The Return of the Royal Family

With the Caribana season ringing in around us - band launch after band launch, fete after fete, boat ride after boat ride.... it was only customary in TJJ tradition to start the first summer long weekend in style with the infamous Dr. Jay and his special guests the royalty power couple Mrs. Fay-Ann Lyons Alvarez and Mr. Antonio Alvarez aka Bunji Garlin, along side "See meh yaah..." or in dis case "See em yaahh", the very talented Benjai!!

It didn’t take long for the TJJ famz to pull up to de Kool Haus, and with the organised line, we were inside and at the bar within minutes. The bars were fully stocked and there were lots of familiar faces jammin' to de sweet soca music. 11:00pm and the party was at level pace! That's how yuh know de feelin' of summer reach ... everybody out and about! Before we knew it, Dr. Jay graced the stage to announce his highly anticipated section launch in partnership with Crave, for the 2KWine season. This year Dr. Jay has 2 sections, Pacific Paradise and Fantasy in Jewels and will be chippin down de road with the rest of the Louis Saldenah Mas-K Club masqueraders! Ah cyah waiiiit!!!!

We expected nothing less than sexiness from de Doctor and he surely delivered!

Photos By Kerra R. & Jennelle R.
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As we drifted back and forth from paradise to fantasy, we didn’t even take note of The Asylum Band warming up. But eh eh, we sticking! With anxious fetegoers slowly creepin' to the stage to secure a spot to take in the performances, we eagerly rushed the stage like a bunch of school children anticipating this huge collabo.

The power house Fay-Ann was the first to bless the stage, and we must say ... after having a beautiful baby girl just 3 months ago, she looked absolutely STUNNING!!!! Her performance definitely imitated her energy at her Fantastic Friday performance. Fay-Ann had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand ... or should we say 'the circle she created' (she jumped off stage and joined her beloved fans), while she had us under her spell moving from left to right.

Her other half, Bunji Garlin, came out and took us by storm performing “Banana” and “Plenty Gyal”. Garlin then hit us old skool style ... “Burrrnin burrnin, burrrnnin.. start de fire blazin..” then with a bad, bad freestyle ... de man is lyrcially insane!! How many times yuh gonna hear us say that?!! Well iz the TRUTH! SIMPLE! You can always count on Bunji to keep it real! And it looks like he’s rubbing off on the "Silver Surfer" because Fay-Ann was spittin’ lyrics jes like de Fire Man!!!!

After indulging the crowd in an amazing performance, they kept the flow going by introducing Benjai to stage. It was an honour to see the beautiful reunion amongst old friends. You could feel that luv the trio brought to Toronto! No word of a lie, their performance together definitely represented a “TRIPLE THREAT!” We were in ah trance, the experience was unforgettable! Ah mean, first performance in Toronto for 2kWine?! After mashing up Trinidad Carnival??!! Yuh already knew what to expect, and it didn't fall short of that!

Benjai who kept tellin us "Doh go down dey", flattened de place with his 2009 hits. Fay-Ann and Bunji joined him at one point, and they all chipped across the stage together ... it really felt like all ah dem was one famaaalay. UNITY!

The night was a night to remember, and if yuh wasn't in de Kool Haus, yuh not ready for SOCA SUMMER 2KWINE because this was de official jump off!! Dance was HOTT!!!

Respect to Jay for having a beessss fete to kick off our season of wine, and don't forget to visit www.cravemas.com or www.saldenahcarnival.com to register yuh 'Heavy-T Bumpers' with Saldenah for Caribana 2k9!

Mizz Kayz and Mama Jin on de move and singing, "Oooh lllaaaaaaawwwwwwwdddddddddd .... I hope we not tight again" --- LOL!!