Grenada's Pan Splash 2007 Jamboree

In Pictures

Grenada - This past weekend Angel Harps presented Pan Splash 2007 Jamboree featuring Grenada's top steel orchestras in concert.  Participating steel orchestras included Rainbow City All Stars, Grand Roy Pan Angels, New Dimensions, Commancheroes, River Road Pan Wizards, Angel Harps & Angel Harps Juniors, TAMCC Angels, ST.LOUIS R.C. Girls the Future Panist, and Capbank Pan Lovers!  The event was held at Tanteen Sports Complex, St. George's, GRENADA, W.I.
 

 History This Week
A brief history of the performing arts in Guyana
1956-1959 Part 1 of 2
By Lloyd Kandasammy

Guyana - The Festival, described as a national occasion included notable changes in the itinerary of cultural presentations. These included new classes of competition such as a piano class for children under 12, a family duet which featured two generations and most strikingly the inclusion of Guyanese folk music in the steel band class, to facilitate the instrumental arrangement of local compositions.

Many of the popular folksongs were often regarded as vulgar as their lyrics often referred to sexual connotations. For the purpose of this festival many of the songs were rewritten and in some cases recomposed to allow for greater clarity by Lynette Dolphin and other active members in the cultural arena in British Guiana.

For the steel bands, a test piece of 'Tanami' a Shanto song was won by 'the Texans' led by Charwin Burnham. This band introduced the song with a solo of the melody then produced the theme to harmony with varying modes of expression.'

Musician finds his rhythm: Drummer who lost dad to murder leading Head Start parade
 

Boston - Charleston Sarjeant Jr., 20, comes from a family of percussionists, and this morning thousands of Head Start children will be dancing on the Common to the lilting beat of his steel drums.

“I’m going to look back at these kids and I’m going to be saying, ‘One day they will be leading the parade,’ ” said Sarjeant, of Dorchester, who marched in the same Action for Boston Community Development Head Start parade as a 4-year-old.

A year later, when Sarjeant was just 5, his father, percussionist and Air Force veteran Charleston Sarjeant, 25, was killed by a gang of youths who stabbed and beat him to death without provocation in an Uphams Corner restaurant.

Adams takes pan to Liberta
 

Antigua - An initiative to take steel pan way into the country side has started in the Liberta community, the area represented in Parliament by Culture Minister Eleston Adams.

Residents of the Liberta community are now proud owners of the Namba’s Liberta Steel Orchestra which was officially launched last Friday.

The launch took place in a special assembly at the Liberta Junior Secondary School (LJSS).

Adams, who was in attendance, told the staff and student body that while the instruments were a donation to the school, he believes that the school and the community should be able to work together to create a top of the line orchestra.
 

 Chill with a taste of Caribbean

Boston - Get away by staying home this summer: The Caribbean is coming to Boston.

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month, and on June 3, a unique fusion of calypso, reggae, Afro-Cuban rhythms, soca and jazz music will be performed in a public concert at Wheelock College’s Family Theatre.

“It allows us to show our kids our heritage. It allows us to showcase our diverse heritage with people not from the Caribbean,” said Justin Petty, a musical director for the event who taught several children how to play the steel drum.

Adding to this ethnic montage will be a stimulating display of Caribbean artwork, poetry and writings, as well as dance performances and authentic food sampling.