​Efforts are currently being taken to have Port-of-Spain declared a Unesco City of Music.
Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez revealed this on Friday night as he spoke at Phase II Panyard for the reveal of their 2019 song selection for Panorama.
Martinez said while efforts were made years ago, he has decided to push it again.
He said he met Carla Foderingham, former Chief Executive Officer of the Film Company of Trinidad and Tobago, who told him that the process was started some time ago but stalled.
"She said Trinidad has not had a designation from Unesco as a City of Music. Jamaica got it for reggae and I went to a function in Jamaica, the Mayor of Kingston invited me and they were so proud of their designation and they were spouting it so I felt when Carla brought it up to me I said let's get it done," he said. 
Martinez said we have lost out on so many things because we have not pushed it and having that designation would be an acknowledgment of our contribution to the world. 
"We are a talented nation, full of music, full of culture. We have invented the steelband, we have invented soca, we have invented calypso, we have invented chutney, so what are we waiting on?" he asked.
He said the process for the application has begun with Foderingham spearheading the project and he is hopeful it will be completed in time for the designation to be applied before the end of 2019.
To be approved as a City of Music, the following criteria need to be met according to Wikipedia: 

• A city must be  a recognised centre of musical creation and activity
• Experienced in hosting musical festivals and events at a national or international level
• Engage in promotion of the music industry in all its forms;
• Contain music schools, conservatories, academies and higher education institutions specialised in music
• Have informal structures for music education, including amateur choirs and orchestras;
• Have domestic or international platforms dedicated to particular genres of music and/or music from other countries;
• Have cultural spaces suited for practicing and listening to music, e.g. open-air auditoriums

Souce: The Loop, January 2019

​One week before her 79th birthday, Calypso Rose will perform at Coachella, one of the world's biggest music and arts festivals. 
Rose, real name  Linda McArtha Sandy-Lewis, was among the star-studded cast announced for the 2019 festival to be held in California.
She was announced for the April 12 and 19 shows which will be headlined by Childish Gambino, Janelle Monae and Diplo, among others

Other shows will see the likes of Ariana Grande, Khalid, Solange, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, Wiz Khalifa and a slew of acts from across the world.
Commenting on her selection for Coachella on Instagram, Rose said she is so excited."
I can’t wait to sing, dance and enjoy this time with all of you," she wrote.
Calypso Rose, who was recently awarded the Grand Prize for World Music award at the Sacem Grand Prix in France, has seen a resurgence in her career since she released her album Far From Home in 2016.
She has toured throughout Europe and in 2017 won the World Album of the Year at the Victoire de la Musique, considered the French equivalent of the Grammy Awards.
In May last year, Rose released her follow up album So Calypso. 
Source:  The Loop Jan 2019

Friends, family, the musical fraternity and the country at large are mourning the passing of yet another musical icon, Dr Andrew Marcano, aka Lord Superior, fondly known by friends and family as 'Supie'.
Superior passed away on November 24, 2018 in New York, after ailing for some time.
TUCO Trinidad and Tobago issued a statement on Sunday, hailing Marcano's musical genius and passionate spirit.
"For the third time in less than a month, the calypso fraternity is plunged into mourning another calypso icon, with the death of Dr Andrew Marcano, also known in the calypso Industry as Brother Superior who passed away on Saturday 24th November 2018, after ailing for some time now."
"Supie as he was fondly called, was one of those special bards who advocated for years, that there should be more calypso played on local radio stations to the point that he laboured for over twenty years until he was afforded a radio license from the government."
"He called his station Superior Radio and was one in those days that played calypso music twenty-four hours each day," the statement said
Dr Marcano was known for always being impeccably dressed. 
"One of the bards who was always dressed to kill as we say in T&T, he will be remembered for the life of our cultural history."
"On behalf of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation, once again the President Mr Lutalo Masimba and his General Council along with the entire TUCO membership, we sincerely extend our deepest condolences to his immediate family around the world and here in T&T."
"May the soul of the late Dr Andrew Marcano aka The Brother Superior rest in peace with our calypso ancestors. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming as they are received by TUCO," the statement said. 
Friends, family, the musical fraternity and the country at large are mourning the passing of yet another musical icon, Dr Andrew Marcano, aka Lord Superior, fondly known by friends and family as 'Supie'.
Superior passed away on November 24, 2018 in New York, after ailing for some time.
TUCO Trinidad and Tobago issued a statement on Sunday, hailing Marcano's musical genius and passionate spirit.
"For the third time in less than a month, the calypso fraternity is plunged into mourning another calypso icon, with the death of Dr Andrew Marcano, also known in the calypso Industry as Brother Superior who passed away on Saturday 24th November 2018, after ailing for some time now."
"Supie as he was fondly called, was one of those special bards who advocated for years, that there should be more calypso played on local radio stations to the point that he laboured for over twenty years until he was afforded a radio license from the government."
"He called his station Superior Radio and was one in those days that played calypso music twenty-four hours each day," the statement said
Dr Marcano was known for always being impeccably dressed. 
"One of the bards who was always dressed to kill as we say in T&T, he will be remembered for the life of our cultural history."
"On behalf of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation, once again the President Mr Lutalo Masimba and his General Council along with the entire TUCO membership, we sincerely extend our deepest condolences to his immediate family around the world and here in T&T."
"May the soul of the late Dr Andrew Marcano aka The Brother Superior rest in peace with our calypso ancestors. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming as they are received by TUCO," the statement said. 
His son, Moriba Marcano, said in a social media post that the calypso icon was a visionary of his time.
"RIP Dr Andrew 'Lord Superior' Marcano, my dad just passed in NY, one of his favourite places in the world, where he was set to be a star in the 1960's before deciding to return to Trinidad in an attempt to assist the burgeoning nation in forming its cultural identity."
"He was a great man and a visionary of his time writing songs to help guide humanity in general and his people in specific. Sadly misunderstood and underappreciated, I studied the man like a text book and I only hope that his genius and goodwill will be more easily recognized in the afterlife. I loved you dad," he said.
Actor Michael Cherrie also issued his condolences:
“Remembering Andrew Marcano - Lord Superior RIP... calypso great...make new and wonderful vibrations in that new realm...my deepest condolences to you, Moriba Marcano...Godspeed Supie...”
Jazz musician Etienne Charles issued his condolences via social media:
"Dr. Andrew Marcano aka Brother Superior aka Lord Superior aka Supie. the consummate Gentleman, class act, pillar of knowledge, guiding counselor and boss calypsonian. Thanks for your friendship, musicianship and clever wit. I'll say your name forever.  my heart and condolences go out to your family and loved ones," he said. 
Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat, also acknowledged Dr Marcano's monumental contribution to local culture. 
"Dr Andrew Marcano - Rio Claro’s Lord Superior has gone. So much remains to be told- seeing the greats at Crown Theatre and the train as Rio Claro’s connection to the best artistes of the day; living with Spoiler; campaigning for local content in the airwaves and completing more than 60 years in calypso," he said. 
Dr Marcano was born in Rio Claro in 1938 and made his debut into calypso at the age of 16 singing a calypso called "Coconut" at the Victory Calypso Tent in Port of Spain. In those days he was considered to be the youngest Calypsonian to perform locally.
Some of his memorable calypsoes were, Spread Joy, San Fernando Carnival, Saga T'ing, We want a day, Standardise Pan, Cultural Assassination and Put the women on top.
He was awarded the Hummingbird medal Silver in 2015 and received his Honourary Doctor of Letters at the 2017 graduation ceremony at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad.
He was considered to be the first calypsonian to produce a record on his own record label, the first to Perform at the Madison Square Gardens, in New York, USA, and the first to produce a full-length calypso musical.
He would have celebrated his 81st birthday next month.
"Rest in peace Bro Superior. You truly did it your way," said TUCO.

Machel Montano can now add doctorate to his long list of awards.
The soca king, who has been performing for 37 years, received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
Montano said he felt great, honoured and humbled to be a recipient of the Honorary degree. 
In the presence of his close friend Anthony Chow Lin On, girlfriend Renee Butcher, Manager Che Kothari and mother Elizabeth, who graduated from the University of the West Indies last month with a Masters in Cultural Studies, Montano performed an acoustic version of 'We Not Giving Up' and 'Too Young to Soca'.
Also receiving similar honours from UTT was cultural activist, poet and playwright Pearl Eintou Springer. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.
Source: The Loop

Beverley Ramsey–Moore has been voted as the new president of Pan Trinbago.
Mrs Ramsey-Moore, current manager of Petrotrin Kat-zen-jammers Steel Orchestra, received 116 votes to beat out the other 7 candidates at the organisation’s internal elections on Sunday.
She replaces embattled incumbent Keith Diaz and has become the first woman to be in charge of the national pan body.
Ramsey-Moore contested the Pan Trinbago elections under the Team-Rebuild banner.
Mrs Ramsey Moore said her first order of business will be to review Pan Trinbago’s constitution with a particular focus on separating the powers of the executive and administrative arms of the organisation.
Former Port of Spain mayor Keron Valentine finished second with 54 votes.
Other candidates included Darren Sheppard, Keith Byer, Thecla Forde-Rodriguez, Vernon Morancie and businessmen Lawford Duprey and Robert Amar.
Source:  102FM

Less than a week af­ter say­ing a fi­nal farewell to Win­ston “Mighty Shad­ow” Bai­ley, the ca­lyp­so fra­ter­ni­ty is mourn­ing the death of an­oth­er vet­er­an ca­lyp­son­ian in Win­ston ‘The Orig­i­nal De Fos­to Him­self’ Scar­bor­ough.
Scar­bor­ough, one of this coun­try’s most pro­lif­ic ca­lyp­so com­posers and en­ter­tain­ers, suf­fered a heart at­tack this morn­ing. He was 64. He had been bat­tling heart dis­ease and was hos­pi­talised sev­er­al times in re­cent months due to the con­di­tion.
De Fos­to’s last pub­lic ap­pear­ance was at the fu­ner­al of fel­low ca­lyp­son­ian Win­ston “Mighty Shad­ow” Bai­ley on Tues­day at the Queen’s Park Sa­van­nah and had even joined oth­er mem­bers of the fra­ter­ni­ty in a mu­si­cal trib­ute at the end of the ser­vice.
De Fos­to was aban­doned as a ba­by and grew up in the Tacarigua Or­phan­age. It was there, very ear­ly on, that his mu­si­cal tal­ents were dis­cov­ered and nur­tured. Even­tu­al­ly, he learned to read and score mu­sic.
He made his pro­fes­sion­al singing début in 1976 with Chicks Come Out to Play and over the years had com­posed and per­formed many pop­u­lar ca­lyp­soes, in­clud­ing ones spe­cial­ly writ­ten for the steel­band. Four Lara Four, co-writ­ten with the late Mer­chant, was played by the 1995 Na­tion­al Panora­ma win­ner, Amo­co Rene­gades.
Oth­er Panora­ma hits writ­ten by De Fos­to in­clude Firestorm and Pan Lamen­ta­tion, which helped Trinidad All Stars win the ti­tles in 2002 and 2007, re­spec­tive­ly and Pan­do­ra and War which helped Ex­o­dus Steel Or­ches­tra score back-to-back vic­to­ries in 2003 and 2004.
De­Fos­to nev­er won the Na­tion­al Ca­lyp­so Monarch but came close on more than one oc­ca­sion. In 2000, he placed sec­ond with Pan Forever­more and One More Kitch­en­er and in 2007 with Po­lice Mon­ey. De Fos­to al­so placed third in 2010 with In A Palace State of Mind. Source:  Stabrock News

Ken “Professor” Philmore - steelpan arranger, composer and ace pannist – died at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital on Sunday.
Philmore, 58, succumbed to severe internal injuries suffered in a crash on the Republic Day holiday.
He sustained broken ribs and his lungs had collapsed, police said.
Philmore was driving his Toyotal Hilux van north along the Solomon Hochoy Highway when he picked up a skid near Claxton Bay at around 8.45am.
The vehicle flipped several times and Philmore was thrown out of the cabin.
His wife, Sophia Philmore, had called on the nation to pray for her husband.
San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello confirmed that Philmore died at around 9.30am.
Regrello said, “He was in the ICU. He suffered some internal injuries. Yes, his lungs had collapsed twice in that time and I understand he suffered a heart attack as well. His passing is a really, really big loss to the pan fraternity.”
Regrello said Philmore played with many south steelbands and made his mark in the artform.
“He represented San Fernando with pride. He was like a brother to me He had so much to offer. This is really, really sad. I want to express condolences to his family and say thank you for his contributions to the city of San Fernando,” he said.
Philmore began his steelpan career with Hatters and then moved to Fonclaire, where he settled in 1981. He also began a successful career in composing.
In 1988, he appeared with international artistes Tina Tuner and Lionel Hamptom in New York. He was honoured by Pan Trinbago as one of the most promising arrangers.
Philmore was described locally and internationally as a pannist of today and tomorrow.
Source:  Daily Express, Oct 2, 2018