Are you planning to travel to Grenada end of May? If yes, then you are in for a pleasant surprise. If No, then maybe you should seriously consider it.

Why?

A ton of Grenada’s Culture will be on showcase, along with Superstar artists like Shaggy and Third World.

Rock d Spice is the first major festival to be introduced in Grenada over seven years. It will be staged from May 29th to 31st. This event is geared towards giving locals as well as visitors a varied experience of Grenada’s Culture, Music, Art, and Craft, at different venues throughout the Island.

Here’s the Line Up

FRIDAY MAY 29th – Opening Night

The Celebration will take visitors to the opening night at the Cuthbert Peters Park in Gouyave, where there will be a fusion of food, local arts and craft market, and an explosion of music from Grenada’s most celebrated artiste King Ajamu.

There will also be other top local artistes accompanied by HEATWAVE, including Tivoli Drummers, Steel band and other performers. Patrons on the opening night will be treated to an awesome fireworks display. The event runs from 6pm-1am and is FREE to the general public.

SATURDAY MAY 30th – The Concert

On Saturday May 30th the spotlight will be on The National Stadium – this promises to be a colossal night of entertainment featuring Grammy Award superstar SHAGGY, the #1 Caribbean Female Soca Icon – Destra & her Band, Rayvon, Rick Rock, Tivoli Drummers, Mr. Killa, Brother B and more. The event runs from 9pm – 3am.

SUNDAY MAY 31ST – Reggae on the Beach

On day three the attention will shift to the northern part of the island where Bathway beach will be transformed into a Reggae village for REGGAE ON THE BEACH – featuring the legendary reggae band THIRD WORLD.

They will be joined by top local gospel and R&B acts, local reggae artistes, and others. As part of the package patrons will be treated to a Beach Fashion show featuring locally produced designer clothing; there will also be Bouncing Castles, Rides, Face painting, a Games area, Food, and a local Arts &Craft Market. REGGAE ON THE BEACH is captioned as a family day. The event will run from 11am to 8pm and there will be a small entrance fee of $20.

Promises to be Good and Safe

Rock D Spice has been long in the making, and the committee is quite excited about the start of this annual event. Security will be provided by the Royal Grenada Police Force throughout the entire festival.

For More details:
Website: http://www.rockdspicefestival.com/
Email: rockdspice@gmail.com
Tel: 1 (473) 418-4442

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If you spent Christmas in Grenada or Trinidad you definitely heard Parang music before. If this will be your first Christmas in Grenada then you are definitely going to hear it, and maybe even love it.

Listen to a few Parang tunes and in no time you will be caught up with the latest scandals, juicy gossip, and comedy in the island for the past 12 months.

I don’t know the origins of Parang, maybe it’s Trinidad. But in Grenada, it’s really the sister island of Carriacou that have perfected this cultural tradition. In fact, in a few days will be the Annual Parang Festival in Carriacou. Three days, beginning on Friday, of rhythms, rhymes, rum, and drop dead laughter, as Parang entertainers of all ages take the stage to see you will be crowned the top Parang artist in Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique.

The Parang performers from Carriacou are good, they’ve been doing this for a long time. Here is a YouTube video with some Kayaks in a Parang practice session… it’s only about 60 seconds:

In recent years we have seen a resurgence of Parang music on the Mainland (Grenada). Last Saturday I attended a Mele Parang show in Tanteen, St. George’s. Too bad I forgot my camera while rushing to leave the house. I would have loved for you to see the comedy on video as it unfolded.

One group of Parang artist stood out… I think they are called “The Men from the Mainland”. They had great arrangement, music, vocals and sharp hard hitting comedic verses… which is what Mele Parang is all about.

I definitely recommend the show if you are in Carriacou or Grenada for Christmas. Or if you can grab hold of one of their CDs do it. Click here to learn more about Carriacou Parang Festival

One more thing, if you attend a Parang show it will he helpful to have a Grenadian nearby to translate and put things in proper context, otherwise you just might not get the punch lines… there is a whole lot , of Grenadian history, politics, culture, and peculiarities mixed up in the Parang music that sometimes it can sound like a foreign language to an outsider.

Parang music is one of the things that gives me the Grenadian/Caribbean Christmas feeling. I grew up listening to Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby “dreaming of his white Christmas”. And to be honest, hearing them at Christmas time do evoke some special childhood memories. But the fact is a “White Christmas” or “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” just do not make sense in a Caribbean context.

It’s good to hear Parang making a comeback, and I am happy that the younger Grenadian generation will grow up listening to authentic Grenadian/Caribbean music that they can relate to.

So go get yourself a cold beverage and tune into some sweet Grenada Parang, or grab Osprey Ferry and head up to Carriacou this coming weekend for the real deal.

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I was lucky to catch a bit of Grenada’s Culture on display at a Grenada Independence celebration. Drummers, Dancers, Folk Songs, and a touch of Steel Pan music. It was an enjoyable evening. Here are some pictures from the event.

Grenada Culture

Look for more pictures of Grenada Culture at The Grenada Pictures Gallery

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Grenada Carnival … Where the Jab Jab Posse

Grenada Carnival is color, music, mas, steel pan and brass, with a touch of class. It’s fun and rum, and feting all day in the hot sun. But of all the things Grenada Carnival is and can be, nothing comes close to jumping J’ouvert with the Jab Jab Posse.

Want a true taste of carnival, Grenada style? … Just find a Jab Jab band on J’ouvert morning.

Pay the Devil …Jab Jab

Jab means devil, and it is a form of masquerade played on the carnival monday morning (J’ouvert). Grenada did not invent the Jab, but there is no place on earth that you will find Jab as in a Greanda J’ouvert.

Jab is easy to play, and the costume if I can call it that is cheap. All you need is an old shorts and a comfortable pair of old sneakers. Throw in a vest/tank top, or bikini top with that for the women, and you’re all set.

Black from Head to Toe

You got your skimpy shorts, and sneakers, now it’s time to get covered in black. But first, unless you want to look like a Jab Jab all year round, you will need this little tip…

Apply generous amounts of petroleum jelly (Vaseline), baby oil, or better yet lard (yes, I did say lard, you know the kind you make bread with), to your face, arms legs, and all over. The more lubricant you apply on your body the easier it is to clean off the black.

So where does this black come from? Well, if you knew you won’t ever play. But I’ll run that risk, and still tell you. It can be one, or a concoction of any of these

• Car Engine oil
• Charcoal
• Tar
• Water base black paint
• Or some other secret recipe

Jab has been a center piece of Grenada Carnival j’ouvert for many years, and hundreds of Jab players use these mixtures with no side effects. I personally have used them all, and never got as much as a skin blemish. The key is to apply that vaseline, baby oil, or lard. It makes a great buffer between you and the Black.

Join a band or go solo …

You can hook up with one of the local Jab bands. They normally supply the black, and can be a great source other pieces of costumes, such as chains, rubber (and real) snakes, horns, etc. That’s the best way to go, it keeps the parade more organized, and it’s less of a hassle trying to figure it all out for yourself.

Most people though do not go that route. They simple show up in shorts, and sneakers and mingle in with the Jab, or find a friend with Black, and before you know it they turn Jab too.

The bottom line is this, whether you intend to play Jab or not … on j’ouvert morning, at Grenada Carnival expect to get dirty. If a friend doesn’t intentially daub you with black, then a Jab Jab might inadvertently rub against you. So you won’t be getting home all clean and gorgeous as you left it.

Blue, Red, Yellow, Green devils …

Some folks find the Jab and all that black just too hard core and intimidating (that’s what make’s it so much fun). So they opt to play a gentler, still dirty, but more colorful version of the Jab. They use water base colored paint, it comes off during a regular shower or swim. This has gotten very popular also in recent years.

Drum, Counch Shell and chant …

Another aspect of the Jab Jab at Grenada Canival you will like is the is the music. Real Jab Jab mas do not use D.J music or any big truck with bands playing. No that’s not Jab. Jab has it’s own music, consisting of drumming, conch shell blowing, and Jab chanting. It’s authentic, just the way African slaves and ancestors use to do it. And the rhythm captivate your soul.

The rest of Grenada Carnival is just as much fun, but it is also not very different from many other islands. Jump with the Jab, and that’s an experience you will find yourself sharing at every party and hangout for years and years to come.

Take lots and lots of pictures for when you return home. Your family and friends will see it, but still won’t believe that’s you in black (blue, or red) having all that fun … no sweat, best way to solve the mystry is to just bring them with you next year for another round of J’ouvert at Grenada Carnival, … your Jab Jab posse will be waiting.

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