Leo Club to stage Junior Calypso Monarch show tomorrow

Financial constraints and timeliness of calypsos are two difficulties the Leo Club has experienced in the organization of the Junior Monarch Calypso Show.

Twelve calypsonians are down to compete at the show which is carded to take place at the Harlem Plaza at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

“One of our major difficulties as with anything else is sponsorship. That’s why LIME coming on board has been a very good venture, a very good partnership … The show is not about the Leo Club; it’s not about me or any members of the Leo Club. The show is about the participants on that day, and sometimes sponsorship is not as forthcoming as we would like it to be, but the show must go on,” said President of the Club Junior Toussaint.

Despite requests for prompt submission of calypsos, the Leo Club was still faced with participants bringing in incomplete calypsos, weeks away from this year’s show.

“A lot of times because it’s children – not to be harsh, not to step on any toes – sometimes they’re not taken seriously. I say that to say that we normally send requests to schools at the beginning of the school year which is September for the show which is going to be held during Carnival … for example we only got songs in January for a show to be done in January and when he songs come, they don’t come fully organized, the children come with a written song and a melody in their head,” Toussaint explained.

He applauds the efforts and creativity of Kendel Laurent from the Triple K Band, who has to arrange all of the calypsos in a two-week period.

“I know he gets paid, but honestly he puts a lot of effort and I can never stop thank him for that… He has to sit down and put all those songs together, based on this year’s timing in about two weeks. He does it and I’m always proud of the end product,” Toussaint added.

This issue has put club members under additional pressure in staging the show. Nevertheless, the Leo Club is ready and the musical arrangement for the songs is complete. “Every year we try to plan with a bigger space or a bigger margin a time but we can always plan for a bigger margin a time but it cannot materialize until we see the song,” Toussaint explained.

He called on the public to patronize the event.  His view is that this season’s calypsos are not overrated.

“I have been in the band house in the practices since the session has begun this year and I can tell you there’s a lot of good talent, a lot of ripe talent, budding talent waiting to be released from this crop of Junior Calypso Monarch contestants we have this year,” Toussaint noted.

The calypsonians are:

Arnel “Super A” Ambrose (Massacre Primary School) with ‘Mummy don’t do that to me’

Lema “De Irish Kid” Irish (St. John’s Primary School) with ‘A Cry for the Book’

Kenny “Mighty Kenny” Daniel (Savanne Paille Primary School) with ‘Corruption in Dominica’

Jewel “Madam Speak-It” Browne (Dominica State College) with ‘Woman Power’

Stannish “Princess Aries” George (Convent High School) with ‘Grab Education’

Kyron “Da Prodigy” Francis with ‘Cell Phone’

Everon “Da Power House” Nation (Dominica Community High School) with ‘Carnival Day’

Naija Denny “De Prophet” Williams with ‘Be Fair’

Nashel “De Nashel Walsh (Isaiah Thomas Secondary School) with ‘Violence Don’t Pay’

Dillon “Hunter Jr.” St. Rose (St. Mary’s Academy) with ‘Hands On’

Aleejah Tiffany “Singing Ali” Titre (Massacre Primary School) ‘Education’

Reigning Junior Calypso Monarch, Sheldon “De Professor” Alfred (St. Mary’s Academy) with ‘Vacancy’

The show’s headline sponsors LIME held a session in vocal training and stage presence with the junior calypsonians. The sessions were conducted by Cedric Phillip and Chester “Daddy Chess” Letang respectively.

The Triple K International Band will provide musical accompaniment for the show scheduled at 5 p.m. at Harlem Plaza tomorrow afternoon.

Other sponsors are Fast Cash, Island Car Rentals, Arturo Sports and Trophies and Aden Sounds. Toussaint thanked the Dominica Calypso Association and other sponsors who also assisted with the show’s organization.