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Hits and Jams presents Mash Glow Party style

Machel arrives Saturday

As part of the Hits and Jams 2010 Mashramani offerings to Guyana, the group has staged   a Mash launch and two successful parties at the GMR&SC and is currently gearing for the staging of its Glow Party.  Yesterday the group announced that on Monday all roads will lead to the Pulse Night Club, Pier Street Kitty where an ‘All White Edition’ party dubbed ‘Acceleration’ would be staged.

Group Director Kerwin Bollers said “We began our Mash parties with the Crank up on January 30 that featured Charlie Black and Mad Dog, then we had the Soca Jeans party on February 6 and that was followed by the Outrageous in colour party now its Glow fet time.”

These events are all the lead up to the most explosive mash day international concert in recent times. “On Monday we will experience the glow effect that will set stage for our ‘Machel for Mash concert’ on Mash day at the Georgetown Cricket Club” Bollers said.

Machel and the HD band are scheduled to arrive in Guyana tomorrow fresh out of the mega Beyonce Concert in Trinidad.

Yesterday Bollers and Hits and jams team winged out of Guyana to attend the Beyonce concert and assures that they will be returning on Saturday with Montano and his band. “Once they get here is mad hype as they will attend an autographing session and will make appearances on several radio and television shows. They will also be featured at a press conference on Saturday and Machel and his band members will also make appearances at several night clubs but Bollers noted that patrons will win free Tickets spontaneously at the ‘All white party’.

On Mash Night all the stops will be pulled out for soca fans to experience a most memorable soca fete where in addition to Machel; artiest such as Zan, Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy, Guyana’s soca sensation Jumo, Jory, Vanilla, B52 and Spiderman will perform. Addition the concert band is the Heat Wave which promises to live up to the name with some new front line artistes including Malo soca Monarch 2006.

Machel is coming to Guyana fresh out of the Beyonce: ‘I am’ show titled ‘boy meets girl in the Savannah’.

“This is we Mash Carnival so come out prepared to enjoy yourselves,” Bollers said.

By Mondale Smith

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Its Chutney soca weekend

In keeping with the spirit of Chutney Soca during this festive Mash season; Wonder Boy Production in collaboration with Rohan Sarjoo is hosting two international shows to start off the Mash Weekend.

‘Chutney in The Village’ goes down today at the Diamond Community Centre Ground and tomorrow at the Starlite Drive-In, Montrose East Coast Demerara.

The star-studded cast of International artiste billed to perform include Guyana Baboo’  Terry Gajraj, Princess Anisa who is popular for the hit ‘Tek Sunita Singer’ along with  The Chutney Ambassador fresh from Trinidad and Tobago Carnival  Neeshan D’Hitman, and Chutney Raja, Rakesh Yankarran will also be launching his new album in Guyana at the two shows.

The entertainment will be supported by Avi and the Supertones Band dubbed New York’s number one party band with its full cast of US-based Guyanese singers.

That list includes King Raj, Pally Dass, Kulie Boy Omesh and Anand Hansraj.

The show will also feature some of Guyana’s top local dancers as well as the Shakti Strings Band, Up-setters Sounds and DJ Steve.

Event’s manager WR Reaz said, “This show is the most affordable Chutney/Soca show for 2010 so far with admission advance tickets at only $500.”

He said that the two shows are family-oriented with lots of entertainment, food, drinks and he assured that security will be at its peak from the Police Force and Private Protection at both venues.

Come start the Mash weekend with chutney in the village today at the Diamond Community Centre Ground and tomorrow at the Starlite Drive-In Montrose East Coast Demerara. Showtime is 20:00hrs.

The show is sponsored by AN Electronics, Guyana Palace.com, Clear Water and Payless Variety Store.

By Mondale Smith

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Slingshot launches Mash costume band

Slingshot Mash Band 2010Until he is called to the grave U.S based Guyanese entertainer John Drepaul Slingshot says he will keep tradition alive by producing a mash band for the February 23 celebrations and this year will be no different from in previous years. Yesterday on a much smaller scale and with a heavy heart the artiest in the company of his wife Ingrid and a few  diehard friends Slingshot launched his 300 strong costume band at the Pegasus.

Unlike in previous years the costumes are not as extravagant but non-the-less are focused on a serious issue that is a world talking point: Climate change and the low Carbon development strategy. His designer this year Paul Burnette said the theme is Guyana: An Oasis of Hope and will  focus on showcasing the nations ecotourism possibilities while focused on the  flora and fauna that make Guyana a unique tourist destination while being the lungs of the world.

All told the band will feature 100 in full costumes in several sections while there will also be a Tee shirt section that will depict tourists. He does not have sponsors for the band thus far but he will be offering costumes free of charge to all who seek to be part of his band on mash day. Slingshot also used the opportunity to say thanks to GT&T for their support thus far and is encouraging other corporate citizens to come on board.  “My band is a Guyanese band void of race issues, political issues and any other issue that will seek to cause division.”

He also said that “Anyone, regardless of your political, religious, and matrimonial persuasion; be you rich, poor, tourist, or just plain old curious, can be assured of a costume, snacks along the way, water, and a nutritious meal at the end of our National Park rounds.”

Slingshot says he’s expecting about 300 strong to join his band and that “we will be assembling, as usual, at the corner of Waterloo and Church Streets from 9:00hrs on Mash Day.”

In addition he said “wear comfortable footwear, and light clothing as costumes will be provided and use suntan lotion, leave home all jewelry and keep your cell phones with you.”

He reiterated that the Slingshot band is dependent entirely on sponsorship and support from corporate Guyana and individuals and as such he is appealing to anyone who wants to be part of the band to lend support in any way possible.

Slingshot’s active interest in Mashramani was fueled after he was greatly disappointed that while Mash is a Guyanese Republic celebration only ethnic group was taking to the road. “As a bystander it appeared to be a lopsided ethnic participation on the road and I still see that to some degree; but I’m hoping that that will change soon” he said.

His active participating in the Mash Celebrations began with Floats, Costumes and a Road March Song in 2004 and these consistently won in categories entered and while he fell off his dray cart transportation on Mash Day 2007, badly injuring himself he said, “I am in no way deterred.”

Slingshot prides himself in saying that his is the only Mash Camp that plans the theme and Road March songs in harmony with Float and Costumes.

Given his team’s talent for composing good music, he sees the transition as meaningful, and at the same time, setting a good example for those future Mashers to emulate.

His theme “Guyana: An Oasis of Hope” and was planned since 2008 and he said yesterday that “We usually plan for our Mash participation two years in a row and already our Mash theme for 2011 is “Tek ah Taste of Guyana”.

He slammed all ideas of Guyana being presented as a bad country and said that “A country is never bad. It is the human inhabitants of that country that creates the negatives”.

Further explaining his theme he said his band reinforces President Jagdeo’s discussion at the Copenhagen Conference in December concerning Rainforest, Low Carbon, Indigenous inhabitants, and possible medicinal cures from the various fauna found here.

With the present global economic meltdown, Slingshot noted that corporate Guyana has not been spared the deep bite from the many issues affecting the planet.

When asked what form of involvement the Slingshot costume band will be taking he said that the float will consist of the Kaieteur Falls atop the float-truck, with appropriate flora and fauna representative of Guyana’s interior. The male revelers will depict the fauna representation that is native to Guyana while the females will portray the flora and there will be some very colorful, patriotic and eye-catching displays, Slingshot assured.
Persons desirous of supporting the Slingshot band tangibly may contact Donna Stanford: (592) 682-3745

By Mondale Smith

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Malo back after third cruise line stint

The name Marlon Webster, aka Malo, is forever etched in the annals of Guyana’s music history as the 2007 Soca monarch who copped the title with “Give me it”. If all goes well more titles may be added in time to come.

His is one of the many popular names missing from the 2010 competition by choice but he says that he has not ruled out eventually re-entering the competition.

The 24-year-old bachelor, who hails from Sophia, returned home after his third tour of duty as a lead singer with the Caribbean Princess Cruise line “The Elements Band” and is already in the thick of Guyana’s entertainment happenings.

On February 27 and February 28 he will maintain the Mash hype in the Wild Fire Camp when they stage Konshens in Koncert in Berbice and Linden. Back in Guyana just about a week now Malo has already hit the Brutal tracks studios and with the ace producer/ arranger, Darrel Pugsley, and has recorded two singles.

On Tuesday last Malo released a Soca single titled “A feel like’ and as soon as the Soca season is over he will be releasing an RNB pop that tells the ladies ‘You are mine’.

“The Soca song basically encourages all to have a good time while the RNB is dedicated to the ladies from a man’s point of view,” he said. A video will also be released with the latter.

Three fulfilling Stints on the cruise line

The youth who struggled to make ends meet as a singer locally never imagined that he would have been on a leisure ship; let alone; singing for people, including celebrities, drawn from almost every corner of the earth. But he has and is grateful that he got the opportunity.

By April this year he might be back on ship entertaining across the Caribbean seas, in the USA and Canada as he has done during his previous three stints on board the Caribbean Princess. “The last three experiences were fulfilling.”

Talking about ship life, he said, “While I’m known in Guyana for Soca I’m versatile in my delivery on ship because I have to sing music from every genre, including country. And the patrons are very appreciative”.

As the lead singer in the band he says the job can be tedious having to entertain on an average of four shows daily from Sunday to Sunday but he gets satisfaction from seeing the leisure seekers enjoying themselves.

The soft spoken, humble singer said that as result of singing he has had many proposals from passengers for marriage et al but does not mix business with pleasure.

On a more serious note he has received job proposals and is weighing options to sing in Las Vegas and or on Broadway.

His prior stint that lasted for six months took him to places as far as Australia and he recalled that this was made possible through linkages with Guyanese Guitarist, Colwyn Michael, who plays guitar on another of the Caribbean Princess cruise line ships.

But even with the many opportunities he is enjoying, Malo categorically said, “I’m not done with recording in or representing for Guyana.”

Malo has released 22 songs to date in Guyana and is popular for hits such as ‘You girl’, ‘Jukie Jam’, ‘Wine Baby wine’ and ‘One big family.’
Of his career thus far, Malo said, “I never thought of getting a job on a cruise ship   but I’ve learnt that if you want something bad enough and you develop yourself while delivering at your best always, and you remain committed to your dreams the sky is the limit”.

By Mondale Smith