Web Posted - Sunday May 23, 2010
When Steel Talks

Global - 2005 was a tremendous year for steelpan panorama music in New York. Some of the most memorable music arrangements and performances in the history of pan were delivered that year.

Fortunately many of the performances were captured by Basement Recordings that year and is available on DVD and CD (you owe it to yourself to get a copy). Basement Recordings is simply the best in the business of capturing live steelpan music. Their recordings sound even better with time.

Pelham Goddard is one of the true greats of the Caribbean music. In this arrangement of Dead or Alive Goddard again distinguishes himself as on of the all time masters of steelband panorama arrangements.
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Web Posted -Sunday May 23, 2010
Trinidad Express

Trinidad, W.I. -Local artistes will become multi-millionaires under a United National Congress (UNC) government as Kamla Persad-Bissessar pledged yesterday that were she to become prime minister, the first prize for major competitions such as Soca Monarch, Chutney Monarch and Panorama will be increased to $2 million.

....’Today, I pledge to you as well that all the competitions which showcase the talent of our land, whether it be the Chutney Monarch, the Soca Monarch, the Panorama finals, in all these competitions...I pledge to you today, that in true equality and justice, that the first prize for all these competitions will be $2 million for every one of those competitions, and that is how we will rise together; every creed and race, we will rise!’ said Persad-Bissessar as the crowd cheered wildly.
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Web Posted -Sunday May 23, 2010
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday

Trinidad, W.I. - The pan and the paint brush express the mood and the movement of music. Astar Bishop is a musician and artist who mixes his love for both art forms and uses distinctive brush strokes to capture music and art on canvas.

Bishop, 29, is an art teacher at his alma mater Queen’s Royal College (QRC). It was in the walls of the art room, that Bishop was first introduced to the masterful works of Claude Monet.
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Web Posted - Saturday May 22, 2010
Stabroek News

Guyana, S.A. - Nine years ago Paul Cottom was a 31-year-old who was in the prime of his life with great plans to make life better for his family, including his young daughter, and to make his dream come through he worked two jobs.

But his life has taken a drastic turn because he went blind, and he is still struggling to come to terms with the fact that his eyesight is no more.

....For 33-year-old Robert Weekes the situation has been a bit different because he is not totally blind and can see to move around.

He was born that way, he said, and from an early age he knew life would have been difficult for him and so he decided to hold on to music because of his love for the steel pan.

“I have talent when it comes to steel pan and with that and my public assistance I make do,” the man who is also physically challenged said.

....His music career began at the St Rose’s Unit for the Blind and later he joined the Multilateral School steel pan band and played in six national competitions. When the National Steel Orchestra was formed in 2008 following CARIFESTA, Weekes became a member and today he is the leader of the bass section.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 20, 2010
NorwichBulletin.com

Connecticut, USA - The Griswold High School Steel Drum Band will roll into town Saturday for a free community concert.

Resident Joanne Brustolon said she and her husband, Gene, organized the free show as a way to bring some music into town.

“We thought this would be a good way to get everybody together for a free night,” she said.

After seeing the steel band perform in Norwich last year, Brustolon contacted the band’s director, Kevin Kinsall, and asked if they would be willing to perform in Canterbury.
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Web Posted - Friday May 21, 2010
MusicInTheMessage.Blogspot.com

Ontario, Canada - CaneFire couldn’t have come up with more perfect cover to capture the essence of its brand new disc.

Pandemonium, which also hints at the album’s explosive contents, features the shadow of a guy jumping while going to town on the steelpan.

Caribbean-flavoured Latin jazz – or is it Latin-flavoured Caribbean jazz? – is what the septet specialize in and they do it with fire and versatility. The group’s sound encompasses Cuban, Puerto Rican, French-Caribbean and Trinidadian styles and, on this record, Brazilian and Venezuelan sounds, too. But, it never sounds clinical or messy.

....Ledbetter says the “pan” in Pandemonium refers to the steelpan, the lead instrument and the key to CaneFire’s sound.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 20, 2010
GrenadaBroadcast.com

St. George’s, Grenada, W.I. - The chairman of the Grenada Carnival Committee (GCC) has said that he is committed to ensuring that the national steelbands’ competition, Panorama, is held as part of the 2010 carnival that will be officially launched on June 12.

Colin Dowe gave the assurance Wednesday after the Grenada Steelbands’ Association (GSA) issued a statement announcing that members had decided to “abstain from participating in the 2010 National Panorama Championship’’ because of an “ongoing impasse’’ with the GCC.

One of the central complaints of GSA was non-payment of outstanding prize monies of some EC$150,000 owing for such things as the 2009 Junior and Senior Panorama competitions, and for a steelbands’ “Bomb Tune Competition’’ of last year.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 20, 2010
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday

Trinidad and Tobago - TT has been given patent approval for the G-pan and this is expected to reap benefits for the country as inventor. This was disclosed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning during the PNM’s political meeting at the Diamond Vale Co-operative, Wendy Fitzwilliam Boulevard, Diego Martin on Tuesday

Manning revealed that a day earlier, he had received correspondence from lawyers retained by Government that the application for patent in the US was successful.

“The patent from the US for the G-pan will be issued to the Government and people of the Republic of TT very shortly,” Manning announced to cheers from the crowd of supporters.
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Web Posted -- Wednesday May 19, 2010
KlassicGrenada.com

Grenada, W.I. - Our news desk contacted a senior official of the Grenada Carnival Committee who said that since the Steelband Association did not apprise them of its decision and the statement was not sent to them, they could not offer a comment.

Government had approved a financial bailout package for the Carnival committee which amounted to nearly 500 thousand dollars. The funds were intended to help the committee meet its commitments to various stakeholders including the Steelband Association.

....However, President of the Association, Michael “Blaze” Robertson says the organization remains resolute on the matter since the Carnival committee was given a ultimatum since February.
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Web Posted - Wednesday May 19, 2010
When Steel Talks

Global - Charlie (Charles J. Getz, Chief Storekeeper) was supply officer for the US Navy on Trinidad during WWII. Here is his contribution to the steelpan movement as told by his daughter Ann Zimmerman.

I once attended an Andy Narell concert in California where he thanked the US Navy for steel drums, but I was too shy to come back stage and tell him this family story. Too bad--at that time Charlie was still alive and could have given an oral history. Charlie loved steel drum music all his life.
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Web Posted - Wednesday May 19, 2010
When Steel Talks

Grenada - The Grenada steel band association wishes to inform the general public that due to its ongoing impasse with the Grenada Carnival Committee (G.C.C.), a decision has been taken by its membership to abstain from participating in the 2010 national panorama championship.

This decision, though regrettable, has become necessary to demonstrate the Association’s displeasure with the handling of matters related to the Steel Band movement, and in particular Carnival 2009.
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Web Posted - Tuesday May 18, 2010
When Steel Talks

Brooklyn, New York - He is one of the best and most trusted cultural journalists in the world today. For years - panist, editor, journalist and director Dalton Narine has been the 'Walter Cronkite' of cultural affairs - particularly in Trinidad and Tobago's mas and steelpan worlds.

In this exclusive interview with When Steel Talks when he was in New York recently, Dalton allows us to get a glimpse into the makeup of the man whose writings and all-round professionalism have chronicled and impacted so many throughout the years.
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Web Posted - Tuesday May 18, 2010
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago - Adjudication in the four ‘regions’ for 2010’s Pan in the 21st Century is complete, with the 2009 winners Skiffle Bunch making it back among the finalists for another year of competition. The orchestra joins eleven others in this year’s finals.

Coming out of the preliminaries, the orchestra scored a total of 260, twelve points behind the leading band in this phase - Sforzata - to take fourth place. Capturing second spot in this round is Silver Stars (above) with 265 points, while Exodus amassed 263 for the third spot.
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Web Posted -Tuesday May 18, 2010
BlackCatholicChicago.org

Illinois, USA - St. Anselm Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois looks forward to welcoming Antigua’s Holy Family Cathedral Steel Orchestra for a concert performance this August.

With Archbishop Reece’s vision, the Holy Family Cathedral Steel Orchestra was established in September 1995 with a small group of six (6) players and Mr. Bernard Duplessis being its arranger.

....Sometimes up to thirty-members strong, the band has also produced two (2) Albums; the first entitled ‘Give Thanks’ with various sacred songs produced in 2003 and the other entitled ‘Christmas Melodies’ produced in 2009 with popular Christmas Carols done in varying genres of music.
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Web Posted - Monday May 17, 2010
When Steel Talks

San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - For Mother’s Day 2010, hundreds of mothers, grandmothers and their partners turned out to an Evening of Excellence at Skiffle Bunch Pan Theatre, Coffee Street, San Fernando in Trinidad and Tobago.

The event was dubbed ‘A Tribute to Mother’ and included performances by the host steel orchestra - Skiffle Bunch - as well as guests Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars and Witco Desperadoes.
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Web Posted - Friday May 14, 2010
When Steel Talks

St. John’s, Antigua - As I got to my seat on Sunday evening, 9th May, at the Multipurpose Centre at Perry Bay, I could feel the excitement in the air. The room was filling up with fellow pan lovers in eager anticipation of the evening’s performances hosted by Panache specially for Mother’s Day.

After the National Anthem on pan, the Master of Ceremonies for the evening was introduced, and comedian Trinidadian Errol Fabien appeared.  As soon as he opened his mouth I knew we were in for a treat - again!
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Web Posted -Thursday May 13, 2010
SVG Today

St. Vincent, W.I. - On Tuesday at the National Lotteries Authority’s (NLA) offices located in Paul’s Avenue, Public Relations Officer at the NLA Anthony Dennie handed over a cheque for EC$40,000 to Treasurer of the NLA Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra Keisha Johnson.

Dennie said that the NLA is happy to be associated with the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra- the 2009 National senior and junior Panorama Champions.

Dennie said EC$35,000 of the sum will be used to purchase and ship new steel pans while EC$5,000 will be used to train youngsters who will participate in the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra’s Summer Programme.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 13, 2010
The State

South Carolina, USA - Can’t get to the islands this summer?

At the very least, you can let the sounds of the islands come to you at the Palmetto Panorama Steel Band Festival from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Finlay Park.

....Seven school steel bands will perform. The schools represented include Blythewood High School, Conder Elementary and Eau Claire High School, among others. After the students perform, there will be a mixed group performance featuring students and professionals, including members of J’Ouvert Steel Band.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 13, 2010
Specialist Newsroom

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Steelpan lovers are in for a treat this weekend as NAPA Fest resumes with a concert production entitled: “Genesis in Steel” with the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO) lead by renowned and well respected Jessel Murray. The concert which will be held at NAPA, comprises a packed programme, and will feature, among other things, the revolutionary ‘G’ Pan.

Other acts will include Classical Orchestras, the UWI Arts Chorale, Lletesha Sylvester, Kizzy Ruiz and other popular guest artistes, Latin and Calypso Orchestras with traditional folk music from David Ruddder, Sparrow, the late Aldwyn Roberts and Jit Samaroo. Showtime is at 7:30 pm on Saturday May 15th and 6:30 pm on May 16th.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 13, 2010
Trinidad Guardian

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - On the day when mothers around the world were honoured for their contributions to life and well-being, the TCL Group Skiffle Bunch group held its own appreciation ceremony for the moms of the nation.  Entitled A Tribute To Mom, the annual event, which was held at Skiffle Bunch’s Coffee Street, San Fernando panyard, featured the talents of its own orchestra, as well as the Trinidad All Stars and the Witco Desperadoes.
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Web Posted - Wednesday May 12, 2010
Sun Times

Florida - Some students at Tommie Barfield Elementary School took a musical trip to the Caribbean islands on Tuesday afternoon.

They were transported via the music, singing voice and words of Marco Island musician JRobert, who visited two of Lisa Braren’s music classes with his tenor steel drum in tow.

JRobert is the the nom de plume of Marco Island resident J. Robert Houghtaling, whose wife, Debra Houghtaling, is a librarian at the school.
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Web Posted -Monday May 10, 2010
KTNA 88.9 FM

Alaska, USA - Last month, the Su Valley High School Steel Drum band received top honors at the regional competition in Valdez. The band, over the past 3 years has faced fire, lack of places to practice and a coach that went on maternity leave. They competed against over 725 students from across the state this weekend and turned in a stunning performance, not only receiving a superior rating, but played in the coveted finale of the command performance on Saturday. 
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Web Posted - Monday May 10, 2010
IndependentMail.com

South Carolina, USA -  Clemson University's performing arts department is again offering the popular steel drums workshops this spring. People interested in learning more about the instrument can register now for the hands-on workshops, which will be at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 29.

Participants will learn basic pan techniques and about steel drum construction and history. They also will have the chance to view performances by some of the world’s best players. “Over the years, this workshop has grown in popularity,” said Paul Buyer, Clemson's director of percussion and workshop leader. “This is an interactive chance to learn about one of the world’s newest instruments.”
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Web Posted - Sunday May 9, 2010
When Steel Talks

Global -  Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers all over the world. Be assured you are appreciated.
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Web Posted - Sunday May 9, 2010
When Steel Talks

Global - The Trinidad and Tobago Chinese Steel Ensemble (TTCSE) has been hard at work polishing up their already noteworthy repertoire and presentation for an upcoming tour to the Republic of Ireland later this month.

On May 15, the steel orchestra will participate in the Dublin Summerfest at St. Stephen’s Green from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. This was arranged through the kind courtesy of Trinidad and Tobago’s Consul to Ireland, Brian K. O’Farrell.
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Web Posted - Saturday May 8, 2010
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Adjudication for 2010’s Pan in the 21st Century begins Wednesday 12 May in Tobago with Our Boys and Katzenjammers Steel Orchestras. Katzenjammers were champions back in 2008 when they triumphed with their performance of Edwin Pouchet’s arrangement of When You Tell Me That You Love Me. Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra from south Trinidad is the defending champ, while Katzenjammers were third with another Edwin Pouchet arrangement, that time around of To Love You More.
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Web Posted - Friday May 7, 2010
HomeTownLife.com

Michigan, USA - At age 89, Holly Smith is learning what great fun banging on drums can be.  And she has plenty of company.

Smith is one of 14 members of the Independence Village Steel Drum and Rhythm Band, which has been meeting for class on Fridays for the past several weeks at the White Lake retirement community where she lives.

“I enjoy it. It’s fun — but I don’t know if I’m hitting the right notes,” Smith said, laughing.

Teaching the class is Chaz Russell, his wife, son and two daughters who make up the Gratitude Steel Band, based in Sylvan Lake.
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Web Posted - Friday May 7, 2010
Tobago News

Tobago, W.I. - The leadership of the Our Boys Steel Orchestra has responded to suggestions by Steel Xplosion steelband manager that he was shocked when he got the news that Our Boys and Katzenjammers was selected to participate in the recent Tobago Jazz Experience.

Katzenjammers and Our Boys are the two biggest established steelbands in Tobago. Katzenjammers was the two-time national champions in the Pan In The 21st Century competition while Our Boys was five-time Tobago Panorama champions and a former national junior panorama champions.
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Web Posted - Friday May 7, 2010
The Euro Weekly News

Spain - Poco Loco Calpe are hosting a few days of Caribbean music in May.  In Calpe at this time are Steelband Poco Loco Ibiza and Steelband Abracadabra from Switzerland.

The leader of Abracadabra is the musical director of Steelband Poco Loco; he will be in Calpe from his home in Switzerland.  His name is David Henry and he is originally from Barbados.  There will be a barbecue and gig on the beach in the evening of Saturday May 15.  Abracadabra will also play a gig at the Casa de la Cultura in Calpe with an appearance by Poco Loco Calpe.
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Web Posted - Thursday May 6, 2010
When Steel Talks

Global - The production “Mas Man” is one that should be introduced and featured at film festivals worldwide.

It chronicles Peter Minshall, a man whose works and creativity have been the visions which entranced international audiences over the years, including at the 48th annual Miss Universe pageant, and when more than eighty percent of the world’s population was encamped around their television sets for the full opening ceremonies of no less than three Olympics (1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta and 2002 Salt Lake City).

....Pan man, steelpan historian and film director Dalton Narine has done a masterful job. He is a man with the confidence, depth of knowledge, and vastness of experiences to adequately pull this production off.
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Web Posted - Wednesday May 5, 2010
Caribbean Life

New York, USA - My heart skipped a beat then I felt a deep sadness in the pit of my stomach after hearing that my friend, creative genius Sir Ian Valz had died in his adopted home of St. Martin, on April 28.

It feels like just yesterday when I congratulated and praised Ian at the screening of his movie, Panman, Rhythm of the Palms, at the Lyceum Theatre, in Brooklyn.

....Set in the Dutch Caribbean Island of St. Maartin, the film tells the story of the rise and fall of the steel pan player, Harry Daniel (Ian Valz).

Harry is an icon of the Caribbean whose personal life suffers when he places his music above his family because he is desperate to pass the pan culture to a younger generation.
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Web Posted - Tuesday May 4, 2010
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago -  Pan Trinbago will be hosting a Judges’ Seminar on Saturday May 8, 2010 at the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Learning Resource Centre, La Fantasie, St. Ann’s, Trinidad.

The exercise is being conducted in an attempt to improve the adjudication aspect of Steelband music Panorama competitions.
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Web Posted - Tuesday May 4, 2010
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago -  Pan in the 21^st Century is another exciting pan event on the calendar that justly rewards steelbands for the effort and creativity in preparing for such a competition.

Competitors are required to play tunes from the 21^st Century world beat repertoire from the year 2000 and beyond.

Preliminaries will be held from May 12–16 inclusive at the participating bands’ panyards and are free to the public.

Twelve finalists will perform before a qualified panel of adjudicators on Saturday 29 May 2010.
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Web Posted - Monday May 3, 2010
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago -  The Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra has been invited to participate in the Holland Voorthuizen Military Tattoo from May 4–15, 2010.

Nine hundred performers from Canada, England, Scotland, U.S.A., Poland, Oman, France and the Netherlands are expected to take part in this, the eighth edition of the tattoo.
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