Dominion Status

So, this past weekend, besides baking in the sun and hiking around Runyon Canyon, I happened to visit Huntington Beach for a little pool/beach/house party. I'm so glad I went. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen each other for a while and so it was nice to talk about boys (yes, that's mostly what we talk about) together again.

After realizing that we couldn't swim because the sea wasn't very warm, and couldn't really tan (not that I really needed to), because the breeze was quite strong, we decided to go to another friend's house to sit for a while in the jacuzzi and then head on to the main 'house' party.

I must admit growing up in Trinidad & Tobago, living in sunshine 24/7 and living 5 minutes from the beach, I didn't worry too much about fashion. This posed as a slight problem that weekend though, because I just wore my swimsuit, shorts and a t-shirt, with no-make up and a pair of beat-up slippers. Much to my dismay, every one there were the next Lindsay Lohans and Paris' Hiltons. Loads of make-up, enormous bags, heels and boots....yes BOOTS! The girls were wearing boots in a beach-town. My friend told me ... "This is the OC Jair..." which means, this is 'Orange County'. Ahh yess...even though I didn't watch the reality television programs, I knew she was speaking about people from 'Laguna Beach' and 'The Hills'.

I was slowly deteriorating in the middle of the party. I felt fine, but people were looking at me and judging me, I could feel it. Then I heard some music. I thought, my, they even have a live band, wonderful! I stepped outside and all my thoughts slipped away. I had stepped into the world of Dominion Status!

Dominion Status lead by Dereck Blackman is a band here in South California that play lovely and unique music. They were from Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica! Immediately I felt as though I was home. I closed my eyes and swayed to the music -- it was just me and them. The excitement didn't end there. The band leader, Dereck Blackman came up to me and began conversing with me. He was also from Trinidad & Tobago, and knew some of the same people I knew too. His brother was one of my favourite artists/singers Isaac Blackman who sang 'Jumping up to the Ceiling' and his father was a Trinbagonian icon named 'Ras-Shorti-I'.

I was so honored to speak with him and find out these tremendous things, that I couldn't wipe the smile from off my face. He gave me 2 of his CD's and his business cards and said to keep in touch. I earnestly wanted him to sign them, but my friends and I decided to leave early and then we never came back.

I've been listening to 'The Blame Game' non-stop since I've gotten it, and to me it sounds like a cross between 'Seal' and 'Lenny Kravitz'...still with a Caribbean flair/flavour. Very enjoyable indeed. The lyrics sung by Dereck Blackman are all positive and inspiring and the music makes you want to dance or sing along.

I would certainly recommend checking out music from this band: Dominion Status.

This certainly shows the range, the talent and the uniqueness of what the Caribbean, and Trinidad & Tobago has to offer :) My favourites are: 'The Blame Game', 'Forgive' & 'Everything'.