Cocoritehouse Jabjab Produktion wins crown
By Tangerine Clarke
Award-winning costume
designer, Junior Elias Andrews,
whose band Cocoritehouse Jabjab
Produktion, for the last years
has won titles from 2015-2019
still, holding the championship
to date, has copped second and
fourth place in the male individual
category at the 2022 Trinidad
& Tobago carnival.
The Trinidad-born reveler,
who splits his creative talents
between Brooklyn and the twinisland,
told Caribbean Life that
Carnival 2022 was “medication
to my soul.”
“The opportunity to be part of
history in the COVID pandemic,
to express myself on stage, “the
Big Yard” Savannah was everything
to me. But to come home
and see my family and friends,
was something I have been longing
for, a rebirth, after two years
of no carnival. The taste was
excellent. We at Cocoritehouse
Jabjab Produktion are thankful
to the people of Trinidad and
Tobago,” he said.
“COVID-19 affected and tested
my creativity to the limit in so
many ways. From my mental
health to the feeling of hopelessness,
wondering what will be the
new normal.”
However, the pandemic shutdown
Brooklyn-based Junior Elias Andrews, bandleader of Cocoritehouse
Jabjab Produktion performing on stage at the
Queens Park Savannah during a limited presentation of the
2022 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. He copped second and
fourth place prizes in the Individual Category. Brian James
Salute Sean Paul prepares for 2022 US tour
Jazz pianist Marcus Roberts.
Associated Press/Louis Lanzano/File
Caribbean L 54 ife, March 11-17, 2022
also gave him hope, and
new ways of looking at the cultural
heritage of the West Indian
footprint in the time of uncertainty
of carnival, and “our history
our destiny.”
“Mas man, carnival artistry
is now more than ever the
expressions of our journey,” said
Andrews, recalling his exciting
performance on the Savannah
stage, at the Feb. 20 limited presentation,
where he competed
under the theme: African Individual
of the Year.
The concept this year was
“The Spirit of Carnival African
Spirituality.” He explained that
it came about when “I started
thinking of the “trauma” of not
being able to go home for carnival,
and what that means to me
and all the people that love our
culture and identity.”
Cocoritehouse Jabjab Produktion,
created almost twelve years
ago, blends his Trinidad and
Tobago and Grenadian roots, and
has been massing, both in the
twin-Island and Brooklyn, with
much success.
“Our focus is on traditional
and conventional individual mas,
kids’ band and adult band categories,”
said the band leader,
who recapped how enjoyable
and exciting this year’s Carnival
in Trinidad and Tobago has
been, adding, “it was excellent
in 2022.”
Luckily for Andrews who was
born in Cocorite Terrace West of
Port of Spain, after being alerted,
just a month before that the
low-key carnival presentation
would be held at the Queens Park
Savannah, pulled out a costume
he had designed in 2016, ready to
play mas for the judges.
“I designed the costume in
2016, but it was not until this
year it came to life,” he said,
describing his winning outfit as
a full-length gown and cape. The
creation was outfitted with wire
and cut from dazzling fabric with
an arched-stitch patent for comfort
and movement on stage.
The bandleader now awaits
information on when he will be
presented with his prize-winning
trophy. Albeit he hopes that he
will once again get the opportunity
to showcase his awardwinning
design, at a limited masquerade
presentation on Labor
Day in Brooklyn.
Andrews said Cocoritehouse
Jabjab Produktion was ahead to
2023, with great anticipation to
mas in Trinidad and Tobago and
Brooklyn coming back bigger,
and better. He thanked the public
for making his band stand tall.
ASO said on Sunday that the
pieces will be performed for
Jazz Trio and Large Orchestra
by American jazz pianist, composer,
arranger, bandleader
and teacher Marcus Roberts,
who performs with his Marcus
Roberts Trio.
The evening also features
GRAMMY Award-winning jazz
vocalist Catherine Russell, best
known for her album Harlem
on my Mind and her appearance
as a featured artist on the
soundtrack album for the HBO
TV series Boardwalk Empire.
ASO said the performance
was originally scheduled for
March 2020 but was postponed
due to the pandemic.
In lieu of the performance,
Roberts collaborated with the
ASO on the short film titled
“United We Play”, “created in
response to the turbulence of
2020” and released in December
2020.
The film features three
world premieres commissioned
by the ASO and composed by
Roberts.
“His method of writing for
trio and orchestra is to blend
the two ensembles, the seemingly
different worlds of Jazz
and Classical they each represent,
and the contrasting
approaches of improvisational
and written music-making
into a collage that is uniquely
and unmistakably American,”
ASO said.
It said it will close its 60th
anniversary season on June
5 with a free concert at Jazz
at Lincoln Center, featuring
the world premiere of Roberto
Sierra’s newly commissioned
Concerto for Electric Violin
performed by renowned electric
violinist Tracy Silverman.
Continued from Page 53
Tomlinson.
To add to his accomplishments,
just this year his single
“No Lie,” featuring Dua
Lipa went double platinum
in the UK, and his “Live N
Livin” album is nominated
for Best Reggae Album for
the 64th annual Grammys,
noted Tomlinson, chief executive
officer of the New Yorkbased
Destine Media.
“All this excitement has
built-up anticipation for a
long-awaited return of Sean
Paul live,” she said. “Last
year, Sean Paul told fans on
Twitter that come next spring
he would be touring again,
and he kept his promise.
“The 10-show lineup is
anticipated to be ‘fire’, as
Paul will scorch the stage
starting at Busch Gardens in
Tampa, Fl, and closing the
tour in Monterey, California,
May 29,” Tomlinson added.
Paul said: “While a digital
platform may keep you connected,
it is no substitute for
being physically interactive
with fans.”
Having not left Jamaica
since the start of the pandemic,
Tomlinson said Paul
“has never been more ready
to get back with his dancehall
fans and have a party in
person.”
Continued from Page 53
Multi-award-winning Dancehall Artist, Sean Paul. Savannah
Baker