Carnival 2001 Highlights and Web links (see below)

Carnival in the Caribbean and Latin America always yields a crop of high energy party tunes, insightful songs poking fun at society, and scandals that have everyone talking. This year was no exception. Lord Pretender, the oldest living Calypsonian in Trinidad, says he can't remember when there have been so many good calypsos in Carnival.

Afropop Worldwide host Georges Collinet talked by phone to Shadow, this year's Road March Winner, in Port of Spain Trinidad. The Road March is the most played song on Carnival Tuesday as masqueraders dressed in costumes parade and dance by polling stations all over the country. Shadow told Georges that his big hit, "Yuh Lookin for Horn" is his advice to a young man. (Horning is slang for when a man takes another man's woman) Shadow is asking the man "Why you want to marry? You don't have no money. You're not working. You don't have a pay day. You're exposing yourself to getting horned."

In other news from Trinny Carnival, Dennyse Plummer won Calypso Monarch with her songs "Heroes" and "Nah Leavin". David Rudder's heavy songs this year did not win him heavy rotation at the street parties leading up to Carnival, but David's fans at Spektacula Tent appreciated them--"Requiem for Ms. D (Miss Democracy)" and "Bigger Pimpin'" about the scandal of American rapper Jay Z filming Trinidad Carnival and using it in his music video without anyone's permission.

Favorite songs on the streets of Port of Spain included "Tay Lay Lay" sung by Peter C. Lewis of the group Xtatic and "Tremble It" sung by a new singer on the scene, Destra Garcia, working with Roy Cape's All Stars. (See discography).

CARNAVAL IN BRASIL

The Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has to be the most spectacular carnival anywhere in the world. The Sambadrome is seven football fields long. Massive, themed floats, several stories high, roll by accompanied by samba schools with a "batteria" or percussion section numbering in the hundreds, and dancers dressed in colorful costumes, or as is the tradition in Rio, with no costumes at all.

For the third year in a row, this year's winning samba school was Imperatriz Leopoldinense. Their theme this year: the history of Brazil's national drink, cachaca.

Coming in a close second was the samba school Beija Flor. Beija Flor put together a spectacular presentation, dedicated to African history, the Dahomey Kingdom, and the vodou religion (a religion currently practiced by millions of Brazilians--condamble).

Up the coast, in Salvador de Bahia, it's less about winning contests than winning the hearts and feet of millions of carnival revelers partying in the street who come to see the blocos afros percussion ensembles and the trios electricos, bands playing atop tractor trailors piled with speakers.

Every year in Salvador, there are songs that sweep the city, becoming Carnival anthems. This year, Asa de Aguia's "Pit Bull" (or as Brazilians say "Peechy Boo") hit big. This was Brazil's answer to the Baha Men's mega-hit "Who Let the Dogs Out?" as the sing along lines to "Pit Bull" had the crowd barking joyfully.

The biggest hit of all this year in Salvador was "Bomba" (Brazilian slang for a beautiful woman) by the Braggaboys. Banda Beijo had a winner with "Bate Lata."

To enjoy the hottest carnival songs from Trinidad and Brazil and to get more of the inside scoop, tune in Afropop Worlwide's "Carnival 2001" hosted by Georges Collinet.

We've rounded up some of the most informative and fun web sites devoted to carnival.
See selection below (coming later).

--Sean Barlow with reporting by Debbie Jacob in Trinidad and Silvia Caldas and Dan Rosenberg in Brazil
Afropop Worldwide
www.afropop.org

Trinidad Links

The National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago
http://www.carnivalncc.com/
"The official website for Trinidad & Tobago Carnival"

The Festival of the streets
http://www.visittnt.com/ToDo/Events/Carnival2001/index.htm
"Bringing an overview of all aspects of the carnival"

Carnaval.com
http://www.carnaval.com/main.htm
Organized around the major cities, this site offers links to all Caribbean carnivals related sites: carnival coverage, history, lingo, music, artists, etc.

Poison Mas
http://www.poison.co.tt
official site of one of the most famous mas camp

Legends Mas
http://www.legendscarnival.com/start.htm
Another famous mas camp

Brazil Links

http://www.atarde.com.br/materia.php3?mes=02&ano=2001&id_ materia=2063
Lyrics for the ten "biggest" carnival hits, including Daniela Mercury, Bragaboys, Ivete Sangalo, Pagod'Art, Banjo Beijo, & Timbalada. In Portuguese only.

http://www.imperatrizleopoldinense.com.br/
Home site for Imperatriz Leopoldinense. Complete with history, photos, pictures of each costume. In Portuguese only.

http://www.grupointernet.com.br/beija-flor/
Homepage for Beija-flor, runner up in Rio's sambodromo. Includes lyrics, photos, audio clips, etc. In Portuguese only.