping for Obama in southwest Florida today said, “I’d like to associate myself with all the points he made.”

But the McCain campaign dismissed the endorsement, with a spokesperson telling WWAY: “John McCain has been endorsed by more than 300 retired generals and admirals. That’s over 10 times more than what Senator Obama has received.”

Powell endorses Obama as ‘transformational’

Retired General Colin L. Powell, one of the country’s most respected Republicans, stunned both parties on Sunday by strongly endorsing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and laying out a blistering, detailed critique of the modern GOP.

Powell said the election of Obama would “electrify the world.”

“I think he is a transformational figure,” Powell said. “He is a new generation coming … onto the world stage and on the American stage. And for that reason, I’ll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.”

As a key reason, Powell said: “I would have difficult with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that’s what we’d be looking at in a McCain administration.”

Powell, once considered likely to be the nation’s first African-American presidential nominee, said his decision was not about race.

Moderator Tom Brokaw said: “There will be some … who will say this is an African-American, distinguished American supporting another African-American because of race.”

Powell, who last year gave the Arizona senator’s campaign the maximum $2,300, replied: “If I had only had that in mind, I could have done this six, eight, 10  months ago. I really have been going back and forth between somebody I have the highest respect and regard for, John McCain and somebody I was getting to know, Barack Obama. And it was only in the last couple of months that I settled on this.”

“I can’t deny that it will be a historic event when an African-American becomes president,” Powell continued, speaking live in the studio. “And should that happen, all Americans should be proud — not just African-American, but all Americans — that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It would also not only electrify the country, but electrify the world.”

Powell, making his 30th appearance on “Meet the Press,” said he does not plan to campaign for Obama. He led into his endorsement by saying: “We’ve got two individuals — either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now — which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time.

“And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities — and you have to take that into account — as well as his substance — he has both style and substance, he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.”

Powell said that he is “troubled” by the direction of the Republican Party, and said he began to doubt Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) when he chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

“Not just small towns have values,” he said, responding to one of Palin’s signature lines.

DIGICEL RISING STARS GETS LIVELY WITH BAND!

The night, with patrons all over, sitting on steps and even standing, climaxed in a night filled with high energy as the five remaining contestants, K’Alee, Cameal, Lashana, SLR and Kahlil, provided a chart-topping Billboard themed-night along with a ferocious Live Band.

It was a packed studio audience last Sunday night (September 7) for Digicel Rising Stars. The night, with patrons all over, sitting on steps and even standing, climaxed in a night filled with high energy as the five remaining contestants, K’Alee, Cameal, Lashana, SLR and Kahlil, provided a chart-topping Billboard themed-night along with a ferocious Live Band.

The energy was…well let’s hear it from those involved. Sharon Schroeter, producer of the Digicel Rising Stars series, gave of the inclusion of the Live Band in last Sunday’s performance show: “I’m so elated about the inclusion of the live band, we’ve always wanted to incorporate one and now we’ve gotten our chance, it’s our way of showcasing more live music to Jamaica.” Sharon seemed to fizz as she recalled the reaction of Sunday’s show and the ‘fully-full house’ that was present.

“Sunday…the Live Band…the show was great, it was one great force (performer) meeting with another (Live Band) and it created a mega performance,” song bird K’Alee who hails from the Woodford Park community communicated. The songbird’s remark speaks truth as the huge crowd that was present were appreciative as the contestants only received louder and louder cheers.

In regards to the effect of the Live Band on her performance, the Denham Town Princess, Cameal listed: “It really did much for me; it created that energy within me and just charged me up to give more.”

Producer Sharon agrees with both contestants siding: “The contestants are able to feel the music more with a live band, they hear the beat and it gets right to their soul resulting in a better performance.”

So what was pumping the fuel behind, once again, another new introduction to the show on the heels of a well-received gospel-theme night? Sharon explains: “Our aim is to continuously make this show bigger and better each year. We always want to have Digicel Rising Stars be the most talked about television show and of course keep our viewers entertained – we have grown tremendously over the last five years and introducing new trends showcases that growth.”

Both K’Alee and Cameal saw the introduction as a bit of experience for them. “I was excited, you wanted to know how it was going to feel and how Jamaica was going to respond and if they were they going to like it,” confessed Cameal. K’Alee who sported what series host Yendi styled “A K’Ayonce performance”, also confided: “It was a great introduction and I think it was in a sense preparing us for what to expect when we get out more in the entertainment business.”

The Billboard hit night could be summarized as a truly entertaining night that saw the cadence of the contestants performing to create undulations throughout the live audience. From that of K’Alee who started the show with Beat It from the King of Pop Michael Jackson by sliding on her knees complete with pelvic thrusts in sharp precision to hear Nadine saying: “you are a performer”; Cameal got a standing ovation for her Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

The three little girls from the West used R. Kelly’s and Celine’s I’m Your Angel after coming back from the doors of going home; Lashana came with Taylor Dayne’s Love Will Lead You Back that had Anthony tapping his feet and closing his eyes briefly. Kahlil smashed the atmosphere as they sung Chicago’s Hard to Say I’m Sorry and almost gave a female audience-member convulsions as Wayne stepped off the stage and presented a cerise rose to her.

“The public loved the band, the contestants couldn’t wait for that initial performance and the judges believe that it’s a wonderful addition, so for the team – mission accomplished” – Sharon Schroeter.

BEST OF SHAGGY Now In Stores

NEW YORK, NY (RHONA FOX, INC.) – The most successful commercial crossover reggae artist sees his greatest hits released this month, while he’s still in the prime of his career. Best of Shaggy: The BOOMBASTIC Collection went on retail on September 9, 2008 on the Hip-O Records imprint, a compilation label of Universal Music Group. This while the dancehall icon continues to tour Europe, promoting his current album, Intoxication (Big Yard/VP, 2007).

“We’re touring across the world and it’s obvious my fans are loving the tunes, new and classic,” reveals Shaggy. “Universal saw the success I’m still enjoying and wanted to ride that momentum, so they decided to drop my collection of hits now.”

Boasting all the popular joints that have made Shaggy the most successful commercial crossover reggae artist to date, with a Grammy Award (Best Reggae Album for Boombastic, 1995), becoming the first reggae artist to top the Billboard 200 Album Chart (also Boombastic), and having a diamond record with Hot Shot, 2000 (10 million copies sold in the U.S.), just to name a few accolades that have laced the life of this iconic entertainer.

The album is now available from all major music retailers, in stores and online.

Track Listing:

1 Boombastic

2 Strength of a Woman

3 Angel

4 Hey Sexy Lady

5 Feel the Rush

6 Those Days

7 Don’t Ask Her That

8 It Wasn’t Me

9 Hope

10 In the Summertime

11 Luv Me, Luv Me

12 Oh Carolina

13 Ready Fi di Ride

14 Church Heathen

15 Leave It to Me

16 Would You Be

17 Wild 2Nite

18 Gone with Angels

Log on to bigyardmusic.com or myspace.com/shaggy for updated artist news and tour information for Shaggy.