A Full Service Entertainment Marketing Co. 

to Give us a Shout out and sign our Guest Book...Please click here

www.ariousentertainment.com  

Now Reaching Over 35,000  Weekly and Growing Worldwide!  

WHAT'S HAPPENING By: Todd Mangatal

Greetings To All:

"Why All The Hating and Jealousy"

Last Friday, my wife and I spent the evening with friends, having "deep" conversations over cocktails.  One topic that came up which was very interesting was why folks "hate" as much as they do. Our group began trading and sharing experiences and instances where we felt, and knew we were "hated" upon.  One thing we all agreed on was that "hating" gets folks no where and it takes to much strength to be "hateful".  If we spent as much energy on positivity as we do on "hating" I think we'd all be Rich.  I know "hating" is human nature, but we've got to learn to control those unproductive urges.  Remember we must start pulling each other up as we succeed.  Working together doesn't come easy, because from birth we start out competing.  I think we all should believe in each other and want to help each other.  We must train ourselves to keep the "hating" and "haters" at bay.  It's very hard to do, because the moment you decide to be positive and follow your dreams, out pops the "Dream Killers".  These "Dream Killers" set out to tear you down, they place roadblocks in front of you and every which way you turn to deter you from achieving your dreams, just trying to make you feel inferior and give up.  People you must be strong, and you must keep yourself surrounded by others who have like minds, and the same goals.  That's the only way to succeed and most importantly to eliminate the "haters" and "dream killers"

"Suzy-Q Back-Yard Benefit under the stars"

My wife and I attend Suzy's benefit last Saturday, and we must "Big Up" Suzy for a job well done.  The Reggae band DKGB entertained us throughout the evening under the stars in Suzy's back yard, along with a young lady who is a very good "up and coming" singer in this area named "Lightfoot".  Lightfoot sang reggae, jazz and neo soul.  In our opinion her neo soul pieces were great, and she wrote most of the songs she performed.  Look out for "Lightfoot" she is about to "blow up".  Below is a commentary from Suzy-Q who is very appreciative to all the people that came out and supported her benefit.  Suzy-Q and OPEH Productions have made their debut as a Who's Who in party promotions.  So look out for the next event and bring your friends!  

2004 DC Caribbean Carnival

"Pan...Pan...Pan Sweet Pan Music" by Susan Mangatal

Ping Pong, ping pong, I can hear the sweet sounds of pan already.  This weekend we will be celebrating memorial day with the sweet sounds of pan music at Pan Masters Pan Yard here in Maryland.  

Steel Pan is the newest musical instrument born at home in Trinidad during the late 19th Century and throughout the 1st half of the 20th century.  Let me take you "way back in time" and "school" you on the evolution of pan for a quick minute.  (For those who are not familiar with the evolution of pan).

It all started back in 1880's with a Caribbean dance, called the "Calinda" also referred to as a ritualized fight, or "game" accompanied by drumming.  This fight was much like boxing except that the combatants hit one another with staves which was about 2 and 1/2 ft. in length.  These "calinda" bands was banned by the British in 1883, however in rural areas and small towns where the new law was never really enforced, drums gave way to bamboo orchestras (hollow bamboo tubes, biscuit tins, wastebaskets, gin bottles being hit by a spoon, and scrap iron) called Tamboo Bamboo music.  Around the depression Carnival devotees began to experiment with these bamboo bands.  The first of these groups was the Newton Band, and by 1939 they began calling themselves Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Pan bands continued to evolve as Trinidad became enmeshed in World War II. The US established a naval base and other facilities on the island. A 1940 newspaper account told of a Band of about 150 strong parading about 6:30 in the morning, jumping and shouting to music provided by biscuit drums, bottles and spoons. This riot led to a ban on steel bands until after the war.

By the late 1940's and early 1950's, the pans of choice were discarded fifty-five-gallon oil drums, which were plentiful in oil-rich Trinidad (home). Experimentation on tuning the surface of the pan had been going on since about 1939. One of the first innovators was Ellie Mannette, a young man from Port of Spain's Woodbrook. After the war, he annealed the drum's bottom, pounded out a series of concave notes in it, and then cut the cylinder to about five or six inches high so that the oil drum's base became the pan's melody-making top. The key pan in the early steel band was the "ping pong," a tenor instrument that could play more than one octave. Several different schemes for arranging notes on the top of the pan were developed but not standardized, although Mannette's was widely copied. In addition to the tenor pan, a cello and set of three bass pans were used.

With all this said, Pan has really become a world wide symbol of Caribbean Culture and people of all cultures and ages now enjoy and use the sweet sounds of Pan Masters. 

Check out Pan Masters Steel Orchestra Pan Jamboree this Memorial Day Weekend on Sunday, May 30, 2004.  For more details, click the link below (which will take you to the events page).

"COUNTDOWN TO 2004 DC CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL"

The excitement about DC Carnival continues, and this year the parade will be "huge".  All the bands who will be participating in the parade on June 26th has registered and have pulled their #s for placement in the parade.  The bands are as follows:

This year DC Carnival is taking some major new steps in exposing the culture and will be hosting events throughout the entire month of June called the "Countdown To DC Carnival"  The first Official DC Carnival event kicks off on Saturday, June 12th at Kili's Kafe (2 blocks from "De Savannah").  DC Caribbean Carnival, Inc. has teamed up with ICE Productions and Radio Boyz for this first event.  Click link below for more details! 

Sunday, June 13th, the 4th Annual Cocktail Sip will take place at Zanzibar on the Waterfront.  This is the 2nd year at Zanzibar, and after last years' experience I know this event will be a great success.  It was a "Class Act"!   I recall seeing faces at last years' event that I had never seen in our community, so the Carnival was clearly exposed to a new audience.  There will be a live costume presentation, and still displays of the costumes for different bands that will be participating in the parade.  Entertainment will be provided by local artists, along with a taste of pan music, and DJ Bobby's Music Machine, DJ Wayne and Baltimore's DJ Smalley, DJ Ekstasis and DJ Bugga V.  Along with a live performance from SAM'O.  Come out and get a glimpse of what will take place at Carnival this year and sign up to participate with one of the 18 DC Carnival Bands.

Saturday, June 19th the Pan Jam takes place early during the daytime, and the "Countdown continues" with another big fete at Kili's Kafe, beginning at 10 pm until! For more details, click button located at the end of this page to view all the upcoming Carnival events or check out DC Carnival site.

Sunday, June 20 will the DeManche Gras show beginning at 2pm to 9pm.  This is where the judging of the individual, king and queen costumes takes place.  For more details, click button located at the end of this page to view all the upcoming Carnival events or check out DC Carnival site.

On Thursday, June 24, the DC Caribbean Carnival presents it's Annual "Champs In Concert" featuring "Shadow" and "Baron.  For more details, click button located at the end of this page to view all the upcoming Carnival events or check out DC Carnival site.

On Friday, June 25, the 2nd Annual Camouflage fete '(back by popular demand) and will be taking place back at Kili's Kafe.  This is not a DC Caribbean Carnival, Inc. fete but one that I had to mention because the line-up of artists are pretty good (Destra, and Maximus Dan with Guest artistes Timmy, Baba Shanta, and Patch along with many more surprises.  Last year my wife and I attended this event and it was "off the hook", so you can't miss this one.  Click the link below to view all the Carnival Events.

The countdown continues with DC Caribbean Carnival, Inc's 1st Annual Big Fete on Saturday, June 26th at Kili's Kafe.  Maximus Dan, the Invasion Crew (Fay-Ann, Naya and Iwer), will be there along with Denise Belfon, Little Rick, Timmy, Super P and a few others, the full line-up will be announced soon (so stay tuned). For more details, click button located at the end of this page to view all the upcoming Carnival events or check out DC Carnival site.

Vending booths are still available and ad space in their commemorative magazine is still available as well (but going fast).  Check their site for more details www.dccaribbeancarnival.com or for vending information e-mail smangatal@dcccinc@hotmail.com

For anyone in our community or those who are out of town, who wishes to submit a commentary about an event you attended, or just want to tell us about an interesting experience, please feel free to submit it to us at ariousentertainment@earthlink.net, we would be glad to include it in our weekly commentary.

Scroll down to view all the upcoming Events & Announcements, "Shout Outs", anD DEALS!

Announcements and "Shout Outs"

PLANNING A SUMMER HOLIDAY 

LOG ONTO 

EZ Travel

Click banner below, and to enter for Prince Tickets!

Happy 

Birthday 

Yolanda Alleyne, Bandleader for Caribbean Connection's band "Washington Rampage" featuring "De Bird Cage"

Click here to enter their new site and view their costumes!