Pan Times
Steve Achaiba
Steve Achaiba

First - First

Records by the late Panist, arranger and educator STEVE ACHAIBA

  1. First person to win a National Panorama both as a player and arranger

    1. 1968 - Played in Guinness Cavaliers under Lennox “Bobby” Mohammed

    2. 1975 – Leader and arranger of Maritime Life Hatters Steel orchestra

  2. In 1974 Hatters was the first band to appear on stage with canopies on the floats.  This captured the sound from the open stage.
     
  3. Largest steel orchestra to cross the “Big Yard” (Queen’s Park Savannah) with 172 players (156 pan players and 16 rhythm players) and win the National Panorama for the Southland.
     
  4. To this date, no steel orchestra from South has won the National Panorama. 2019 would make it 44 years since South won a National Panorama.
     
  5. In 1974 Hatters was the first band to arrange other pans besides the tenor pan in the frontline. (Steve Achaiba arranged double tenors and double seconds in order to hear harmonizations which created a melodious balance.  

Data sourced by When Steel Talks from Mrs. Candace Achaiba - (February 2019)

   
   Hatters won Panorama 1975 with this Steve Achaiba arrangement of Lord Kitchener's "Tribute to Spree Simon". Hatters is one of only two "South" bands to win a Panorama.

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Hatters Steel Orchestra 1975 National Panorama trophy
The National Panorama trophy that Hatters Steel Orchestra won in 1975

 


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