A Jab Jab riddim for Xmas

There are a number of elements that make the local Christmas season special. One of them is parang music. Lovers of the genre look forward to a new sound or song that would invoke the Christmas spirit every year.

This year, there's the Christmas Jab Jab Riddim. The riddim was produced by Carl "Beaver" Henderson, with Geron Woodruffe as co-executive producer. The two are known for their collaborative work on the hit single Ganja Farmer, by reggae artist Marlon Asher.

“The riddim is 100 per cent done by live musicians, including the late great Ronnie Kalicharan. It was his last session that he ever played guitar on before he died. On the box bass and standing bass is Douglas Redon. (Pan lovers would appreciate Redon’s arranging skills.) Robin Imamshah is on guitar, Gary Subero on cuatro and Henderson on keyboards," Woodruffe said in an interview with Newsday.

"We wanted a parang project but we wanted live musicians. So we got Alicia Jaggasar, Joanne Briggs and UWI Parranderos, Ninja (Vaccine Parang), Gary Subero and Andy “Isiah” Mc Fee.

A music video with Mc Fee would be released soon, with a video for the entire riddim will be out by mid-December, he said.

Woodruffe said the riddim was geared to highlight the reality of the new norm.

Jaggasar, president of the National Parang Association, is on the riddim with her son who plays pan on their song The Love of Parang. Briggs and the UWI Parranderos perform Sweet Parang, La Parranda Dulce, which is done in Spanish. It gives that authentic Spanish parang track.

"Ninja (Reynold Joseph) came up with his Vaccine Parang concept and it was released one month ago. When the DJs heard it, they immediately added it to their playlist," Woodruffe said.

Briggs and UWI Parranderos have collaborated over the years. She said, "The song basically means sweet parang. When I come with my parang it's a sweet parang. The verse says, 'I'm playing my cuatro, marac and guitar. We are going to enjoy ourselves. We are going to dance. We are going to celebrate.' The song contains the elements you get around Christmas time when you feel the parang.

Subero's song, Oh Lawd, paid tribute to the late musical director Kalicharan. The song places the listener in the world of Santa Claus. The fictional character didn't come to visit children last year because of the pandemic and children wanted to know why. '"Santa should come this year. Don't stay back and blame covid" A humorous ditty from the ace cuatro player from Tabaquite.

Woodruffe said, "The lone Tobagonian on the riddim is Isiah with Happy Christmas Tobago. He is focusing more on family. We may not have as much money as we would like but we still have food and drinks. We can celebrate life and have a happy Christmas. He came from a more humble standpoint. Everyone is going through hardships but you can still have a happy Christmas. If you can't cook a ham, I'm sure you can cook a chicken . He gives the experience of Tobagonians and what they would do during the Christmas time.``

Woodruffe revealed that their new company, Pan Drum Entertainment, is behind the music. "Our recording booth has been sponsored by Hennessy, so we call it the Hennessy Room. The only studio in the world where you can get Hennessy for free.

"We really wanted parang musicians and artists on the riddim. The authenticity of the sound was important and hence we didn't invite soca singers. I believe we achieved what we wanted. This is our first time doing a parang riddim. One of the best since Ganja Farmer." Woodruffe ended by saying, "The nation is definitely pro-Christmas before Carnival. That is for sure."