Terry Joseph Speak - Tells it like it is!

An Exclusive Interview

Terry Joseph is one of Trinidad and Tobago's cultural resource founts. Having worn many hats, from the well-known entertainment editor at one of Trinidad and Tobago's national newspapers, to his current undertaking as producer of the recent Panyard Sensations, Mr. Joseph has practically seen and heard it all. Always, insightful, informative and thought-provoking - Terry Joseph shares his thoughts on the recently-concluded Panyard Sensations, and some critical steelpan related-issues in this When Steel Talks Exclusive interview. Click for full interview

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Clive Bradley In Video

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The Greatest Steel Orchestras On 'YouTube' Channel

The Greatest Steel Orchestras On 'YouTube' Channel When Steel Talks will feature great performances from steel orchestras all over the world on our YouTube Channel. Some have already been featured on our own web site, and now When Steel Talks looks forward to expanding the performances to the additional global audience on YouTube. New performances will be added regularly.

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New Dimension Steel Orchestra in the "Pan Classics" Performance Spotlight

Hailing from Grenada, New Dimension is one of the finest steel orchestras in the Caribbean. They are led by the charismatic, talented, respected musician and composer/arranger - David "Peck" Edwards. Equally comfortable in any genre of music, New Dimension is equally adept and at home on the panorama stage, as it is in the World Steelband music festival delivering the subtleties of a classical piece.

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Steel Pannist Andy Narell Speaks on Latest Project Tatoom - Music for Steel Orchestra

Steel Pannist Andy Narell Speaks on Latest Project Tatoom - Music for Steel Orchestra Andy Narell has been on a fascinating musical journey with the steelpan instrument for more than 4 decades. In a recent interview exclusive with When Steel Talks, Andy shares his thoughts on his latest musical offering named "tatoom" on the Heads Up International label.

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One Million Dollars (US) for New York Panorama Winner

One Million Dollars (US) for New York Panorama Winner New York - And why not? When Steel Talks has previously called for that first prize and much more for New York's pannists in competition. New York is, after all, the entertainment, media and financial capital of the world. The Big Apple always sees itself as a global artistic and cultural leader. And as quietly as it's kept, the steel orchestras of New York have been spear-heading and carrying the flame for the most vibrant, inventive, creative and socially significant music performing arts-based movement in the USA. The challenge in 2007 is for the managements of the New York steel orchestras to get their act together, and secure not only competent leadership, but also an able and progressive producer/promoter who can deliver the goods and take advantage of the vast talent the young people possess, in a time when NY is culturally and financially flourishing.

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All Female Steelpan Ensemble

A "First" in Botswana's History Botswana - Friday 23rd February, 2007 will long be remembered in the lives of 14 new students of Rainbow High School in Gaborone, Botswana. The group made history by performing before their peers in the school's weekly assembly. They did this after only six weeks - following their registering for steelpan music as an extra-curricular activity. All but two of the budding pannists had played the traditional marimbas at primary school level.

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Unheard Voices The Rise of Steelband and Calypso in the Caribbean and North America

Just Published...

The Rise of Steelband and Calypso in the Caribbean and North America

A. Myrna Nurse

Originating in the 1930s, the steelband (a.k.a. steelpan) movement began in the Caribbean, was transplanted to and grew in North America, and has transcended the boundaries of class, race, and gender. Based on a compilation of narratives from Caribbean and American members of the steelband movement, Unheard Voices: The Rise of Steelband and Calypso in the Caribbean and North America traces the history of this unique percussion invention of the twentieth century.

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The 2007 Panorama Championship Title is His - and Trinidad All Stars Arranger Leon 'Smooth' Edwards, One Day After

Trinidad - When Steel Talks spoke with a quietly delighted Leon 'Smooth' Edwards, winning arranger for the prestigious 2007 Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama Championship on the Sunday after the competition. Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra's execution of his arrangement of De Fosto's Pan Lamentation earned the orchestra the ultimate title of panorama champions - in addition to a one-million dollar (TT) prize purse, simultaneously denying the defending champions Phase II Pan Groove their much-desired hat trick.

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Hat Trick Eludes Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe

Trinidad - In the aftermath of a successful and historic Panorama finals staged for the first time ever, outside of its traditional home at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, Withfield Weekes - Chairman, Pan Trinbago, South/Central region looked back on the Saturday February 17 event with a sense of accomplishment. Working in tandem with the office of San Fernando Mayor Kenneth Ferguson, Alderman Junia Regrello, who is also the captain of Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra, and the Pan Trinbago executive headed by Patrick Arnold, who were all responsible for the 'infrastructural' arrangements, Weekes and his crew took charge of the timely arrival of participating bands and the efficient transition from band to band throughout the evening at Skinner Park in San Fernando.

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Withfield Weekes, Chairman, Pan Trinbago South/Central

Trinidad - In the aftermath of a successful and historic Panorama finals staged for the first time ever, outside of its traditional home at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, Withfield Weekes - Chairman, Pan Trinbago, South/Central region looked back on the Saturday February 17 event with a sense of accomplishment. Working in tandem with the office of San Fernando Mayor Kenneth Ferguson, Alderman Junia Regrello, who is also the captain of Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra, and the Pan Trinbago executive headed by Patrick Arnold, who were all responsible for the 'infrastructural' arrangements, Weekes and his crew took charge of the timely arrival of participating bands and the efficient transition from band to band throughout the evening at Skinner Park in San Fernando.

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Technology and Panorama 2007 - Jamar Technologies Star

Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Panorama 2007 Trinidad - It has only been a few years since When Steel Talks jolted the media fraternity and people around the globe when we utilized the latest technologies to publish the panorama finals scores for the world, with accompanying pictures and full stories - before many of the panorama attendees had even begun to leave the Savannah. We even took the then-veteran Trinidadian entertainment editor Terry Joseph by utter surprise, and he remarked in one of his columns 'how shocked he was after getting home from the Savannah' to find full coverage, with audio clips, pictures and articles awaiting him on the internet. That simple move changed the concept of time in which the world has become accustomed to having the results available after the panorama competition. Of course, now wireless internet access is commonplace even at the Savannah, and we were occasionally able to publish live from the event a couple of years later.

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Trinidad All Stars

Trinidad All Stars Win 2007 Panorama Title Sound Specialists of Laventille Crowned Medium Champs First Ever in South - One Million TT First Prize Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Panorama 2007 Trinidad - Trinidad All Stars captures steelpan music's most prestigious title / Champions of the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama Large band category In a hotly contested contest, Trinidad All Stars bested defending champions Phase II Pan Groove by two points - 288.5 to the latter's 286.5. The 2007 panorama champs played De Fosto's Pan Lamentation as their tune of choice, while Phase II used their arranger Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe's original composition Sharing Licks. This event was historic on many levels; it was the first panorama held outside of the traditional venue of Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of -Spain - Skinner Park in San Fernando, south Trinidad. Additionally, the first prize payout was one million TT (USD 159K) to the winning band. Total prize monies for the 2007 Panorama season will be in the millions of dollars tt when all summed up. In the medium category, Sound Specialists of Laventille came from behind to secure that division's first place position with a score of 279. Favored Tobago-based band Dixieland who led the pack going into the finals, had to be satisfied with, what had to be for them, a disappointing fourth place. Defending champions Sforzata were prevented from scoring a hat trick with a 2007 win, and finished in third place overall.

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Who is Ralph Ramsey?

Who is Ralph Ramsey? And why is this entrepreneur so important to Steelpan and Caribbean music?

New York - Who is Ralph Ramsey? And why is he one of the most important young figures in today's entertainment world - as it relates in particular to the promotion of live steelpan music performances? This young entrepreneur, in a relatively short time has found a niche within the entertainment industry and is intellectually and brilliantly strategizing and fueling his own engine. He is simultaneously creating the highway or route for that vehicle, by tapping into the global rising phenomenon/interest in the steelpan music and instrument.

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BP Renegades Awards Ceremony and Dinner

Address by Michael Joseph, PRO, Pan Trinbago

Trinidad - Mr. Chairman, honored guests, leaders and members of the BP Renegades Steel Orchestra, other members of the Steelpan fraternity, friends and supporters. The pleasure is mine this evening, to bring fraternal greetings to each and every one gathered here on behalf of the President of Pan Trinbago Mr. Patrick Arnold, who had asked that I express his regrets at not being here with you, matters beyond his control.

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The Caribbean Steel International Orchestra performs at EMMAS Festival in Olbia, Sardinia

The Caribbean Steel International Orchestra performs at EMMAS Festival in Olbia, Sardinia

Sardinia, Italy - The Caribbean Steel International Orchestra was invited to perform at the Ethnic Meeting of Music and Arts (EMMAS) in Olbia, Sardinia during the weekend of the 29th- 31st December 2006. Olbia is situated in northeastern Sardinia and means a "happy town" (città felice). In the 60's, Olbia underwent a real demographical boom and extensive tourism development of the area. Nowadays, the city's population is over 50,000 and extends over a surface bigger than the city of Sassari - the capital of province. This expansion has been achieved thanks partially to Olbia's harbour, which has become the most important port for passengers in Italy, and partially because of its international airport. Olbia is not only a destination for vacationers passing through the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast); it has become a true tourist location able to satisfy even the needs of the most demanding.

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2007 Trinidad & Tobago Panorama Finals To Be Held In Southern Trinidad

~ Destination San Fernando ~ 2007 Trinidad & Tobago Panorama Finals To Be Held In Southern Trinidad

Michael Leroi Joseph of Pan Trinbago Speaks

Trinidad - The positions being stated by certain steelband leaders about the Panorama Finals being held in Skinner’s park in San Fernando do not surprise me one bit. Being around the movement as long as I have and listening to some of the leaders talk in public and in private, I knew that steelbandsmen were still in a dogfight and it will take us some time to rise to the occasion. What is this occasion? Steelbands have become big business all over the world except in T&T. Today people are leaving universities and joining the steel pan industry, making it their career. But here in the land of its birth we fighting year after year over a competition that is taking us nowhere. It’s a dead end situation.

It is time we look rationally at the real position in which we find ourselves. How many bands really benefit from Panorama? After six to eight weeks of sacrifice the majority of steelbands end up down-spirited and dejected in their panyards long before Ash Wednesday.

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