The four member Antiguan band, El A Kru was recently in Trinidad to promote their 2006 album, Antigua Nice.
Lead vocal singers Tanzania ..Tizzy.. Sebastian and Lincoln ..Blade.. Stanislaus strike a pose at the Guardian on November 10. Photo Wendy Ann Duncan
The sensational Tanzania ..Tizzy.. Sebastian, lead vocalist of El-A-Kru.
Wednesday 15th November,
BY AVALENE HARRIS OF THE TRINIDAD GUARDIAN
Antiguan soca band El-A-Kru wants to highlight the cultural essence of their island and its people with their 2006 CD, entitled Antigua Nice.
The band which made a short visit to Trinidad on November 6, to promote the album, termed it a ..successful venture...
Front-line singer Tanzania Sebastian, who goes by the stage name Tizzy, said the album..Antigua Nice..was a ..melodic masterpiece.. which showcased their commitment to musical excellence. She said since coming to Trinidad to promote the album, they had received tremendous airplay and also television interviews.
..People were calling in on the radio stations and saying that they were feeling the music and congratulated us,.. Sebastian said during an interview at the Guardian on November 10.
The band also made a debut performance at 51 degrees Lounge in Port-of-Spain on November 9.
Sebastian, who lives in Green Bay, English Habour, Antigua, has been with the band for the past seven years.
..I started doing back-up vocals with the band in 1999, that year the band came to Trinidad and that was an experience,
..We virtually took Trinidad by storm,.. she said, in a burst of laughter.
The band which has been in existence for the past 16 years has produced 15 albums.
The band also consists of two other members; Rohan ..Sylky.. Hector and Glen ..Roy Zamba.. Richards.
Sebastian added that 1999 was the first year that an Antiguan band had ever performed at the International Soca Monarch competition in Trinidad.
Many moods in the music
Sebastian said that the nine-track CD has a remix of the rendition Maria , which was from the band..s 2005 album, entitled Changes.
The album begins with the title track, Antigua Nice, which is a tribute to ..our little island in the sun,.. Sebastian said.
Following that track is Salute, a song which was written by Trinidadian singer/songwriter Nadia Batson and sung by Lincoln ..Blade.. Stanislaus.
Stanislaus, who is also a front line singer, said the song was dedicated to all Caribbean women.
Expose, another song written by Batson, is also sung by Sebastian.
A peace message is also in the music, as the band swings into a unity song, entitled More Love. The song tells of spreading the love around.
Stanislaus, who has been singing with the band for the past five years, said he first shot into the spotlight when he entered a song festival in Cuba.
He then went on to singing jazz with the Dorsett Group.
Stanislaus, who lives in Hatton, Antigua, said although they were not known to the audience which packed the 51 degrees Lounge, he felt a sense of appreciation.
..It is different from being at home,.. he said during the interview last week.
..We are not like Machel, Destra or Bunji, but the people were just taking in the music and loving it.
..After our performance they came up to us and complimented us,.. Sebastian interjected. Recalling his first experience in Trinidad for Carnival 2001, Stanislaus said the band received a lot of energy from the people when they performed at the Caribbean Brass Festival and Customs Boys fete.
They also played on the road for Carnival Monday and Tuesday with mas band Funtasia.
..It was a really nice experience,.. he said, in a burst of laughter.
The band which worked out of Ross Advertising did their recording at Junior ..Ibo.. Joseph..s studio in San Fernando. Sebastian, who collaborated with local sensation Bunji Garlin in 2004 with their song Doctor was happy to announce that for Antigua Carnival, which was held in August, she was among the finalists of the Party Monarch 2006 with her soca hit single Expose.
She was also the second runner-up for the Road March contender with Expose (remix).
..That was something else, people were crazy.
..They lighted up the place,.. she said still basking in the afterglow.
Interested persons could log on to the band..s Web site www. El-A- Kru.com for more information on the album.