Pan Explosion

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 24 Sep 2009 22:56
Pan Explosion
 
We heard over the cruisers channel of an event called The Pan Explosion. Transport organised by Jessie's Maxi Taxi's, we were met at Peakes Gate by Derek and taken with a group of fellow yachties to the home ground of the Neal and Massey All Stars Pan Band. 
 
 
   
 
Derek our driver, some of the boys and Phil of Biothic taking in the atmosphere
 
The Master of Ceremonies was Mr Eric Taylor aka The Pink Panther and the opening was the National Anthem played by a young pannist called Keisha Codrington. The welcome address was from Hon. Marlene McDonald, Member of Parliament for Port of Spain South and Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs. We are led to believe her business card follows behind in a small truck.
 
 
 
 
 
That all done the opening performance was from a feisty little thing called Ms Kizzy Ruiz whose voice was far greater than her size. The sound engineers were waiting quietly and the Renegades set up shop.
 
 
 
 
 
The Tokyo Steel Band of the nearby St James were our first pan band. Really good.
 
 
 
 
Special guests were the contenders for the title Miss Trinidad and Tobago. The winner going on to the Miss World finals, good luck to them all, each tall willowy and beautiful, not that I'm bitter.
 
 
 
 
Derek had told us we were sitting geographically at the intersection of four armed gangs and we were stay put. No need to be asked twice. In fact after we left we found out a shooting had resulted in a fatality just across the road a few minutes before the event had begun. Needless to say armed police had a couple of turns around the good natured crowd "just to show presence". I just hoped he had his safety on on such a big weapon ??? Well that said it was time for us to enjoy the music and me to take pictures of interesting looking people.
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
The wall art of the yard and my favourite lady.
 
Food was laid on - some free - some for a small cost. We had some sweetcorn soup with a cheeky little kick. So much so I lost the feeling in my bottom lip for a couple of hours. During the evening we heard BP-TT Renegades (we saw them at the dress rehearsal for Emancipation Day) also WITCO Desperadoes, who once again played 'Love is a many splendid thing'. The National Steel Symphony Orchestra that so much money has been poured into. These bright young things all have to read music. They had no microphone system and to be honest we couldn't hear them very well and classical music seemed out of place with the rest of the evening. The bar made us laugh. It was brick built, thick doored, heavily locked, iron-barred, no nonsense and served through a gap in the railings. We chatted to some locals and had a thoroughly good night.
 
 
The Renegades were fantastic
 

Panorama 2009. The winning band “Silver Stars” is one of the oldest bands in Trinidad, and gladly claimed their first Panorama Victory 2009 performing “First in Line “. Len Boogies Sharp’s Band “Phase II Pan Grove” placed 2nd with Magic Drum, and Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars, placed 3rd, with Leon Smooth’s arrangement of “Pan Rivalry” Robert Greenidge’s arrangement of Pan Redemption place Desperadoes 4th.

Last up was the home band. I can honestly say we were surprised to hear them play 'the green, green grass of home' - not sure what Tom would make of it but certainly different.

 

 

The rich and colourful history of the steelband movement in Trinidad and Tobago is interwoven with the Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars. Developed between the First & Second World Wars, the steelband was born of an innate and explosive creativity. The band’s roots go deep and its turbulent early beginnings and explosive creativity is the hallmark of steelband music today. “Hell Yard Boys” was the name they gave themselves back in 1935. Hell Yard was a poor area on the banks of the East Dry River in Port of Spain. The movement away from “tamboo-bamboo” to pan had only just begun. This name changed several times – to “Second Fiddle”, then to “Cross of Lorraine”, and finally “All Stars”, chosen because of the perceived superior ability of the players. Soon after the war, “Trinidad” was added. In 1982 the contributions of Trinidad All Stars to the steelband movement were recognised by the Government of Trinidad & Tobago with the presentation of a national award – the Humming Bird Medal (Gold). Four years later, the band was again honoured with an award from the Port of Spain City Council. One of the many achievements of the band was its pioneering of classical music on the road, played to the rhythm of calypso. This highlighted the capacity of the steelpan to go beyond the previously self-imposed musical bounds of calypso or boleros. Trinidad All Stars was the first band to play the pan with two sticks. For the first time, both the melody and the harmony could be heard played together. The band made the first “Quatro Pans” later called the grundig and the guitar pans. A former captain of Trinidad All Stars, Neville Jules, also had the privilege of making the first bass pan.
Our accomplished musicians have maintained a standard of excellence through their innovative mastery of the instruments. They have secured first place victories in the biennial Music Festival on six occasions, have won the National Panorama five times, the Bomb Competition on countless occasions and successfully held nine Classical Jewels concerts. The members of Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra have carried the vibrant culture of Trinidad & Tobago around the world: Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, China, France, Ghana, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Scotland, St. Maarten, the United Kingdom and the United States. In 1986 Trinidad All Stars visited England as part of the Caribbean Focus Tour.

 

ALL IN ALL FANTASTIC