Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Ray Holman’s recent concert series—Mama Dis Is Pan—staged at the Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook (February 23-25), was more than a presentation of the sweetness of the instrument; it was a showcase of a formidable body of work by the pan master, a nostalgic journey through his life in the steelband, and a celebration of pan hits through the years —all rendered in a style all his own. In his unassuming manner, the white-haired veteran took the stage before his band of musicians on opening night, to lead them on pan through two laid-back yet vibesy sets. Unlike many steelband virtuosos, his playing was fully integrated with the band. Although he took several lovely solos, he never dominated the sound. The musicians— including Anthony Woodroffe (sax); Dean Williams (guitar); Brian Perkins (percussion); Kenneth Clarke (congas) Joey Samuels (drums); Mike Germaine (bass); and, Dereck Cadogan (keyboards)—did well, keeping the sound smooth, without letting it get boring. Also on the cast were several vocalists, including De Alberto, in his first local performance in 20 years, Kenny J and Jerelle Forde. Holman got things going with his Pan On the Move, the first “pan tune” ever written.
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Illinois, USA - The unconventional has become the norm for Woodstock resident Matt Potts.

As a percussionist in the Woodstock High School band, Potts taught himself to play a steelpan he purchased on a whim off eBay. During an Illinois High School Association statewide music competition, he played a selection using the instrument. Having no experience with the steelpan, the judge at the competition admitted he didn’t know how to evaluate the performance.

After entering Northern Illinois University as a mechanical engineering major — later switching to industrial engineering — Potts realized his thirst for music hadn’t been fully quenched during high school.

....“By the end of the first semester, I realized I was spending more time in the music building than the engineering building,” he said.

Rather than abandoning his engineering pursuits, he planned to double major in engineering and music.
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Michigan, USA - Savage Elementary celebrated its third annual National African-American Parent Involvement Day, Feb. 13. To the delight of Savage Elementary students, The Gratitude Steel Band played at an assembly where the students got involved in a game of limbo, playing the drums and learning about the history of steel drum bands. NAAPID started in 1995 and is observed every year on the second Monday in February. The goal of NAAPID is to encourage and promote parent involvement in their child's education.
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Saint Lucia, W.I. - The Cultural Development Foundation says it's Sunday February 26 junior panorama competition on Sunday was a major success.

The competition which seeks to showcase youth steel pan talent, was revived after a four-year absence.
click for report

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The crème de la crème of Carnival brought the curtains down on Carnival 2012 at Champs in Concert Saturday night at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah. Staged by Pan Trinbago, the concert featured top performances of the season for patrons to have a last chance to experience the best in soca, steel-pan and mas.

The turnout at the Grand Stand was small — tourists and locals — and the show, the last to be staged at the Savannah stage, went without any hiccup, featuring over 20 performances to an audience content to sit back and soak in the best of the season.

....Memorable performances came from single pan winners, San Juan Eastside Symphony with a performance of a lifetime. The lively youths played an exciting and pore raising rendition of Super Blue’s “Get Something and Wave”. Neal and Massy Trinidad Allstars also delivered a champion performance....

....Destra Garcia whose song “Vibes” was the most popular pan song of the season, was also at hand to perform.
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Global - Personal notes on live interactions from Panorama 2012 by journalist, pan historian, musician and film editor Dalton Narine. 

The thoughts of the likes of the legendary Anthony Williams and Len “Boogsie” Sharpe; the raw words of Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz and much more - all come to life with Narine ‘Ramajaying All Over Steel City.’
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Global - Over the next few weeks some of the most outstanding international musical minds and Cultural Attachés will visit the WST network and will look at, and/or listen to - the performances from the just-concluded Trinidad & Tobago 2012 National Panorama, to provide an unbiased and critical analysis for the purpose of providing feedback and creating and/or securing potential performance, teaching, tuning and arranging opportunities, in their respective countries and within their spheres of influence.
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Michigan, USA - February is Black History Month. To inform and inspire its students, Birmingham Berkshire Middle School held an African Music Assembly. Many students do not realize it, but gospel, jazz, soul, rock ‘n' roll and many other forms of “modern” music are deeply rooted in Africa.

The school invited the Gratitude Steel Band, a full-time family group offering Island, African and gospel music, to play and educate students about African music and its contribution to the world. Students explored different regions and cultures of the continent of Africa through singing, clapping and drumming with the band in Swahili, Zulu and Yoruba songs.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) never refused to give financial assistance to Pan Trinbago for the 2012 Panorama steel band competition, Chief Secretary Orville London has said.

He recalled that Pan Trinbago's President Keith Diaz and his executive met him on January 10 2012 to request funding to the tune of $3.2 million to support the Tobago bands participating in the Panorama semi finals and finals in Port of Spain. London said it was agreed that Pan Trinbago would approach the Minister of Multiculturalism Winston 'Gypsy' Peters to get the additional funding since it was a national event.

....He said Pan Trinbago went to Peter requesting the $3.2 million for the transportation of the Tobago bands to Trinidad; the Minister said he did not have the money and he would not be able to get the money and he even recommended to them that what he would like them to do was to have one band from Tobago representing the island and the national finals. London said Pan Trinbago rejected that and he also rejected that, saying that if that was so then there should also be one band from each zone in Trinidad.
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St. Lucia, W.I. - Monty Maxwell, guitarist, composer, steel pan arranger, and jazz and blues musician, was born in the southern town of Vieux Fort, St. Lucia. He grew up next to a pan yard or steel band shed, so from an early age he was constantly suffused in music and musicianship. Unsurprisingly, he credits the steel band as his initiation into the world of music and George Shine, the steel band leader of his next door steel band, as his first musical role model.

Monty's formal initiation into music began at the Vieux Fort Secondary School where, under the tutelage
of a Trinidadian pan instructor and a British music tutor. He studied classical music for two years, with the steel pan and piano as the instruments of instruction.

Although still in his teenage years, Monty was thrust into steel pan arrangement, when, upon the departure of the Trinidadian pan instructor, he was designated as the arranger of the Halcyon Days Steel Orchestra.

Monty admits that the thing in music that gives him the greatest pleasure is arranging music for a steel pan orchestra.
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Global - Dr. Jit Sukha Samaroo (Musician, Panist, Composer, and steel pan arranger) was born in Surrey Village in the Lopinot Valley, Trinidad, on 24 February 1950, the sixth of Sookram and Lakia Samaroo’s thirteen children. His love for music manifested itself at a very early age, influenced perhaps by his mother, who played the Dholak, and by ‘parang’, a Spanish-derived musical art form for which Lopinot is famous. Jit played the cuatro and guitar and at Christmas time, would accompany the village paranderos in their traditional house-to-house serenading.
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St.  Vincent  & the Grenadines, W.I. - The Pan Against Crime (PAC) Programme, the brain child of Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was launched on February 20th 2008. Under the guidance of Godfred Pompey-Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, the PAC Committee in association with the National Commission on Crime (NCCP), The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force and other stakeholders will again join hands to host the 4 year anniversary celebration.

....To date, the initiative has given birth to eight (8) steel pan orchestras, The Mustique Charitable Trust Georgetown All Stars, The New Dimensions Steel of Lowmans, The Scotia Bank South East Steel, The SVG Port Authority Genesis, The Symphonix Steel of Questelles, The North Stars Steel of Rose Hall, The Palm Island Resort Union Island and CCA Limited Canouan. The PAC has been able o attract sponsorship for most of the orchestras and additional sponsorship is forthcoming for the other bands.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Prime Minster Kamla Persad-Bissessar played mas yesterday but not with any of the big bands such as Tribe or Harts.

Instead, the Prime Minister decided to play traditional sailor mas with the nation's Panorama Steelband champion—the Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars.

In an interview with TV6 News which aired last night, the Prime Minister said that she decided to play mas with the All Stars because of a previous experience she had playing mas with a steelband and to avoid any controversy regarding the judging of the Parade of the Bands.

"Many years ago I played Monday mas with Starlift and this is the same section I'm advised, so...and they're great champions. I think, I didn't want to go in one of the normal mas bands because I feel it would be controversial they're competing but the pan is our national instrument and I give them that support," the Prime Minister said.

She said she had chosen to play mas with the All Stars before they won the Panorama finals.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - We extend our heartiest congratulations to Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars and Katzenjammers Steel Orchestras, both of whom raised their game to beat off the challengers to retain their titles in the large and medium band categories, respectively, in Panorama 2012. Tobago should be particularly proud, having scored one and two in the medium category with Buccooneers playing runners-up to Katzenjammers. While these champs beat the competition, anyone who looked at Panorama 2012 would know that the real winners were all of us.

The performance put on by the thousands of players, most of them exuding the energy of sheer youth, was mind-blowing. This was Trinidad and Tobago at its very best: brilliant, creative, disciplined and simply beautiful.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - ....Twenty-one steel orchestras - ten in the medium band category and eleven in the large category - regaled steelpan lovers with music, in an event that brought the curtains down on yet another year of determined and fierce preparation and competition in the annual steelband music ritual known as Panorama.

....Interesting to note, that it is not only the orchestras in the medium and large categories which retained their championship titles; this scenario played out across the board for the entire 2012 Panorama season.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Full results for the Trinidad and Tobago 2012 Panorama are in.  Steel Orchestras competed in the medium and large categories at the Queen's Park Savannah last evening.
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San Fernando, W.I. -  Skinner Park was the scene of triumph for Arima Golden Symphony and their fourth consecutive championship title in the small steel orchestra category, bolstered by their champion arranger Terrance “BJ” Marcelle.  The winning  combination beat out nine other contending steel orchestras for the honor, snagging the top prize of TT$400,000 in the process.

A second-place tie between Super Novas performing “Gie Dem Tempo” as arranged by Amrit Samaroo and La Horquetta Pan Groove playing Kelon Robinson’s arrangement of “Toco Band” rounded out the top tier placements in the field of ten finalists.
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San Fernando, W.I. - The sweet taste of success was savored for the second year in a row by San Juan East Side Symphony last evening in the Panorama finals held at Skinner’s Park in San Fernando, south Trinidad. 

Armed with their performance of arranger Duvone Stewart's interpretation of “Get Something And Wave,” and 287 points, the band out-scored their closest rival, Trinidad East Side Symphony by a margin of three.   Scoring 278 points, the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force rounded out the top three playing “Band From Space” as arranged by Robert Tobitt.

Sixteen single pan bands took the field for final night performances, in a play-off which saw an initial sixty-two bands enter the competition for the 2012 season.
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Tobago, W.I. - Despite spirited performances by a number of steel bands Black Rock Katzenjammers were crowned THA Panorama Champions last Tuesday night at the Garden Side Car Park.

Katzenjammers the oldest surviving steel band in Tobago had signaled their intention to sweep all before them in 2012 pan competitions when they topped the national Panorama medium band category semifinal round.

Katzenjammers with their Edwin Pouchet arrangement of 'This Is Bacchanal' lighted up the car parks as the well drilled Katzenjammers panists executed their song with utmost precision. There was no doubt that the Black Rock band was a 'cut above the rest' on the night.
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St. John’s, Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - ....“Moully” served the Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra with genuine commitment and dedication for over forty years. He was a brother, father, friend and inspirer to all the members of Hell’s Gate.

“Moully” managed the “rhythm section” (engine room) of the orchestra for over thirty-five years and commanded the respect of all who came under his supervision.
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Global - ...that social dynamic about the Panorama goes to the core of the wrong-headedness of Pan Trinbago's thinking that cultivating an independent party space within its premier pan event was indicative of sound planning. Doing so was clearly feeding into the mindset of that element for whom the “pan” in Panorama is definitely not the foremost consideration. That this would not have been instantly recognized for what it was is, again, a worrisome commentary about those calling signals for Panorama and the steel band movement overall.
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New York, USA - Over the February 11-12, 2012 weekend, New York University hosted the 4^th annual PAS (Percussive Arts Society)-KoSA (KoSA International Percussion Workshops)-NYU Weekend of Percussion at the University’s Frederick Loewe Theater. The event presented to the public free of charge “15 hours of percussion clinics, concerts, and competitions from the hottest percussionists, drummers, and industry heads in the country….”

As part of this two-day percussion-filled weekend, one of the home-based New York City powerhouse orchestras, Sonatas, performed with college orchestra NYU Steel on the same card of percussive events..
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Tobago, W.I. - The THA (Tobago House of Assembly) Pan Champs 2012 competition took place last evening, February 14, at the Garden Side Car Park, Scarborough in Trinidad’s sister isle of Tobago.

Seventeen bands competed in three categories: Large Conventional Steel Orchestras, Small Conventional Steel Orchestras and Single Pan bands.
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Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - Pan Enthusiast, Carnival, Pan & Calypso Media Cataloger & Collector - Glenroy R. Joseph - shares his overall views on Pan, Panorama and more...

“Panorama is both a curse and a blessing. It is a blessing because it has produced great music, great memories, and legendary arrangements and performances. It is a curse because single-minded focus on Panorama has helped to diminish the steelbands’ participation in Trinidad’s signature festival, the Carnival, at great detriment to the Carnival itself.” ...Glenroy Joseph
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Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - Performing and recording artist, panist and Panorama drummer extraordinaire  - Leon Foster Thomas shares his overall views on Pan, Panorama and more...

“We can’t be stuck in 16^th century harmony mindset and judging 21^st century music. Therefore, each person needs to be honest with themselves as far as this is concerned, do what is best for our art form and not only for the paycheck” ... Leon “Foster” Thomas
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - I have been nursing a not-so-quiet anger since last Sunday's Panorama Semi-finals, and no, it has nothing to do with Despers being omitted from the finals, although I feel "a how" about that. I have asked fellow pan-fans, many of whom, like me, no longer make the pilgrimage to the Savannah, but who, nevertheless, do not miss a note, "How could they show total disrespect to pan, to the thousands who labour in panyards to produce one of the world's biggest musical extravaganzas?"

By now readers must have guessed what angered me: the dotishness of Pan Trinbago officials who, in the name of the almighty dollar, sacrificed the sanctity of the art form by allowing well-heeled party animals to stage a big fete on the "Greens" while panists, most of them teenagers, played with their hearts to impress the judges and real pan-lovers.
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Global - 31 Conventional Steel Orchestra franchises will vie for the title of 2012 National Panorama Champion across three categories - Large, Medium and Small.
see the complete line-up

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Champs Katzenjammers and "big band" RBC Redemption Soundsetters led by arranger Winston Gordon showed the standard of pan has gone a notch above at the "Big Yard", Queen's Park Savannah, last Sunday.

Opening the Medium Band category in the sweltering afternoon sun, Steel Explosion played a slow version of Terrence BJ Marcelle's "San Fernando Has Spoken" composed by Winston Scarborough. The band placed 14^th scoring 251 points.

One hour later Buccoo Buccooneers of Chance Street opened with a spirited start to their rendition with a long run at the end of the first chorus playing "Vibes" arranged by Seion Gomez and composed by Mark Loquan, Ken Philmore and Destra Garcia.
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Guyana, SA - Steel Pan stalwart Roy Geddes was on Thursday afternoon intercepted at his home by an armed bandit, who assaulted him and robbed him of his jewellery.

According to 72-year-old Geddes, at around 2:00 p.m. he was in the front yard of his Lot 190 Roxanne Burnham Garden home, tending to his flower plants when the lone bandit entered his yard and approached him.

The man, whom he said carried a "big gun", proceeded to gunbutt him in the head twice, during which time he relieved the shocked Geddes of his two gold chains from around his neck. The victim stated that the chains are worth over $100,000.
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Ohio, USA - Attention, pan players, pan fans:  educators and steel band enthusiasts are being reminded to start thinking about the sixth-annual Ohio Valley Festival of Steel.

The 2012 Ohio Valley Festival of Steel will be held May 5 at Steubenville High School with April 9 designated as the registration and fee deadline. The $100 registration fee covers performers and directors. Checks can be made payable to Ohio Valley Festival of Steel and mailed to 111B Frostview Drive, Wintersville, Ohio, 43953-4241.

Last year's festival featured 15 bands from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

"This year we will gather at Steubenville High School to share in the enjoyment and spirit of your 2012 steel bands. The festival will again feature guest artist Tracy Thornton from High Point, N.C. Tracy always brings fantastic energy to the festival with his improvised solos," said Shelly Irvine, festival founder and coordinator.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Thirty-two Single Pan Bands will face the judges as the National Panorama Single Pan Bands Semi Finals get underway at the Larry Gomes Stadium Car Park, Malabar, Arima in Trinidad, on Saturday 11th February 2012, from 6:00 p.m. Admission is TT $60.00.
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Minnesota, USA - Nine-year-old Mi’ari Scott (above) of Shakopee gets a quick lesson on the steel drum from Tropics Steel Drum Band drummer Norbert Augustíne during an event at the Savage Library Tuesday night.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Forty bands will compete in the National Junior Panorama at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on Sunday 12^th February 2012 from 8:30 a.m. The competition is staged by the Ministry of Education, Pan in the Classroom Unit, Pan in Schools Coordinating Unit and Pan Trinbago.

....Playing The Original De Fosto's “A Raging Storm” arranged by Mickiel Gabriel, the very proud 2011 Junior Panorama champs in the Non-Schools category were Success Stars Pan Sounds from Laventille.

Unlike their adult counterparts, the performances of the winners and their fellow competitors—who took the stage on February 27 in the 2011 Junior Panorama—appeared under-reported in their own national media, in the country where the Steelpan is the ‘national instrument.’
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Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - filmmaker, director and panist Jeston Lett shares his overall views on Pan, Panorama and more...

“Panorama some say has evolved, same for Soca, but I believe we misinterpret this as losing ourselves and identity. When bands can substitute good music with Showmanship, there’s a problem. And I know to this, many would disagree, but I say let the music do the work.” ...Jeston Lett
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Cincinnati, Ohio, USA - Since learning about the plight of human trafficking Lauren Simerlink has wanted to help.

A junior at Clark Montessori Junior and Senior High School, Simerlink became aware of the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence.

Her suggestion to classmates in the school's steel drum band to have a fundraiser for the organization was embraced.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Sunday’s clash between police and patrons partying at the Northern Greens during the Panorama semi-finals was “an accident waiting to happen”, chairman of the Operations Committee of the National Carnival Commission Brigadier General Carl Alfonso said yesterday.

The Northern Greens area was created for patrons to party hearty amid the atmosphere of the steelband competition at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of- Spain.
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Global - In a Panorama season full of intrigue, surprises and unknown territory rife with land mines and few certainties - we find ourselves in a very special place. It is the morning after the semi-final 2012 Panorama competition. Moreover, it is the moment in this enclave where we, When Steel Talks, are normally busy analyzing and writing about who is in and who is out - who made it and by how much and of course what transpired. This year ironically on the day after the Super Bowl, we will leave that to the Monday morning quarterbacks - the Trinidad and Tobago national papers, pundits and self-appointed Panorama music experts. Hey, we all think we're experts when it comes to Panorama music.

“We will just have to dust off our pants, pick ourselves up off the ground and come back stronger...” ...Desperadoes player
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Global - Trinidad All Stars, Phase II and nine other large steel orchestras move on to final night competition.  Katzenjammers and Buccooneers join eight fellow competitors in the medium category, while  nine small conventional steel orchestras will challenge defending champs Arima Golden Symphony in their quest for 2012 supremacy.
see complete results

Trinidad and Tobago -
click to view video

Mississippi, USA - From calypso to popular to classical to jazz, Meridian Community College’s Arts & Letters Series concert goers are in for more than a tropical treat when SoMiSPO comes to the McCain Theater on Tuesday.

This University of Southern Mississippi steel pan orchestra concert will begin at 7 p.m.

....Currently a 30-member band, SoMiSPO was founded by Dr. John Wooten as a six piece ensemble, which included a drum set and percussion.
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Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Police used batons and their fists to beat patrons during the 2012 National Panorama semifinals at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain yesterday, after hundreds of pan fans tried to push past barriers because they were blocked from walking between the North Stand and the Greens area.

Around 3.30 p.m. the access entrance to the Greens from the North Stand was blocked, preventing patrons from moving from one area to the other.

This year the Panorama event co-ordinators attempted to separate the Greens party area from the main event on the Big Stage.

This was done because of last year's problems with sound systems and DJs virtually drowning out the sound of the pan performances during the semifinal.
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Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - psychologist and lifelong panist for Trinidad All Stars - Daryl C. Joseph - shares his overall views on Pan, Panorama and more...

“The sound of the pan comes from the soul of our people. As such, it is a spiritual instrument, and that is why it is able to touch people in the way that it does. Few instruments can do that. It is more than a love affair. Pan is Trinbago, and Trinbago is Pan.” ...Daryl Joseph
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Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - panist and Director of Florida Memorial University Steelband—Dr. Dawn Batson—shares her overall views on Pan, Panorama and more...

“I have also tried to share my belief that music should never be stagnant. Moments of beauty are often created by those willing to stretch (and sometimes burst) the boundaries. That is not to say that complexity is the answer for often the simplest response is the best. The essences I have found and have tried to pass along are respect and truth – to the music and to self.” ...Dr. Dawn Batson
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