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Photos by Neil B.
16th Annual Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival - Day 2
Date: Sunday 15th June 2008
Location: Vinoy Park. 700 Beach Drive. St. Petersburg, FL
Promotions: Tampa Bay Carnival Committee
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Waking up early to go to work after a fete-full day is rrrrrrrrrufff-rrruff! But I try to look at the upside... the TJJ field crew has a hhhuge office space with surround sound and 360 degrees of a grrrreat view! Besides, we are mobile... Nike kinda mobile... we just do it! On top of that, our "clients" (that's you!) are always in a great mood and elated to see us! Now, our slave driver boss aka EL JEFE aka Daddy Juice, always reminds us of the # 1 mission for the TJJ work force... "Just have fun guys!" Oooh, I llllove this job!!

With that said, the TJJ Tampa Bay Carnival Crew got to work, straight to the parade! We ran into New Generation Branches Steel Orchestra, (www.newgenerationbranches.com) from Orlando. Most of the members we saw were between 9 and 18 years of age, with 3+ years of experience mind you.... wow! We got to interview them so, don't forget to check out TJJ TV for that and more on Tampa Bay C2K8!

It was a perfect sunny day, yet there were not so many trucks and masqueraders as expected. Our sources told us it had much more people in 2007. But us, "The Carnival Hunters" know that it's not the quantity, but the quality! And Tampa Bay Carnival 2008 had nuff of dat! What was really funny to see was the onlookers. The parade passes by the Bay and there was some sorta "social club" on the way, These people came out with their pretty pastel colored Sunday dresses to see what was "that noise" and quickly you could see an older gentleman covering his ears.... AAAAh, but not his eyes, ent? Noooo, those were wide open looking at the sexy Caribbean women with their costumes wining and getting on!!! smile

At the end of the parade we encountered the tassa band Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa, also from Orlando (sponsored by DMC Enterprises, Inc., and Evergreen Tree Service). JoyJuice persuaded me to get up there and pretend that I was one of them. Yeahh, this is also on the TJJ TV footage, thanks Eugene! Grrrr!!! smile I got offered one of the drums and I started ... basically messing up their tune, just like a horrible karaoke singer... it was awesome! *lol* You guys were soooo cool!! And oh yeah, thanks for the rrrrrrrpunch too! It was very "refreshing".

We ended up at the stage... the space was perfect! Vendors serving all sorts of yummy Caribbean foods, others selling flags and other very important goodies! Tony Wylie & Islands started performing right when people were finishing their meals, but their sound was soooo sweet they pulled them up.. right by d'stage. Sorry vendors!

Leon Coldero & Code 868 also performed with Uncle Sam, Roger George and Ghetto Flex. And last but not least, around 9:40pm, Bunji Garlin and Faye Ann Lyons came out. Boy these two are A-MA-ZING!!! I mean WAO!!! (that's Spanish for WOW) They did some kinda synchronized tongue twister thing that was off the hook! And then they invite Hunter to come sing his 2008 hit "Bring It" ..... Ahhhh wha meh rum... aye aye aye!!

Oh so you are asking yourself, "What the heck was I doing that weekend?" and "Why was I not in Tampa?" Hmmm, whatever you were doing doesn't seem as important anymore, huh? OK, I'll try to be gentle... have you heard of Duvone Stewart from Tobago? Well, if you don't know who this GOD of the steel pan is, be sure to check him out when our TJJ TV Tampa Bay C2K8 Coverage releases. And you can also check him out at myspace.com/duvonestewart. He is THE MASTER OF THE PAN and he showed us his skills in Tampa. It didn't matter which position - upside down, standing, kneeling ... you name it! He knew how to make it sound sooo sweet.... the steel pan that is!! Hehe.

Now, imagine all this fun with a backdrop like no other Carnival - the water, the bay breeze, and that great sunset (Tampa is on the West coast of the Peninsula.) It was breath taking ... and all of that in a day's work!

TJJ had a grand ole time, I know those of you that went did too! George and the rest of the Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival committee, we want to thank you for your hospitality. For those that can only enjoy this Carnival through our coverage, hope you like it as much as we enjoyed preparing it for you!

This is Panidad signing out,
Ciao!

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Related Galleries
Tampa Bay Carnival 2008 Coverage
Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival (2007)