Soca star Darryl “Farmer Nappy” Henry officially launched his new album Big People Party to a full-capacity crowd at legendary New York City concert venue Sounds Of Brazil (S.O.B.’s), on April 13, 2014. His third, full-length studio effort Big People Party was released worldwide in stores and online onFebruary 25, 2014 from FOX FUSE, but since it was in the midst ofTrinidad’s Carnival season, Farmer was only now able to journey to the media capital of the world, New York City, to promote his new album to media and fans there. Presenting a soca showcase and a free event at that, Farmerbreaks new ground for soca music and the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, as he takes full aim at exposing soca to the masses and capturing his spot in the limelight, in the North American market.
“I am extremely grateful for all the support you have shown me over the years and I thank you very much for coming out to support me and my album tonight,” Farmer Nappy told the S.O.B.’s crowd. He was backed by a stellar session band that includes some of the top producers in soca music, including Scott Galt of De Red Boyz on guitar, Shawn “Mr. Roots” Mitchell of WIZ Records on bass, Darien Bailey of Studio B on keyboard and Melvin Alick on drums.
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| Photograph by Rhona Fox |
The live-band performance brought down the house as fans followed
Farmerword-for-word through his hit-filled catalog, which spans 30 years and counting. He ran through the gamut of tunes, from his breakout hit
“Chippin’,” to
crowd favorites such as
“Surrender,” “You Make Me,” “Minglin’,” “Stranger,” “Flirt,” to classics like
“Music Farm” from his
Xtatik days, then concluded the hour-long set with his current blockbuster
“Big People Party,” which placed second in
Road March and third in the
International Groovy Soca Monarch at this year’s
Trinidad Carnival.
Farmer was also joined on-stage by dancehall icon
Lady G, for an impromptu rendition of their collaboration
“Surrender Remix,” much to the crowd’s delight.
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| Photograph by Kordel Fermin |
A concept event for soca music, this album launch was completely free as it provided the opportunity for
Farmer Nappy to give back to his longtime fans, and to also expose and market his music to the mainstream audience. It was hosted by Toronto-based radio personality and soca aficionado
Dr. Jay, while music was provided by the international alliance of soca deejays known as
Team Soca, with deejay sets from
Freeze International, D Soca Boyz, Spoil Brattz and anchored by
DJ Spice of NYC’s Power105.1 FM. The showcase concluded with an album signing session and meet and greet with fans.
Farmer Nappy merchandise was on sale all night long, including various t-shirts, albums, wrist bands and posters. In addition to soca and Caribbean press, mainstream media houses also attended the showcase, including journalists from
Billboard Magazine,
The FADER Magazine and
LargeUp.com. Video coverage was provided soca promoter,
JuliansPromos.
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| Photograph by Kordel Fermin |
Farmer Nappy was busy making the promotional rounds while here in New York City. He was interviewed on
Wee Radio 87.7FM by
Ian “The Goose”Eligon, on
Irie Jam Radio 93.5FM by
DJ Roy, on
Randy’s Reggae Radioby
The Bajan King, on
TeamSoca.com by
DJ Spice, and on several local soca radio stations across Brooklyn, which have the ears of soca fans on the streets of New York. He now takes off on a packed touring schedule, which will bring him to audiences all across the Caribbean and the world in months to come, as he continues his mission of bringing soca music to the worldwide massive.
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| Photographs by Kordel Fermin |
