A Carnival without Cotton Candy or a Ferris Wheel

Hello Music Friends,

In North America the term carnival usually refers to an event where you can eat cotton candy, win prizes, ride ferris wheels etc. However, in the Caribbean the word carnival is associated with a festive season which occurs immediately before lent: Acting on a suggestion of my friend Emile, who lives in France, I decided to introduce you to the Caribbean Carnival. It is quite fitting to do so because carnival and steel drums go hand in hand. As a matter of fact, it was carnival which gave birth to the steel drum. I recently met up with a carnival masquerade band leader- Lesel Dhanesar of Island Gems Mas Group www,islandgems.org who has given me first hand insight into the carnival culture and her involvement in Miami Florida's annual Caribbean Carnival.

 Origins of Carnival

 Like the cosmopolitan mix of peoples and cultures that shaped the island, Trinidad's Carnival has many influences. The Spanish and English colonial powers, French planters, African slaves, Indian indentured labourers, and the many other ethnic groups that settled here have all left an indelible mark on the festival. In 1783 the French brought their culture, customs and Carnival, in the form of elaborate masquerade balls, to Trinidad along with African slaves. The period stretching between Christmas and the start of Lent was a time for feasting, fancy dress balls and celebration for both the French and British. Banned from the festivities, slaves in the barrack yards would hold their own celebrations mimicking their masters' behaviour while incorporating rituals and folklore. Once slavery was abolished in 1838, the freed Africans took their Carnival to the streets and, as each new immigrant population entered Trinidad, a new flavour was added to the festivities. Today, our diverse culture has influenced the music, food and traditions of Carnival.
Read more about its origins here

                                                  Interview with Lesel Dhanesar                                                  

 Mrs Dhanesar is a Trinidadian by birth who grew up in the US and has maintained close ties to her caribbean culture. She has been involved in the carnival planning scene for many years operating in different capacities. 2011 marks the year in which she teamed up with established band producer Giselle " De Wassi One" Blanche of " Wassi Ones". Having watched her growth over the years Ms. Blanche gave Lesel a chance to produce her own section  within "Wassi Ones".

MD- "Tell me about the concept of the Carnival Band."

LD-  " The Carnival band is a large group of masqueraders who dress up in costumes that represent an overall theme. Within the large group you have smaller groups of masqueraders, referred to as sections.  Each section usually wears a different costume that adds to the theme of the band. For example, you may have a band whose theme is "The Wild West,".  Within that band you will have sections dressed as maybe Sheriffs, or Horses, Bank Robbers, Indian Chiefs etc: Anything that might convey the overall theme of the band.

MD- "So its not necessarily something to do with musical instruments or singing?"
LD-  "No, not in that sense of the word."

MD- "What was your theme this year?
LD- "It was called "Reflections of Life".  The overall band had about 250 costumed masqueraders and my section had 55 revelers who wore yellow and green costumes"

MD- "What inspired the name of your band and how did yo choose its colors?"
LD-  "Reflections of LIFE is a combination of all our lives GOOD and POSITIVE experiences. It is a mirror into your life, where you see images of your HAPPINESS
It reflects the Good and Up-Lifting times. Your LIFE and your REFLECTION belongs only to YOU.
The yellow represented sunshine and happiness and the green represented a healthy life."

MD-"Who helped you bring this vision to life?"
LD- "In addition to a staff of volunteers and well wishers, our costumes wer created by student designer Shauntel Joseph. Tiffany Alcantara and Peter Dhanesar were heavily involved in the planning and execution of bringing the band to fruition. We all did admin work, gathering of materials for the costumes, sewing, made phone calls, held fund raiser etc. I even transformed my home into a costume sewing shop"

MD- " How long did it take to get the project completed?"
LD-  "About 7 months. We started in April 2011 and worked all the way up to Oct 8, 2011, the night before the big parade in Miami. It was down to the wire."

MD- " But you pulled it off?"
LD- "Yes we sure did. I was so happy that the masqueraders got many complements on their costumes. Altogether the production was well received.  We had lots of fun partying in the parade and our goal is to make it to the stage where we are awarded points by a panel of judges."

MD- "How long are you on the road? The parade?"
LD- It can be anywhere from 7-8hrs. We follow an assigned parade route. During that time the masqueraders are dancing, singing, showing off their costumes,  eating, drinking, lots of smiles and picture taking."

MD-" Lots of sore feet and hoarse voices too huh?"
LD-  "Lol, yes that too."

MD " Are you gearing up for next year?"
LD- " Yes, I'll be brainstorming and visualizing stuff during the holiday season. During the spring of next year we will start the leg work of bringing the band to life"

MD- "Is Miami Carnival your final stop?"
LD " No. Ultimately I'd like to produce a section for Trinidad's carnival"

MD " Best of luck and continued success"
LD " Thank You"

If you would to be a part of the 2012 band, contact them at the info below:

www.islandgems.org

islandgemsmasgroup@live.com

Lesel-954 625 5668

Tiffany-305 482 1183

Best,
Minsky

Myrtle Beach Steel Drum Player-Minsky Delmonte

Hello Music Friends,

Part of the fun of being a D.I.Y. musician is trying to come up with videos to promote your product. It is a natural inclination to want to create an epic film as your first advertisement, but production costs and viewer attention spans have dictated that the most effective ads are 15, 30 and 60 secs. Here is another delve into the quick and simple. After viewing, please share your thoughts.

Best,
Minsky

A Timeless Family Story

Ever had a family get together where everyone reminisces about the "good ol' days" and share recounts of great times? My family does that all of the time.(In addition to playing UNO and Pictionary) Since we are a large group ( My grandmother had 16 children-8 boys and 8 girls) there are numerous stories. Some are very colorful, very joyful and there are a few sad ones too. While the stories are important, the strength lies in the bonds that are formed from storytelling and with the story teller.
Stories endure the test of time just by being told. A year ago, my cousin Hayden, was the victim of a senseless shooting. He had a story to tell and he told it. He remains in our hearts and we give him life by sharing his story amongst ourselves and with others.

The video below shows a family gathering in Antigua in 2008. My uncle Leary and Hayden told the story from a first person point of view. Although their speech is in a heavy Trinidadian dialect, one can see the joy and loved that is shared amongst our family as a whole-hence the power of the story and the story teller.

Here is a gist of what happened.

My uncle (Leary) and cousin (Hayden-bald headed guy) were given the responsibility of caring for my grandfather's prized hunting dogs. He instructed them to tend to the animals while he was away. The two men accepted their assignments, but decided to play, wrestle and have an all out good time for 3 days straight without even an inkling thought of checking on the dogs.

When my grandfather returned, he asked them for an account of how they had tended to the dogs. Knowing that they were in trouble and had never checked on the dogs, they concocted a story of how they bathed the dogs,fed them, kept them in the shade, and did an all around good job in caring for the pets. Both boys agreed that that was their story and that they were sticking to it. The funny part- the kicker of the whole story was that unbeknownst to the boys, my grandfather took the hunting dogs with him for the past three days!

Luckily, the intervention of one our family friends had allowed both boys a chance to live to tell that story and not experience the swift decisive discipline of a West Indian Parent.

Hayden, we love you and you will forever be in our hearts. Will tell this story to everyone because it gives us life. It gives you life.



Love,
Minsky

Kitty Hawk Steel Drum Player

Hello Music Friends,
Did you know that Kitty Hawk North Carolina is the home of aviation pioneers The Wright Brothers? Its also a very popular destination wedding city. I've captured some footage of a recent steel drum performance out on the Kitty Hawk Pier.

Keep Well,
Minsky

"Man Cannot Live on Steel Drums Alone"

Its summer! and the barometer has made sure that we know it! The country has been gripped by a heatwave and I hope that you are doing whatever you can to stay hydrated and comfortable.

Thus far, I've been writing from my point of view. I wanted to change things up a bit and introduce you to some of the people who have helped make my musical journey a success-the people who I've played for and who have allowed me to be a part of their extended families.

In this months issue I've invited some of my past brides/new friends to share their favorite drink/food recipes.

While its important to be musically proficient and to provide top notch customer service, I must say that the connections and friendships formed have left an indelible mark on my heart.
Furthermore," Man cannot live on steel drums alone."



Jalepeno Poppers
Submitted by Melissa Bard- Sylvester, GA.

2 LBS fresh jalepeno peppers 4 pkgs softened cream cheese
2 LBS thin slided bacon 1 sm jar/bag real bacon bits
1 pkt of onion soup mix ( dry ) garlic salt to taste
1 pair of plastic/rubber gloves ( jalepenos burn ! )
Preheat oven to 350°
Put gloves on, wash and dry peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise. Use a tablespoon to carefully remove seeds. You need to soft fry the bacon to wrap around the poppers later. Do not overcook the bacon. Blanch the peppers for about 3 minutes after it boils. Drain. Mix the softened cream cheese, bacon bits, and dry onion soup mix and garlic. Spoon in the mixture into each half pepper and wrap a pice of bacon around. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE OR BURN!
Yields about 20-30 servings. Of course, just half the recipe for smaller portions.

Mini Lump Crab and Avocado Bruschetta
Submitted by Anna-Christina Dais-Edgewater, NJ.

10oz-1lb lump crab meat (depends on how much crab you want to pile on)
small bunch of mint, minced
lime, enough to drizzle over crab
1 avocado for every 8-10 pieces of bruschetta (depends on size of bread)
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
Any type of bread you prefer for bruschetta, cut into bite sized pieces and bake in oven with a little oil or butter until warm/golden in color. Bagel bites work well too!
parsley (optional for decorative purposes)

In one bowl mix the lump crab meat, mint and lime juice.
In another bowl, mix the avocado, cayenne pepper, S&P (all to taste. I like my guacamole spicy so I add more cayenne pepper and even garlic since I LOVE GARLIC.)
Assemble the avocado/guacamole mixture over the bread, then pile the crab meat on top.
Decorate with a piece of parsley on top and you're done!
Easy, simple yet fancy looking apps for when you have loved ones over. Enjoy!

Key Lime Martini
Submitted by Natasha Adams Denny-Charlotte, NC.

Mix 1 1/2 oz Malibu Rum, 1/2oz Midori, 1oz pineapple jucice, 1/2 oz simple syrup (hot water and sugar), 1/2 oz lime juice, and a splash of cream. It is delicious!!


Carolina Sangria
Submitted by Tricia Mondok Congers-Wilmington, NC.

With Peaches in Season right now I love this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 bottle Pinot Grigio Chilled
3/4 cup Peach Vodka
6 tablespoons thawed frozen lemonade concentrate
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lb Ripe Carolina Sweet Peaches Sliced and peeled
1 Cup Grapes or Raspberries (optional)
2 cups club soda (can use flavored lemon, lime or peach)
Combine first 4 ingredients
Stir in fruit Cover and Chill 5-8 hours
Add soda just before serving.

Pura Vida Rita-The Best Margarita by way of Costa-Rica
Submitted Michelle Pou-Lowery-Wellington, FL.

Make sure you have a large cocktail mixer, oranges, limes,Tequila, Triple Sec and Agave Syrup (essential).

Juice 1 orange and 1 lime, add to your mixer.
Add 2 shots of tequila to the mixer and a splash of Triple Sec.
Add a tsp. of Agave.
Salt the rims of two glasses, shake the mixer and pour.
Pura Vida!


Thank You to the chefs and flair bartenders for their contributions. Please have another event soon, make those recipes that you described and have me over to play and taste test em!

A bride, a groom, and a steel drum

Hello Music Friends,

One of the coolest events that I enjoy playing at are weddings. They are such beautiful celebrations. Its so interesting to see how different couples use themes to express themselves and their love for each other. For the most part all attendess are happy and the vibe of the day is joyful. I take weddings very seriously because I believe in the institutuion of marriage and I also feel that playing for weddings is a part of ministry.

Keep me in mind for your wedding!

Best,
Minsky

Read all of our Ceremony Musicians Reviews at

The world of Facebook

Are you on the ever popular Facebook? So am I! Lets connect there too.
Click the "like" button to find me.

See you there.
Best,
Minsky