This Carnival, once again Machel Montano proved to be top drawer material. Having launch his Road Marching Band, an eight-man drumming ensemble recruited from the T&T Regiment Drum Corps, at National Flour Mills? Soca by the Silos, he proceeded to make his Alternative Concept 2, held on Valentine?s Day at Pier 4 in Chaguaramas, one of the success stories of C2K4....
News Source: Trinidad Guardian
Machel and company also put a stamp of Made in T&T prime entertainment at other gigs, including his on-the-street performance with Poison?s Retromania. This week, Machel?s mother, Liz Montano said: ?There?s no resting for Machel. He has already conceptualised his C2K5 stage presentation, and looking forward to a year filled with recordings and overseas tours.?
One of the most phenomenal and awe-inspiring performers in the Caribbean today, Machel?s career continues to reach skywards, no surprise to those who?ve grown familiar with this 29-year-old?s meteoric rise in showbiz since the age of eight.
Watching Machel perform at Customs Boys? Pan-o-Brass-Pan fete on the Wednesday before Carnival, during his dance routine finale with the Road Marching Band he did things that I have not seen even Michael Jackson attempt.
Machel and his Xtatik organisation also deserve high praise for providing a bridge between calypso elders, like Calypso Rose, Sparrow, Nelson and Black Stalin. His collaboration with Stalin this year on the ?Love Fire? single, plus stage performances with the five-time National Calypso Monarch have been nothing short of spectacular.
Machel?s mother said that on Machel?s new CD he has included a single called ?Be Yourself,? which has a strong and positive message for the youth, of not only T&T but the world. On the CD, Machel was joined by his children Nicholas (six) and Meledie (five).
Reflecting on C2K4, Montano (Liz) said: ?I am happy for all the winners, especially the youth. We should also never forget where we and this art form came from, and must always remember and respect the elders. This is why in all our presentations through the years we have deliberately included the calypso and soca icons.
She added that Machel and Xtatik are not about to rush off on tour just yet. ?We are not going on tour right now,? she said. ?We are taking our time, sitting with two major producers who intend taking Machel and Xtatik to the world for the rest of 2004, and beyond.
?We will be planning things like our No War World Tour, promoting love, peace and unity. This project will have mega backers, and it just won?t be about parties and having a good time. It is a serious tour we are undertaking, with a serious and positive purpose. We are hoping to go to Europe and Asia, as well as North America, taking a message to the youth of the world, from the youth of T&T."
