Champion Panorama Arrangers
Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - They are the single most important contributor to the musical fortunes of a performing steel orchestra. It is a position that is not for the faint of heart or casual practitioner. Deep in tradition and tales of glory, these select men and women compete for a title that only a handful have ever been so honored to claim. When Steel Talks
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Web Posted - Thursday April 25, 2019
When Steel Talks

Nigeria, Africa - What started off with so much promise, quickly descended into a finger-pointing legal battle and global embarrassment.

In spite of having experienced his own version of “When Things Fall Apart” through an ill-fated and since aborted joint Pan Trinbago venture a few years ago - Bowie Sonnie Bowei remains positive, undaunted, buoyant and confident. Confident that the future for the steelpan instrument, the Pan culture and art form remains bright in his homeland, Nigeria, and the African continent. His optimism is not based in wishful thinking but rooted in his decades of first-hand experience as a frontline educator, manufacturer and marketer of all things Pan in Africa. 
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Web Posted - Wednesday April 24, 2019
When Steel Talks

Meet Kerri-Ann Hyndman-Borris
Trinidad & Tobago

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - “My vision for the instrument is to be able to capture the hearts of those who don’t understand and appreciate what pan is, what it’s about, and what it can do for us as a nation.”

From the tender age of seven Kerri-Ann Hyndman-Borris’ journey with the steelpan instrument began. It followed her from primary school through university. And as the song “To Sir With Love” says, it has been her constant companion and comforter as she moved “from crayons to perfume.” In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks shares her love and unabashed passion for the steelpan instrument, its music, the art form and more.
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Web Posted - Monday April 22, 2019
TimesReporter.com

New Philadelphia, Ohio, USA - The New Philadelphia steel bands will host the 10th annual Panstock Steel Band Festival at 7 p.m. April 27 in the New Philadelphia High School gym, 343 Ray Ave. NW.

Highlighting the performance this year will be guest pop/rock band and Paradigm recording artist Oak & Ash, traveling from New York City. Other performing groups will include the 46-member New Philadelphia Steel Band, 42-member Welty Steel Band, 62-member New Philadelphia Community Steel Band, Welty seventh-grade steel band class and the New Philadelphia Alumni Steel Band.
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Web Posted - Sunday April 21, 2019
When Steel Talks

Meet Mary Genis
United Kingdom

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Reading, England, UK - “Follow your dreams, be professional, organised and pleasant at all times.  Be the best you can be and surround yourself with talented people who share and understand your vision.  Always have a plan and a champion or a mentor who has connections and can help turn your vision into a reality.  Collaborate with all the art forms to gain knowledge and experience...”

Failure is not an option for this talented musician, organizer, educator and successful leader, as she pursues her stated goal to take pan into the mainstream. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - the panist and entrepreneur Mary Genis shares her success story and passion for the steelpan instrument, its music, the art form and more.
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Web Posted - Friday April 19, 2019
When Steel Talks

Trinidad &  Tobago, W.I. - “Every instrument develops its own unique approach to how it should be taught, the violin and the electric guitar, and so too does every style of music, whether it’s classical or rock," explains pan historian Kim Johnson as he introduces PanGEA - Pan-Global Educational Alliance - a new organization focused on steelband education.

"In T&T we developed a unique approach to teaching pan, the instrument and its music, in the 50s and 60s, but today, with the decline of community steelbands and the indifference of local youth to pan while it spreads globally, we need to update our approach - and not by a copy-and-paste of European classical music pedagogy.

“We need to decolonize music education in T&T."
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Web Posted - Thursday April 18, 2019
When Steel Talks

Aruba, W.I. - “Leonard Turner, a Trinidadian immigrant who worked at the Lago Oil Refinery, was the first to introduce steel bands in Aruba. Being unhappy with the lack of entertainment on the island Turner recruited a group of young men and they began experimenting with music.

In 1948 Turner formed his first steelband, known as the Invaders. In 1950 he joined forces with Naldo Brown and formed another steel orchestra, named Shoo-Shoo Baby and Aruba All Star Boys.
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Web Posted - Wednesday April 17, 2019
When Steel Talks

Meet Bria Blake
New York, USA

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

New York, USA - “When I was a child I participated in an African dance program. Also, on my father’s side of the family, they would have prayers and include drums. I grew to love drums and the sounds of different rhythms. When I was introduced to pan I was taught tenor bass which instantly reminds me of African drums. That’s where the love story began.”

Moving forward and striving for greatness. In an exclusive interview a determined and focused Bria Blake shares her pan experiences with the global When Steel Talks audience.
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Web Posted - Wednesday April 17, 2019
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Eight children from the band P’tit Pan of Nantes, France, flew into TT last Tuesday to learn the rudiments of pan, and also to familiarise themselves with the culture of this country.

They were the toast of a reception hosted by French Ambassador to TT Serge Lavroff and his wife Caroline at their home in St Clair on Thursday evening.

....Mokhtar El-Mokhtari, coach of the group, and who runs the Calyps’ Atlantik Pan School in France said the visit is part of the band’s project conceptualised some years ago.
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Web Posted - Monday April 15, 2019
When Steel Talks

Guyana, S.A. - “By 1947, the Trinidad band Red Army arrived in Georgetown by schooner, and made an impressive appearance. The nylon goes that at a dance performance at BGCC, there was a huge scuffle near the stage. When order was restored a first pan was missing. I have never been able to corroborate this story, but must admire that even before 1950 our natives were demonstrating enterprise and resourcefulness.”

Before his passing, Godfrey Chin provided When Steel Talks (WST) with a brief history of the rise of the steelband in Guyana. Godfrey Chin was an extraordinary person. He produced an exceptional and highly respected body of work that will forever be etched in Guyana’s cultural history. He was a former costume designer, a founding member of the Guyana Cultural Association, journalist, historian and author, He is described as “a living tribute to our bygone and was adept at rekindling in us an irresistible longing for times when things seemed purer, simpler and more enjoyable”.
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Web Posted - Sunday April 14, 2019
When Steel Talks

Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - “Many of the aristocratic elements in the society stuck up their noses at the steelband men and their music and sought to have them banned from playing on the streets. Government at one time even sought to pass a law giving the police the right to go in the pan yards and confiscate (a Government word for stealing) the pans. The bands got together and formed an association and put an article in a local paper, that if the Government was going to band the steelpan which the association considered as instruments, then they would have to ban organs, pianos, guitars, and trumpets too.

“At this time in Antigua, the governor, the Earl of Baldwin, a very humane gentleman was sympathetic with the panmen for he loved what he heard and championed the cause of the steelband. He said, people were making complaints, but their dogs made more noise than the steelband, for by 10:00 p.m., there were no steelbands, but the dogs barked all through the night and he passed a bill allowing the steelband to play on the road anytime. This result even raised the pressure off their counterparts in Trinidad who were experiencing the same difficulties....”
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Web Posted - Friday April 12, 2019
When Steel Talks

Meet Angel Lawrie
Wisconsin, USA

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Wisconsin, USA - “With reference to using the steelpan instrument in working with those challenged by autism spectrum disorder and ADHD: “The steel drum is my number one choice of instrument with working with clients on the spectrum. I have worked with both adults and children. The steel drum allows me to physically help my clients transform as well as emotionally.....There is no doubt that the steel pan keeps the attention of my students. However, the steel pan also allows me to achieve success faster than a traditional instrument. I am able to reach a place of understanding and accomplishment with them rather comfortably, and then the rewards can continue to expand and grow.”

Angel Lawrie has found her joy and life calling in the steelpan instrument. Whether performing live herself or changing the lives of her students one musical therapy session at a time, she thrives in all her preferred elements. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - Ms. Lawrie lets it be known that Pan is not just a hobby for her, but her way of life.
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Web Posted - Wednesday April 10, 2019
When Steel Talks

Meet Krystal George
Trinidad & Tobago

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - “‘Pan before Band.’ For me that’s a slogan used after the Panorama competition is over (hahahaha). As panists we all want our bands to win. The good thing however is regardless of whoever wins the title the love, respect and camaraderie still take place. This is very commendable.”

She juggles family, career and mucho activities, yet her passion for Pan and culture has not waned. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - this veteran panist shares her wonderful experience with the steelpan instrument, the music the art form and more.
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Web Posted - Thursday April 4, 2019
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Sando street named after panman

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - A major street in San Fernando has been named after veteran pan arranger and bass pan player, Lennox “Bobby” Mohammed, 76.

Harris Promenade East was renamed after Mohammed by Mayor Junia Regrello today. A recipient of the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) in 1992, Mohammed joined Regrello to unveil the street sign.

“Mohammed's story is an amazing one," said Regrello, "particularly for those who were there in 1965 to experience the phenomenon when the pan side called Cavaliers, led by Mohammed, broke the glass ceiling playing 'Melody Mas'.”
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Web Posted - Monday April 1, 2019
When Steel Talks

by Sandra Blood

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Do cultures really die hard?

But while we cannot change ‘the’ culture, we can change ‘a’ culture…through mentality change, it can happen.

A culture of rightness in T&T has changed to a culture of lawlessness. How so? Many people’s mentality have worsened. A culture of unappreciativeness for pan has changed to a culture of appreciativeness for pan. How? More people’s mentality changed to learning, understanding and loving its value and varied specialness and benefits.

But two key mentalities which shaped a culture, severely crushing T&T, those which must be perished are: The heavy-to-improve, and the-anything-mediocre-is-ok.
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - At a glance and on a single page, access the comprehensive summary of results for the Small, Medium and Large conventional steel orchestras that participated in their respective categories in the 2019 Panorama.

Follow the musical journey of respective bands through all three phases - preliminaries, semi-finals and finals through data on band info, scores, tunes of choice and arrangers.
access full summary here

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Global - Within the historical context, a look at the impact of American movies on the naming of early steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago.
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