Soca Has A Groove

by Orvis Noel
(Vancouver,Canada.)

Can Soca find it's Groove? Yes it can. Here are some ideas how this can occur.

1. Soca artistes must respect themselves & their art form.

2. Soca artistes must embrace their Caribbean brethren. Soca is not only about Trinidad born Soca artistes or soca bands.

3. The Foreign market with respect to Soca must be used as a catalyst to assist Soca in finding its groove.(A Tourism stimulus)And Local Caribbean Governments Tourism ministries must embrace this opportunity. Commence with an annual Soca Music conference (SMC) over three days held in a different Caribbean island.(Create an awareness an interest.)

4. Soca artistes and their managers must be more professional and respectful of promoters and agencies who engage their services in North America and Europe.

More discipline. North America is not the Caribbean. Show up on time, respect your contract, resist the urge to emulate North American performers. When hired the expectations are that you will deliver "Soca", not reggae or hip-hop. Fill your stage time with soca, all genres of soca.(not only your material.)

5. The entourage is too large for economic reasons. A 15 piece band is not economically feasible for most North American promoters or organizers who most of the times are non-profit Caribbean associations.

6. Be knowledgeable about the migrant base of your fellow Caribbeanites. Try and bring soca entertainment to the country, communities at least every other year, this will help to market, promote,and embrace Soca, a visitor tourist enticement to visit the islands for vacations etc.

7. The groove for Soca starts with your Caribbean comrades, family, friends, Vincy's, Trinis, bajans, etc who are nostalgic about soca music and live overseas.

8. Emphatically divide your seasons. Trinidad Carnival, Various Caribbean islands carnivals, USA Carnivals,& Caribbean festivals, Canada Summer Festivals & Caribbean Carnivals, geographically Eastern Canada & Western Canada.

Can Soca find it Groove? Sure it can. Soca artistes MUST play a significant part.It is not all about money. SHOW SOME LOVE...Just about every Caribbean city has a Caribbean association or multicultural society. Multiculturism is a marketing by product in Canada, an association is the attachment for Caribbeanites, use your embassy and attache office, find out their locations, make contacts and help to spread the "Soca" THAT IS THE GROOVE.