Ananda/Sokah2Soca

Ananda/Sokah2Soca

This post first appeared on Sokah2Soca, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.

 
Last night’s Panorama showdown was pure steel magic. Brooklyn came alive with rhythm, rivalry, and real-time commentary from an alumnus of the WACK Radio 90.1FM chat box—where Kenny Phillips crowned us all “bush judges,” and we wore the title proudly. I was there and will represent the 'Bush Judges Association of WACK!'
 
To provide some context, it is important to highlight one of the main attributes of a good bush judge: Cry Foul Play—They thief, and we know better! We are not going to do that for this post (but bush judges are always right, aren't they?), but the loser, usually, will fall prey to partisanship. 
 
Do opinions really count? Maybe! While Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra (PESO) emerged victorious, a growing chorus of voices argued that Philadelphia Pan Stars Steel Orchestra deserved the victory. As one of those bush judges, I have my own opinions.
 
We are here not to toast the results but to roast them... just a little bit. Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra (PESO) took the top spot with André White’s arrangement of “Too Own Way”—and let me tell you, it was a vibrant, uptempo ride. The flourishes were bold, the rhythm relentless, and the energy? Electric. It was the kind of performance that grabs the crowd and doesn’t let go. No surprise; the judges leaned in their favor.
 
As an official bush judge, I listened to the Philadelphia Pan Stars Steel Orchestra with interest and pleasant surprise. Their rendition of “Bet Meh” by Machel Montano was smooth, classic, and melodically rich. From the first note, I knew exactly what they were playing. It was a masterclass in restraint and musical storytelling. There were no gimmicks, just pure pan. It was the kind of performance that made you close your eyes and sway, not just jump and shout.
 
So here’s my verdict: PESO thrilled the audience and earned their win, but Philly Pan Stars delivered a timeless arrangement that deserved serious consideration. If melody, clarity, and classic Panorama vibes were the metric, Philly would’ve taken it in my book. Yes, I preferred Philly Pan Stars and would choose them as the winner! As I wrote that, I ducked immediately—no buss head for me!
 
Panorama isn’t just about scores. It’s about stories. And last night, both bands told theirs with pride, precision, and plenty of pan. But that’s the beauty of Panorama—every band brings its flavor, and every bush judge has their scorecard. Respect to both orchestras for raising the bar and keeping the culture alive.
 
Let the debates begin. Who had your vote last night?
 
Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.
Our goal is to promote Caribbean culture, musicians, and music producers. We are able to honor and promote the rich sounds and tales of the Caribbean thanks to your support. Together, we can ensure that this rich cultural legacy continues to reach a wider audience and foster creativity and connections. While you should always buy music for sale, you should avoid sharing promotional music because it denies songwriters, producers, and artists important revenue. Please be aware that all of our posts are available online via social media platforms like FacebookYouTubeInstagramSpotify, and SoundCloud. We recommend exploring your favorite content on FeedSpot/RSS FeedThreadsBluesky, and Twitter/X, including email subscriptions. Thank you in advance.
 
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Event: WIADCA NYC Panorama 2025
Origin: Brooklyn Museum, NYC 
Genre: Steelband Music ?
 
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Our artists embody culture not only during Carnival but also on a daily basis. Sokah2Soca—Where Rhythm Lives and Calypso, Steelband Music, and Soca Thrive!
 
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please click the small triangle button in the music player below to listen now.

Dive deeper into Caribbean music and culture at Sokah2Soca — your go-to source for Soca, Calypso, and Carnival coverage. First published on Sokah2Soca, now streaming live via Island Vybe Radio.

 
Last night, the Brooklyn Museum came alive with the thunder and finesse of steelpan as New York’s finest orchestras battled for Panorama glory. But before the stage lights hit and the scores rolled in, I had the pleasure of soaking up the real magic—on the drag.
 
For those unfamiliar, the drag is where the Steelband orchestras warm up, tune up, and vibe out before hitting the stage. It’s where the soul of Panorama pulses loudest. After years away from attending these competitions, standing among the pans again felt like a homecoming. The energy was electric, the musicians focused, and there was music. Pure joy.
 
I also had the pleasure of meeting video blogger Trish, aka I Am Living My Life, whose passion for Caribbean culture radiates through every frame she captures. And in a moment that felt both historic and heartwarming, I connected with Vanessa Headley—arranger for Metro Steel Orchestra, WACK Radio Steelpan host, and co-winner of Trinidad’s Small Conventional Bands category earlier this year. Metro Steel Orchestra has many young players, not seasoned veterans like most bands. Vanessa’s presence marked a milestone: she’s the first female arranger to compete in New York Panorama. Her tune of choice, The Greatest Bend Over, was bold, brilliant, and beautifully executed.
 
But let’s talk results. The hype on the drag wasn’t with Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra (PESO)—and maybe that’s why their performance hit like a revelation. With André White’s masterful arrangement of “Too Own Way” by Voice, PESO stunned the crowd and judges alike, clinching first place and their second consecutive title. It was a performance that reminded us: steelpan is as much about precision as it is about passion.
 
Here is the list of bands that participated:
  • D’Radoes Steel Orchestra – Jamtown
  • Despers USA Steel Orchestra – The Greatest Bend Over (Yung Bredda)
  • Harmony Music Makers – Pan and Soca (Olatunji)
  • Metro Steel Orchestra – The Greatest Bend Over (Yung Bredda)
  • PanAlley Steel Orchestra – Too Own Way (Voice)
  • Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra - Too Own Way (Voice)
  • Philly Pan Stars Steel Orchestra – Bet Meh (Machel Montano)
  • Steel Sensation – Too Own Way (Voice)
? Panorama 2025 Results Recap:
Name of Band
1. Pan Evolution Steel Orch.
2. Philly Pan Stars
3. PanAlley Steel Orch. (tie)
3. D'Radoes Steel Orch. (tie)
Name of Arranger
André White
Roger Greenidge
Marc Brooks
Terrence "BJ" Marcelle
Tune of Choice
Too Own Way (Voice)
Bet Meh (MM Monk)
Too Own Way (Voice)
Jamtown (Coutain)
Congratulations to the entire team at Pan Evolution. Your performance was a masterclass in musical storytelling, and you earned your win. The song "Too Own Way" has never sounded better. Until next time, keep the pan ringing and the culture strong.
 
Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.
Our goal is to promote Caribbean culture, musicians, and music producers. We are able to honor and promote the rich sounds and tales of the Caribbean thanks to your support. Together, we can ensure that this rich cultural legacy continues to reach a wider audience and foster creativity and connections. While you should always buy music for sale, you should avoid sharing promotional music because it denies songwriters, producers, and artists important revenue. Please be aware that all of our posts are available online via social media platforms like FacebookYouTubeInstagramSpotify, and SoundCloud. We recommend exploring your favorite content on FeedSpot/RSS FeedThreadsBluesky, and Twitter/X, including email subscriptions. Thank you in advance.
 
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Event: WIADCA NYC Panorama Competition 2025
Venue: Brooklyn Museum, NYC
Origin: Brooklyn, NYC, USA
Genre: Steelband Music ?
 
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Our artists embody culture not only during Carnival but also on a daily basis. Sokah2Soca—Where Rhythm Lives and Calypso, Steelband Music, and Soca Thrive!
 
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please click the small triangle button in the music player below to listen now.

This post first appeared on Sokah2Soca, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.

 
In the late 1980s, Trinidad and Tobago’s musical landscape was bubbling with innovation. Soca was evolving, and the Indo-Caribbean rhythms of chutney music were beginning to dance their way into mainstream Carnival culture. But the fusion didn’t yet have a name—until one studio session changed everything.
 
Enter Kenny Phillips of KMP Music, a producer with a keen ear for crossover potential. He tells the story of working in the bank and being approached by Drupatee's husband, who wanted Kenny to produce music for his wife, Drupatee. In collaboration with the innovative Drupatee Ramgoonai, he crafted Indian songs infused with a calypso beat. With prodding from Drupatee's husband, Jay, they decided to put English vocals to one of the songs. Enter Carl Jacobs...
 
Kenny called "Carly" to help him with the lyrics for the proposed new song. That’s when Carl Jacobs (Carly), another visionary in the room, writing lyrics for a song, put into words the term we now call “Chutney Soca.” According to Kenny’s own recollection, it wasn’t Drupatee who coined the phrase—it was Carl. As told in the video clip, Carl Jacobs penned the following for the song "Chatnee Soca" (1986): "Is Chatnee Soca; is that that have me whining down so!" The moment was spontaneous, almost offhand, but it stuck. Kenny knew instantly: this was it, history in the making! Enter Wayne McDonald, also known as Kassman ... 
 
As told by Kenny, it was Kassman who claimed to 'have a song,' Mr. Bissessar, and the song emerged to capture the nation. Mr. Bissessar was written by Wayne McDonald, aka "Kassman," while the music was arranged and produced by Kenny Phillips. “Mr. Bissessar” was a bold experiment blending soca’s infectious energy with chutney’s melodic traditions. The sound was electric, but what would they call it? A subgenre of Soca emerged... Chutney Soca, and that name was given to Drupatee's new album!
 
While Chutney Soca can be devotional, humorous, or downright bacchanalish. It’s a versatile and vibrant music style. The term “Chutney Soca” would go on to define a movement—one that celebrated a new cultural hybrid sound, what can only be called musical innovation, and the unapologetic joy of Caribbean identity. Drupatee’s role as a pioneer remains undisputed, but the naming credit, as Kenny tells it, belongs to Carl Jacobs.
 
You can hear Kenny Phillips recount the moment himself (posted below) or in this Facebook reel here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18aZfbh7yC/
 
Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.
Our goal is to promote Caribbean culture, musicians, and music producers. We are able to honor and promote the rich sounds and tales of the Caribbean thanks to your support. Together, we can ensure that this rich cultural legacy continues to reach a wider audience and foster creativity and connections. While you should always buy music for sale, you should avoid sharing promotional music because it denies songwriters, producers, and artists important revenue. Please be aware that all of our posts are available online via social media platforms like FacebookYouTubeInstagramSpotify, and SoundCloud. We recommend exploring your favorite content on FeedSpot/RSS FeedThreadsBluesky, and Twitter/X, including email subscriptions. Thank you in advance.
 
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Interview: Corrie Sheppard Podcast featuring Kenny Phillips
A special thank you goes out to Corrie Sheppard for doing the interview... part of which is featured for this post. 
 
Song Title: Mr. Bissessar
Album: Chutney Soca
Artist/Performed by: Drupatee Ramgoonai
Written by: Wayne McDonald (Kassman)
Arranged and Produced by: Kenny Phillips
Background vocals: Karl and Carol Jacobs
Bass Guitar: Neil Leeluck
All other instruments: Kenny Phillips
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Subgenre: Chutney Soca ?
 
?Listen. Share. Amplify. Our artists embody culture not only during Carnival but also on a daily basis. Sokah2Soca—Where Rhythm Lives and Calypso, Steelband Music, and Soca Thrive!
 
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please click the small triangle button in the music player below to listen now.
Top: Corie Sheppard Interview: The Story behind Mr. Bissessar. Bottom: Mr. Bissessar

Dive deeper into Caribbean music and culture at Sokah2Soca — your go-to source for Soca, Calypso, and Carnival coverage. First published on Sokah2Soca, now streaming live via Island Vybe Radio.

 
⚠️ Parental Advisory: This YouTube video contains unapologetically raw, unfiltered adult language woven into the storytelling. It's not profanity for shock—it's truth-telling with teeth. Caribbean honesty, no chaser. If you're easily offended... well, "who vex, loss!"
 

This wasn’t just a rant but was more so an expression of frustration—it was verbal bois (bois—Trinidad stickfighting terminology) aimed straight at the heart of Trinidad’s music ecosystem. The industry? Dragged. The Soca artists? They were exposed for their lack of leadership and support. Indeed, even the fans faced harsh realities. KG held nothing back, and the message was clear: Trinibad and Zess deserve more than hype—they deserve respect.

 

KG’s recent YouTube vent wasn’t just emotion—it was a mirror held up to Trinidad’s music industry. He called out the double standards, the selective support, and the cultural snobbery that keeps Trinibad and Zess artists boxed in.

 

These genres have grown out of the passion lived in the streets of Trinidad—raw, real, and resonating with the youth. However, when artists like Plumpy release tracks that are positive and conscious, they receive criticism. No reposts or support from our so-called fans. There was no radio play. No co-signs. Yet the moment drama hits, everyone’s tuned in. Trinidadians like drama and will listen to and praise foreign artists who deliver viral music and ignore the local artists with positive music. 

 

This venting isn’t just about KG looking out for himself, far from it—it’s about a pattern. The industry wants the numbers Trinibad brings, but not the culture. They’ll capitalize on the controversy but won’t invest in the growth. They’ll praise international sounds with similar grit but treat local Zess like it’s a phase to outgrow.

 

And mentorship? KG made it clear that most of the big names only show support once an artist has already gone viral. That’s not support—that’s opportunism. He really exposed the 'elders,' well-known Soca stars who only feature 'new artists' when they "make it on their own." They are not risk takers, just opportunists! He did not hold back... Machel got some serious bois!

 

In actuality, Trinibad and Zess music embody lived realities. They’re not polished for export—they’re rooted in experience. And until Trinidad’s music gatekeepers respect that, they’ll keep missing the future that’s already here. He exposed the 'bandwagonist industry' that waits for success before promoting artists... they are not risk takers who see talent and grow it.  

 

KG’s rant is a wake-up call. This warning applies not only to fans but to the entire ecosystem. If you’re not helping build, don’t pretend to support.

 
Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.
Our goal is to promote Caribbean culture, musicians, and music producers. We are able to honor and promote the rich sounds and tales of the Caribbean thanks to your support. Together, we can ensure that this rich cultural legacy continues to reach a wider audience and foster creativity and connections. While you should always buy music for sale, you should avoid sharing promotional music because it denies songwriters, producers, and artists important revenue. Please be aware that all of our posts are available online via social media platforms like FacebookYouTubeInstagramSpotify, and SoundCloud. We recommend exploring your favorite content on FeedSpot/RSS FeedThreadsBluesky, and Twitter/X, including email subscriptions. Thank you in advance.
 
Title: KG Muzik Calls Out the Bias with Trinidad's Music Industry
PodCast Narrator: KG Muzik
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Soca/TriniBad/Zess ?
 
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Our artists embody culture not only during Carnival but also on a daily basis. Sokah2Soca—Where Rhythm Lives and Calypso, Steelband Music, and Soca Thrive!
 
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please click the small triangle button in the music player below to listen now.
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