Comedy duo has matured and honedtheir craft, both individually and collectively, as witnessed by their performance at Christmas Comedy Cook-Up recently.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Ity & Fancy Cat
Comedy duo has matured and honedtheir craft, both individually and collectively, as witnessed by their performance at Christmas Comedy Cook-Up recently.
Trinidas & Co 'cook up' mixed bag @ Comedy fest
There was the proaspect of serious words being thrown several miles southward in Portmore, but at Backyaad on Constant Spring Road on Boxing Day night, the words elicited howls and peals of laughter.
Trini-born, Candaian resident Alex Trinidad used the natural gift of his larger than usual ears (accentuated by a shaved head and light complexion0asa great ice breaker and proceeded to deliver in my book, the best routine of the early going of the ELlis Int'l Comedy fest. Alongthe way, he skewered Jamaicans, Guyanaese and "non-Caribbean white people" to good effect.
Lovindeer - the natural parodist- created the usual stir, with his term-bending ditties("Bun-Bow-Cloth") but really sparked when joined by DJ lady G for the brilliant "You Cook"
Song also playeda part in curtain raiser Michaal Abrahams' routine, which suggested - among other things - replacing synchronized swimming as an Olympic sport with "synchronized sexing". Ity 7 Fancy Cat got the biggest laughs ogf the night for their reneactment of the country's oLympic glory and the recent shoe-throwing incident (in which they substituted current prime minister Bruce Golding and former PMs PJ Patterson & Portia Simpson-Miller for the outgoing US president).
Trini-born, Candaian resident Alex Trinidad used the natural gift of his larger than usual ears (accentuated by a shaved head and light complexion0asa great ice breaker and proceeded to deliver in my book, the best routine of the early going of the ELlis Int'l Comedy fest. Alongthe way, he skewered Jamaicans, Guyanaese and "non-Caribbean white people" to good effect.
Lovindeer - the natural parodist- created the usual stir, with his term-bending ditties("Bun-Bow-Cloth") but really sparked when joined by DJ lady G for the brilliant "You Cook"
Song also playeda part in curtain raiser Michaal Abrahams' routine, which suggested - among other things - replacing synchronized swimming as an Olympic sport with "synchronized sexing". Ity 7 Fancy Cat got the biggest laughs ogf the night for their reneactment of the country's oLympic glory and the recent shoe-throwing incident (in which they substituted current prime minister Bruce Golding and former PMs PJ Patterson & Portia Simpson-Miller for the outgoing US president).
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Nazi Noel
The following piece form Yahoo news service, I found interesting. Have yourselves a Merry Christmas anywaym and here's to more E-Square in the New Year.
With no less than six World War II-focused films out this month, it's shaping up to be a very Nazi Christmas.
In theaters now are "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," which tells the story of a forbidden friendship between the son of a Nazi officer and a Jewish boy imprisoned in a concentration camp; "The Reader," which stars Kate Winslet as a former concentration-camp guard on trial years after the war; and "Adam Resurrected," which follows a Holocaust survivor (Jeff Goldblum) living in a mental institution.
"Valkyrie," which opens on Christmas day, stars Tom Cruise as a German officer who heads up a plan to kill Hitler. And two more Nazi-oriented films open on New Year's Eve: "Defiance" stars Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber as brothers who battle the Nazis from a secret hideout in the woods, and "Good" features Viggo Mortensen as an academic and novelist reluctantly enticed into the SS fold after he's approached to write some mild propaganda for the Nazi party.
In a recent interview, Cruise joked: "Go kill Hitler on Christmas!"
So why, during what's supposed to be the cheeriest time of year, this abundance of stories from one of humanity's darkest hours?
"Much of it is awards-driven," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers, which tracks box-office totals. "Downer movies come out this time of year as a reflection of the fact that people are vying for Oscars."
Indeed, Holocaust-themed holiday releases have fared well with academy voters for decades. "Sophie's Choice," a December release in 1982, earned five Oscar nominations and a win for star Meryl Streep. "Schindler's List" was nominated for 12 Oscars and won seven — including best picture — after its release in December of 1993. "The Pianist" opened two days after Christmas in 2002. It was nominated for seven Oscars and won three, including best actor for star Adrien Brody and best director for Roman Polanski.
"These movies take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride," Dergarabedian said. "They're powerful, moving, and Oscar loves that."
The Holocaust and World War II are rich landscapes for exploring moral issues and human costs, and such stories resonate with filmmakers and awards voters alike, said Steve Pond, author of the 2005 book "The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards."
World War II-themed movies have been winning Oscars since the year after the war ended, Pond noted. In 1946, "The Best Years of Our Lives" won seven of the eight Oscars for which it was nominated, plus a special award given to supporting actor Harold Russell "for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans" by appearing in the film.
"The Holocaust is such an irredeemable monstrosity, you can't get more extreme or more evil than that," Pond said. "For a dramatist dealing in conflict, it's sort of an irresistible topic to be drawn to."
The current state of the world inspires continued interest in these themes, said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
"Here we are, 63 years after Auschwitz, and we can't open up a paper or read an article that doesn't involve another episode of man's inhumanity to man somewhere in the world: suicide bombings, Mumbai, Darfur," he said. "The Holocaust is a ripe subject for writers and directors to present on the screen issues that resonate even today as we cross into 2009."
With no less than six World War II-focused films out this month, it's shaping up to be a very Nazi Christmas.
In theaters now are "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," which tells the story of a forbidden friendship between the son of a Nazi officer and a Jewish boy imprisoned in a concentration camp; "The Reader," which stars Kate Winslet as a former concentration-camp guard on trial years after the war; and "Adam Resurrected," which follows a Holocaust survivor (Jeff Goldblum) living in a mental institution.
"Valkyrie," which opens on Christmas day, stars Tom Cruise as a German officer who heads up a plan to kill Hitler. And two more Nazi-oriented films open on New Year's Eve: "Defiance" stars Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber as brothers who battle the Nazis from a secret hideout in the woods, and "Good" features Viggo Mortensen as an academic and novelist reluctantly enticed into the SS fold after he's approached to write some mild propaganda for the Nazi party.
In a recent interview, Cruise joked: "Go kill Hitler on Christmas!"
So why, during what's supposed to be the cheeriest time of year, this abundance of stories from one of humanity's darkest hours?
"Much of it is awards-driven," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers, which tracks box-office totals. "Downer movies come out this time of year as a reflection of the fact that people are vying for Oscars."
Indeed, Holocaust-themed holiday releases have fared well with academy voters for decades. "Sophie's Choice," a December release in 1982, earned five Oscar nominations and a win for star Meryl Streep. "Schindler's List" was nominated for 12 Oscars and won seven — including best picture — after its release in December of 1993. "The Pianist" opened two days after Christmas in 2002. It was nominated for seven Oscars and won three, including best actor for star Adrien Brody and best director for Roman Polanski.
"These movies take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride," Dergarabedian said. "They're powerful, moving, and Oscar loves that."
The Holocaust and World War II are rich landscapes for exploring moral issues and human costs, and such stories resonate with filmmakers and awards voters alike, said Steve Pond, author of the 2005 book "The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards."
World War II-themed movies have been winning Oscars since the year after the war ended, Pond noted. In 1946, "The Best Years of Our Lives" won seven of the eight Oscars for which it was nominated, plus a special award given to supporting actor Harold Russell "for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans" by appearing in the film.
"The Holocaust is such an irredeemable monstrosity, you can't get more extreme or more evil than that," Pond said. "For a dramatist dealing in conflict, it's sort of an irresistible topic to be drawn to."
The current state of the world inspires continued interest in these themes, said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
"Here we are, 63 years after Auschwitz, and we can't open up a paper or read an article that doesn't involve another episode of man's inhumanity to man somewhere in the world: suicide bombings, Mumbai, Darfur," he said. "The Holocaust is a ripe subject for writers and directors to present on the screen issues that resonate even today as we cross into 2009."
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fastest sportswear on the planet
"Lightning" of a good kind struck at the Molynes road headquarters of Sun Island Ltd as triple world record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt showed up to put the cap on the launch of his eponymous sportswear line (featuring the now iconic 'to di worl" pose), a joint venture with Sun Island. Bolt also made a donation to various charities being served by United Way of Jamaica, which will be an ongoing beneficiary of the proceeds
Saturday, December 20, 2008
'Three the Hard Way' @ Backyaad
Okay, so maybe not as dramatic as that headline suggests, but last Wednesday at backyaad on COnstant Spring Road saw three acts representing rock, reggae and other genres of their choosing (but mostly rock) with integrity and intensity.
headliner Tessanne lived up to the billing, with the finest performance I've seen from her to date (mark you, I hadn't seen her live all year); the band was super-tight and also there was a 'historic' onstage duet with sister Tammi.
Crimson heart Replica (with Catherine up front) delivered both subtlety and sizzle, and Gas Money pretty much left it all on the Backyaad stage with an uninhibtedly rocking set.
Sawandi laid down grooves as thick as three-day old pea soup in the intervals.
These are the moments that make my work worthwhile.
headliner Tessanne lived up to the billing, with the finest performance I've seen from her to date (mark you, I hadn't seen her live all year); the band was super-tight and also there was a 'historic' onstage duet with sister Tammi.
Crimson heart Replica (with Catherine up front) delivered both subtlety and sizzle, and Gas Money pretty much left it all on the Backyaad stage with an uninhibtedly rocking set.
Sawandi laid down grooves as thick as three-day old pea soup in the intervals.
These are the moments that make my work worthwhile.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
2 Great bands to ring in 2K9 with
Amid the customary hoopla and noisemaking this December 31, there's two live acts with a difference at disparate venues in (and around Kingston)
Over at Red Bones, Black Zebra - who deleivered two strong shows at Grosvenor Galleries recently -will hold court, while Rootz Underground will go up - way up - to Strawberry Hill to show their ongoing maturity as roots-rock-reggae provocateurs.
I'm personally leading to Rootz at Strawberry hill (transport, anyone?), but you can't go wrong either way.
An aside: I missed what by all reports was a scoeching show, ut Abdel Wright is back and believe me, if like good roots music, that's great news. Will keep you posted.
Over at Red Bones, Black Zebra - who deleivered two strong shows at Grosvenor Galleries recently -will hold court, while Rootz Underground will go up - way up - to Strawberry Hill to show their ongoing maturity as roots-rock-reggae provocateurs.
I'm personally leading to Rootz at Strawberry hill (transport, anyone?), but you can't go wrong either way.
An aside: I missed what by all reports was a scoeching show, ut Abdel Wright is back and believe me, if like good roots music, that's great news. Will keep you posted.
Keep it Clean, Macy
Interesting (and refreshing) to note that singer-actress Macy Gray (who's been kinda quiet radio wise since her big hits "I try" and "Move Somethin" almost 10 years ago) will be part of the lineup for Shaggy's big Bustamante CHildren's Hospital benefit, come January 3.
However, the unititiated should be prepared for the unexpected - and even the unsavoury. Two years ago, our friend Macy ran afoul of the Barbados authorities (not to mention festival orgnaizer Gilbert Rowe) atthe Barbados Jazz festival following an expletive laced (in particular, the tem m-f**er) skit near the ned of her otherwise engaging show.
The prognosis right now for a 'clean performance is mixed. gray tunred her attention to social activism with the macy Gray Music Academy in 2005, providing performance opportunities for underprivileged kids. (yay!!!)
On the downside, her latest musical incarnation is a character called Nemesis Jazson, under which moniker hert latest single is "Slap A Bitch"
You have been warned :-)
However, the unititiated should be prepared for the unexpected - and even the unsavoury. Two years ago, our friend Macy ran afoul of the Barbados authorities (not to mention festival orgnaizer Gilbert Rowe) atthe Barbados Jazz festival following an expletive laced (in particular, the tem m-f**er) skit near the ned of her otherwise engaging show.
The prognosis right now for a 'clean performance is mixed. gray tunred her attention to social activism with the macy Gray Music Academy in 2005, providing performance opportunities for underprivileged kids. (yay!!!)
On the downside, her latest musical incarnation is a character called Nemesis Jazson, under which moniker hert latest single is "Slap A Bitch"
You have been warned :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
