Spotlight

[Anonymous]

http://www.cott.org.tt/spotlight.htm



SHURWAYNE, BUNJI TOP COTT NOMINEES

Some 50 local composers and songwriters are up for honours at this year's COTT Music Awards, which takes place at Queen's Hall on November 2.

Heading the list of nominees are Shurwayne Winchester and Bunji Garlin with four nods each, while Machel Montano, Shawn Noel, Francisca Allard and Mungal Patasar are each contesting in three categories. Composers with two nominations include Maximus Dan, Destra, Mauri Hall, Wendell Manwarren, Stanton Kewley, Luta, Veerendra Persad, Kernal Roberts, Christianne Elcock and Nadia Batson.

COTT CEO Allison Demas remarked upon the names that appear in the list, many of whom, she conceded, may not be readily remembered by the listening and dancing public. "Our music industry would not exist without songwriters, music composers and publishers, although rarely do the creators get more than a passing mention.

"The Annual Music Awards gives us a chance to celebrate that level of the creative process, which publicly manifests as the songs loved by everyone and for which, very often, only the performer is recognized, although – as you will recognize in this year's listing – there might be a team working on delivering the product performed by a single person," Demas said.

This year's full list of nominees reads as follows:

Songwriter of the year: KMC, Machel Montano, Shurwayne Winchester.

Song of the Year: Bunji/ Kernal Roberts/ Shawn Noel (for "The Islands"); Machel Montano ("You"); Shurwayne Winchester "Dead or Alive"

Publisher of the Year: E&E Publishing (Earl Crosby); Jabberwocky Publishing (Simon Baptiste/Carolyn Pasea); Major & Minor Productions (Alvin Daniell).

Female Songwriter: Destra; Fay-Ann Lyons; Nadia Batson.

New Male Songwriter: Clyde Headley; Ras Mamba; Kerwin Du Bois.

New Female Songwriter: Laura Monique Pereira; Michelle Sylvester; Shakti Rampartap.
Golden Achievement: Black Stalin

Treasured Licensee: Republic Bank Ltd

Calypso of the Year: Luta ("Kaiso, Kaiso"); Luta ("Check the Foundation"); Steve Rabathally – "Ode to T&T".

Groovy Soca: Surge ("In Your Timing"); Nadia Batson ("Face Me"); Shurwayne Winchester & Shawn Noel ("Don't Stop").

Classic of the Year: Colin Lucas ("Big Money Wine"); Black Stalin ("Feeling to Party"); Sparrow ("Jean and Dinah").

Pan Song: Keron Boodoosingh/Mark Loquan/Destra/Zan ("Colours Again"); Len Boogsie Sharpe/Anthony Lexo Alexis ("This One's for U, Bradley"); De Fosto ("Bradley").

Chutney Soca: Neeshan Hitman Prabhoo ("Rum, Me Brother Say"); Veerendra Persad ("Doi Festival"); JMC 3 Veni/Veerendra Persad ("Yada Lawa").

Chutney: Devanand Gattoo ("Goree Nachay"); Rooplal G ("Lawa"); Rikki Jai "Mor Tor").

Parang: Francisca Allard ("Yo Me Voy de Parranda"); Francisca Allard & Phillip Allard ("Latino Soca Parranda"); Francisca Allard ("Recordando a Daisy").

Soca Parang: Damian Joseph & Melina Joseph ("Chinee Parang"); Myron B ("The Grinch"); Sweet Jean ("Musical Santa").

Jingle of the Year: Bunji/Kernal Roberts/ Shawn Noel ("The Islands" – for TDC); Machel Montano "You" – for Courts Ltd); Shurwayne Winchester ("The Band Coming" – for TSTT)

Rapso: Karega Mandela ("Give Thanks"); Mauri Hall, Wendell Manwarren & Stanton Kewley ("Borderline"); Mauri Hall, Wendell Manwarren & Stanton Kewley ("Pita Pata").

Ragga Soca: Maximus Dan/Samuel Jack ("Fighter"); Maximus Dan ("God Army"); Bunji/Peter Coppin ("Turn Me On").

Reggae/Dancehall: Geron Angelo/Angela Woodruffe/Marlon Asher/Beaver Henderson("Ganja Planter"); Bunji/Mario Campbell/Tony Matterhorn ("Put in the Thing – Cock Back So"); Sherron Charles, Isasha, Kwasi Robinson, Roberito Angelo Pantin ("Don't U Know").

Jazz-World Music: Mungal Patasar ("Awake"); Mungal Patasar ("Dreadlocks"); Mungal Patasar ("Kala, Kala").

Gospel: Christianne Elcock ("Your Love"); Christianne Elcock ("True Christian"); Jadee ("Baptize").