He is
one of the most celebrated musicians out of the Caribbean in
this era, having composed, produced and/or arranged - some of the
most respected music masterpieces that have become deeply and proudly
associated with the Caribbean. “The Hammer, “Savannah Party,” “Happy Song,” “Panama,” “Dedication,” “Play My Music,” “The Unknown Band,” “The Band Plays On,” “Jungle Fever,” “Callaloo” and “Calabash”
- all flowed from the musical pen of Pelham Goddard. Other
distinguished music works from Goddard: “Is Mas,” “Family Affair,” “Tribute to the Old,” “Mister Robbie,” “Trini Prance,” “The Plan,” “Suck Finger Baby,” “Non-stop Fete,” “The Case of Disappearing Panyards,” “Olympic Mas,” “Sunshine and You,” “Latin Soca,” “Outta Hand,” “Soca Tassa Festival,” “Winer Girl,” “The Power and the Glory,” “Jump Up,” “The Iron Band,” “Dust in Dey Face,” “Rat Race,” “Simple Thing,” “Raise Yuh Foot,” “Jump for Joy,” “Voodoo Soca Man,” “Jump Up,” “Honky Tonk Soca” and “Parade. His synthesizer solo on
what has become a global anthem for all steel orchestras - “Woman On The Bass” is just a ‘sample’ of his synth work,
Goddard being the first musician to use the synthesizer in calypso music.
In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks (WST), champion
steel orchestra panorama arranger, and prolific composer and
producer Pelham Goddard - speaks on a host of issues confronting
the steelpan music world.
Global -
As
quietly
as it
has been
kept, few
musicians
have had
the
success,
reach
and
global
impact
that
Pelham
Goddard
has
achieved
through
his
music
works
over the
years.
He is an
award-winning
producer,
arranger,
songwriter
and
performing
artist.
And yet
even
with all
his
accolades,
because
of the
need of
the
media
and
others -
through
their
own lack
of
knowledge,
and
historical and
musical
inadequacies
- Pelham
Goddard
has not
escaped
at times
being
stereotyped
and
having
his
music categorized
as
simply
"Pan
songs."
Pelham
Goddard,
like
many of
the other
great
arrangers
and
steelpan
music
icons (like
Bradley,
Rodney,
Boogsie,
Greenidge,
Smooth,
Holman
and
Jules
among
others)
who have
graced
the WST
(When
Steel
Talks) network
over the
years, is
direct,
to the
point
and
brutally
honest.
Moreover,
Pelham
like, the
others,
has
given
much
consideration
to the
subjects
he
speaks
on.
Pelham
Goddard
is a
very
intelligent,
humorous,
knowledgeable,
historically
and
culturally
grounded
and
thoughtful
person.
His meaningful
life
experiences
place
him in a
unique
position
to
impart
valuable
information,
perspectives
and
solutions
to a host
of
problems
and
issues
that
have
retarded
the
growth
of the
steelpan
music
industry
specifically,
and
Caribbean
music in
general
- both in
terms of
business,
entrepreneurial
endeavors
and
of
course
artistic
success.
In this
WST interview
Pelham
laments
the
intense
preoccupation
with the
need for
a
competitive
association
with
almost
everything
relating
to
steelpan
performances
in
Trinidad
and
Tobago. He also
thinks
composers
need to
take
time,
become
more
creative
and
avoid
the
"hustle"
mentality.
In terms
of
judging,
Pelham
explains
that
"degreed"
persons
may not
be
ideally
suited
to
adjudicating
the
music
for
Panorama
because
they may
lack the
practicality
the task
requires; on
the
other hand
he says,
Pan
players
themselves may
also not
"Pan"
out in
the
adjudication
scenario, because
of the
concerns
of bias
towards,
or for,
certain
music organizations. And
- Pelham
also
visits
the
phenomenon
of too
many
cooks in
the
"panorama
broth,"
coupled
with the lack
of
respect
for the
arranger. On the
paucity
of great
or
memorable
music
for the
carnival
scene,
Pelham
believes
the
music
and
production
are no
longer
as well
thought-out
as it
was in
the past. "It is
a
standard
that we
have to
live
with." On the
passing
of the great
Pat
Bishop -
Goddard
simply
opined:
"It is
an
irreplaceable
loss."
