Global
-
It was the
year 2000,
and many
things were
happening
for me.
I had relocated
to Oslo,
Norway in
July 2000,
on a brand
new work
assignment,
and had
just completed
my Passion
for Pan
album. I
had only
recently
started
to compose
music for
Pan is
Beautiful
and Panorama
in the late
‘90s, and
had developed
an affinity
for Skiffle
Bunch Steel
Orchestra,
after performing
as a tenor
player with
the band
in Trinidad
& Tobago’s
National
Panorama
1999 and
2000 (Andy
Narell’s
pieces “Coffee
Street”
and “Appreciation”).
Hence it
felt natural
to participate
with the
orchestra
in the World
Steelband
Festival
later that
year.
I returned
to Trinidad
in October
2000, specifically
to play
tenor with
Skiffle
Bunch, but
I had only
a week to
learn the
two pieces
“In the
Rainforest”
and “Pan
By Storm”
before the
finals.
What a monumental
effort.
I remember
learning
the pieces
from a member
in the band,
and also
from pieces
of the score
which was
being written
at the same
time. I
stood in
Pat Bishop’s
house going
over section
by section.
It was an
incredible
amount of
music to
learn in
such a short
period,
with the
band set
up just
outside
the stadium
[Jean Pierre
Complex]
practicing
every night.
I had to
sleep, eat
and dream
the music,
and “practice,
practice
practice”
but eventually
I felt comfortable
by the final
night. The
only problem
bugging
me was the
change in
weather
from cold
Norway to
Trinidad,
which had
left me
under the
weather
struggling,
with my
brain feeling
foggy at
times. I
remember
that because
I wondered
if my nose
was going
to hold
out without
running
during the
performance,
which thankfully
it did.
Panist
Mark
Loquan,
left,
with
Skiffle
Bunch
The final
night was
magical,
the players
were relaxed
before the
performance,
Len “Boogsie”
Sharpe [composer
and arranger
of ‘In the
Rainforest’]
was calm
and cool.
We walked
on to the
grounds
where the
band was
set up and
it was as
if nothing
else mattered
but the
music in
that moment.
Time was
frozen.
The crowd
was silent.
The exuberant
Ben Jackson
as conductor
guided the
players
who were
performing
as one unit
with pure
precision,
to experience
a classical
piece of
genius by
Len “Boogsie”
Sharpe.
We could
hear the
sounds of
birds, hear
the rustle
in the trees,
experience
the temperament
of the wind
blowing
through
the trees,
and feel
the life
and moods
of the rainforest
first hand
as if we
were actually
there. Then
in the finale,
just when
one thought
the song
had come
to a climatic
end, the
band stopped,
with “Boogsie”
soloing
effortlessly,
only to
have the
band join
in to bring
the performance
to a resounding
end. The
unforgettable
“Pan by
Storm”,
composed
by Ken “Professor”
Philmore
(little
did I know
that I would
find myself
composing
music with
Ken many
years later),
was arranged
by “Boogsie”,
and was
just filled
with raw
excitement
and energy
which filled
the whole
stadium.
Skiffle
Bunch
Steel
Orchestra
When the
results
were announced
that
Skiffle
Bunch had
emerged
winners
of the first
World Steelband
Festival
held in
Trinidad
in October
2000, there
was such
a feeling
of glory,
and exhilaration,
of a lot
of hard
work coming
to fruition,
of so many
things happening
to make
that moment
possible.
It is hard
to describe.
I am sure
that it
was a night
that would
be remembered
by many,
players,
adjudicators
and audience
included,
an experience
to be cherished.
This was
the only
band, I
believe,
that night
performing
solely locally
composed
pieces,
arranged
by the master
arranger,
Len “Boogsie”
Sharpe.
While a
statement
was made
that night
that Trinidad
was champion
in the Mecca
of Pan (Panch
from Switzerland
had been
winners
in the prelims),
the final
victory
belonged
to the national
instrument
and the
music, being
showcased
by the world
right in
T&T (Trinidad
& Tobago).
I am thankful
for having
been there.
View
Skiffle
Bunch’s
performance
of “In
the
Rainforest”
click to
contact
Mark
Loquan
at his
WST
profile:
http://whensteeltalks.ning.com/profile/MarkLoquan84
