Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Toronto’s Youngest DJ to Showcase Talents at Twilight Family Restaurant and Bar on Sunday, October 6th On Sunday, October 6th, Toronto’s youngest DJ - DJ Tyson -is set to showcase his remarkable skills and talent at Twilight Family Restaurant and Bar. The event is part of an ongoing effort by a dedicated team working to foster a sense of belonging, pride, and recognition for young talent in the community. "We're working diligently to show these young people that someone cares, that they are worthy of being recognized on a big stage," said the event organizer. "It takes courage to keep this going for six years without any backing from groups or organizations, but we're doing it for the future leaders of tomorrow." The event is entirely community-funded, and organizers are asking for public support to continue this mission. Whether attending in person or making a donation, all contributions will go directly to support the youth. "Even if you can't ...

Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2020   Ready to Jump Digitally This July By Stephen Weir for the Caribbean Camera:  Ooh la la costumes. Thundering pans. Sweet calypso. And while they are at it, throw in a few big name soca performers. Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2020 is getting ready to digitally jump up and thumb noses at the Coronavirus  come July. While the annual summer festival in downtown Toronto has been cancelled this year because of  COVD-19, the festival  with its rich traditions will be coming to a computer screen near you in about five weeks Late yesterday afternoon, Aneesa Oumarally, CEO of the Festival Management Committee (FMC) which organizes the carnival, told The Caribbean Camera that it ‘s ” all systems go  for the Big Event. “The goal of the Digital Carnival is to remember yesteryear, remember what we are missing and showcase the the carnival to the world at large, to those that don’t come downtown and sit on the gr...

Toronto Carnival Is Losing One Of Its Originals. Roger Gibbs Sings Goodbye. By Stephen Weir When September rolls around the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Festival Management Committee (FMC) will lose one of its original members. Bajan-Canadian Calypsonian Roger Gibbs has reached the end of his formal board term.  After years of giving sage advice to Carnival, Gibbs will no longer be part of the management team and will not be involved with the 2020 Festival in an official capacity. “ It's been 14 years!” Gibbs told reporter Stephen Weir. “I was invited to join in 2005 by (the late) Charles Roach.” Gibbs grew up in a musical family and began his career in Barbados singing with Caribbean dance bands in the 1970’s. He joined as lead singer of the Sandpebbles and toured extensively throughout the Caribbean, Canada and the USA. He came to Canada in 1986, and since then Gibbs has worked non-stop within the arts industry. From 1993 until 2013 he was a performing member of COB...

Jai Ojha-Maharaj is back playing sweet Caribbean music to the World! B y Stephen Weir The Dean of Soca Music on the Toronto airwaves is back! Two weeks ago Sunday morning radio host JaiOjah-Maharaj once again got behind the microphone and started playing the sweet sounds of Soca and Calypso Music. The Caribbean Connection Radio Show with Jai is not being heard on Toronto’s CHIN radio station, his home for 30-years, but on the MyCarribeanRadio -- the Trinidadian Super Soca online radio station. “The actual show is originating out of a private studio in Toronto’s west-end” Ojah told me in a recent phone interview. “We are going to video stream at a later date, so in the short-term it will be just radio. To hear me listeners (anywhere in the world) must log on towww.mycaribbeanradio.com Sundays 10am to 2 pm beginning Sunday.” Jai Ojha-Haharaj    was the host and producer of the original Caribbean Connection Radio Show that for 30 years was th...

 The Mighty Sparrow on stage at the Royal Theatre - Photo by Weir From my Huffington Post feature about the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Superior in the movie The Glamour Boyz Again -  http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/stephen-weir/a-documentary-to-be-seen-_b_5767108.html Toronto's  Caribbean Tales International Film Festival  kicked-off its ninth annual season last night at the Royal Theatre with a world premier screening of a new documentary about the  Mighty Sparrow  (Dr. Slinger Francisco) and Lord Superior (Andrew Marcano). Once dubbed the Calypso King of the World, an obviously failing Mighty Sparrow appeared on stage after the first showing of the  Glamour Boyz Again: The Mighty Sparrow and Lord Superior on the Hilton Rooftop . Written and directed by American author/filmmaker Geoffrey Dunn, the feature length movie follows a very simple format: two famous aging Calypsonians on a roof with one guitar and a bucket of Caribe ale. The two men ...