|
Trinidad and
Tobago
- The entire
2010 Panorama
season was kicked
off in the south
on Coffee Street
in San Fernando
on January 15th
with a preliminary
competition
for single pan
bands. Only
one band, Jah
Roots, walked
onto the judging
venue with their
traditional
pans around
their necks.
It was refreshing
to see that
the art of carrying
one’s pan is
not completely
lost, and that
the crowd appreciated
their efforts
to preserve
the tradition.
There is something
to be said about
carrying the
weight of the
pan, moving,
and playing
at the same
time. Although
they played
in a stationary
position, Jah
Roots was a
pleasant reminder
of the tradition
of pan on the
move.
Jah Roots is
a band that
strives to participate
in every traditional
pan competition
and they have
vowed not to
change their
performance
practices, regardless
of how everyone
is changing
around them.1
The New Look
Since Pan Trinbago
allowed single
pan bands to
use racks or
stands to hang
their pans,
the artform
has taken on
a new look.
According the
Keith Diaz,
the current
president of
Pan Trinbago,
the person to
first ask if
the single pans
could be hung
from a stand
was Glenford
Sobers, who
was a member
of the second
National Steelband
that went to
Montreal, Canada
to perform for
the Universal
and International
Exposition in
1967 (Expo ‘67).
Sobers had approached
then Pan Trinbago
president, Patrick
Arnold, a few
years ago to
ask whether
his single pan
group could
compete with
racks because
the children
he was teaching
were too small
to both play
and hold the
weight of their
instruments.2
A reporter (Cori
Baynes) from
Trinidad Guardian
newspaper who
also attended
the 2010 south
single pan preliminary
round was also
interested in
finding out
how these bands
have come to
resemble mini
conventional
Panorama bands.
Baynes featured
a picture of
the only traditional
looking band,
Jah Roots, to
accompany this
article. Pan
Trinbago’s new
education officer,
Withfield Weekes,
told the Guardian
that the children
were complaining
about the weight
of the pan-around-the-neck
and that it
was too painful
for them to
perform properly.3
A Different
Sound
One of the arguments
in support of
having the pans
suspended from
stands or racks
is that fact
that some of
the notes are
muffled due
to the skirt
touching the
player’s body
causing the
pan sound unbalanced.
Although it
is up to the
tuner to be
aware of this
phenomenon,
it is not always
possible to
create and tune
a well-balanced
pan for these
ensembles, which
are played in
the pan-around-the-neck
fashion. Accomplished
panist and music
teacher, Niasha
Layne-Forde,
who started
her career on
pan-around–the-neck,
stated that
some bands have
a bent half-moon
shaped bar that
rests against
their body so
the pan can
be suspended
properly, thus
preventing muffled
notes. She stated
that her band,
the now defunct
Voices of
Maracas
in St. Joseph,
had these suspension
bars, but not
all bands use
them.4
When permission
was granted
for the use
of racks, this
also meant the
role of the
percussionist
changed. Instead
of several people
playing single
percussion instruments
(like a snare
drum with a
suspended cymbal
welded onto
it), an entire
drum-set could
now be handled
by one player.
This opened
the door to
having a single
drumset player
cover the parts
of two or three
single percussionists.
This also changed
the traditional
sound.5
What Used
To Be
After judging
single pan preliminaries
in south, I
was struck by
the division
the groups had
in their concept
of performance
practice and
execution. Although
the rules do
not require
the traditional
bands to perform
with the pans
around their
neck, the trend
for the turn
of the 21st
century is to
play a single
pan instrument
in a stationary
position. What
use to be a
mobile instrument
has now turned
into a mini
conventional
Panorama set
up for some
bands. I observed
that the trend
of this new
breed of traditional/single
pan bands is
to try to look
like a conventional
band as best
as possible—many
bands even came
outfitted with
an elevated
rhythm stand.
In fact, the
single pan bands
seem as though
they are trying
to sound like
an extra-small
band if there
was such a conventional
category. Don’t
get me wrong,
there are still
diehard traditional
pan-around-the-neck
bands and they
are judged the
same as single
pan bands because
there is nothing
in the rules
that separate
them.
Traditional
pan-around-the-neckbands
appear to be
a lost breed
only preserved
by the more
grassroots,
traditional
groups who refuse
to roll out
racks with canopies.
What still defines
the bands as
traditional
in this category
of judging is
the fact that
they are playing
single pan instruments
with the correct
allotted number
of performers.
The key word
is “single”
pan, one person,
one “single”
instrument which
now identifies
them as single
pan bands. Furthermore,
the use of the
term “pan-around-the-neck”
seems to carry
negative connotations
these days although
the evolution
of terminology
has gone from
“pan-around-the-neck”
to “traditional
bands,” and
now “single
pan bands.”
Interestingly
enough though,
the announcer
for the final
single pan band
competition
from the Kitchener
Stands on the
South Quay in
Port-of-Spain
opened the competition
by remarking:
“Pan on the
move is mas’
on the move”.
I had to ask
myself, really?
Limitations
and Lack of
Standardization
As a musical
challenge though,
the arranger
is still limited
by the notes
available to
them, especially
in the mid-range
and background
pans. The single
pans do not
have the range
to perform the
intricate chromatic
passages often
orchestrated
for the conventional
bands. The keys
and potential
for modulations
are also limited
by the mid-range
and background
pans’ inability
to perform musical
passages only
possible with
conventional
instruments.
It takes a clever
arranger to
make a piece
of music “wow”
the audience
into thinking
all those background
notes are available.
The background
instruments
are like pieces
of a giant puzzle
that have to
be carefully
placed into
the arrangement.
It gets difficult
when you need
bass notes that
are just not
available. This
is where the
skilful arranger
has to invert
chords and sometimes
rely on the
boom produced
by a low note
rather than
its actual pitch.
Why bother looking
for pitches?
Well two things
come to mind:
(1) the pan
pioneers did
the same thing
when they were
trying to adapt
tunes they heard
on the radio
and in so doing
they expanded
their limited
range by creating
instruments
with more notes
and (2) the
criteria used
to judge the
single pan bands
is the same
that is used
for the conventional
bands. This
holds them to
the same musical
requirements,
which are expected
of bands with
large, fully-chromatic
ranges of notes
available. A
single pan arranger
once admitted
that, although
the pitch he
was looking
for was not
on the bass
pan, he had
the player play
the closest
pitch available
in hopes that
the judges would
not notice that
player was playing
a “Bb”
when the pitch
“B” was really
needed.
The persistent
issue of standardization
is more pronounced
in the single
pan category.
The only pan
that is found
in both the
conventional
and traditional
bands is the
tenor. The rest
of the single
pans have names
like “harmony
pan,” “single
second,” “single
guitar,” “piggy,”
and bass. After
the chromatic
tenor the other
instruments
have missing
notes, which
differ from
band to band.
The basses might
have the most
variety and
some bands have
special pans
built to cover
specific single
notes needed
for a particular
arrangement.
In fact, all
kinds of creative-looking
bass note contraptions
rolled down
Park Street
for the semi
finals held
across from
Pan Trinbago
Headquarters
on Victoria
Square on the
6th February,
2010. So, a
word of advice
to those young
arrangers who
get their first
arranging job
and it happens
to be a single
pan band. Go
to the panyard
and write down
the ranges of
the instruments
and know what
notes are missing
in that band’s
family of instruments
before you start.
With that in
mind, find out
if the band
has a budget
to build single
background pans
to suit your
needs.
|
Duvone
Stewart
|
The current
method of arranging
for single pan
bands has been
mastered by
La Horquetta
Pan Groove and
their arranger,
Duvone Stewart,
who have set
the trends with
arrangements
that represent
a standard which
has been repeatedly
rewarded by
the judges.
His work stands
out because
of his ability
to rhythmically
capture the
percussiveness
of the limitations
at hand. His
arrangements
feature the
different sections
of the band,
and the harmonizations
are well balanced
in that the
arrangement
is not top heavy.
The running
background lines
remind me of
the bass drum
section of a
competitive
marching band
drumline. Each
note is placed
in a specific
rhythmical line
of pitches like
a well-trained
hand bell choir
or Balinese
gamelan. The
tempos are always
driving and
exciting with
elements of
surprise. The
same goes for
arranger B.J.
Marcelle who
also knows the
formula for
making a single
pan band sound
good.
Why Hang
on?
The question
of the value
of single pan
bands has been
the topic of
intense debate
since the separation
of traditional
and conventional
bands occurred.
An article in
the Trinidad
Guardian written
by Hamlet Joseph
in the early
1980s also asked
this same question--why
are we keeping
these ensembles
alive? He stated
thirty years
ago, “Pan around
the neck must
be scrapped.
 It
is something
of the past
and we must
move on…or else
we can impede
artistic development
and growth.”6
But his warnings
were not taken
on and the art
of playing single
pan instruments
is still alive
today. With
thirty-two (32)
bands reaching
the semi finals,
one will have
to conclude
that the love
for single pan
is still around.
Many pan players
like a single
pan band because
it is a closely-knit
group of people
who come together
to make music.
Some prefer
the smaller
community group
setting and
some like the
fact that with
so many single
pan bands around,
it is not hard
to find one
to fit into.
It used to be
easier to transport
single pan bands
when they didn’t
have fancy racks
with canopies,
but now with
the changes,
it will be interesting
to keep a careful
eye on the future
of these groups.
With more youths
starting to
play in single
pan bands, the
manner of performance
had to change
due to the weight
of the instruments
and the coordination
required to
carry and play
an instrument
at the same
time. With single
band bands being
smaller, less
space is needed
to store and
rehearse the
ensemble. The
challenge for
the single pan
ensemble weighs
heavily on the
arranger whose
choice of keys,
modulations,
and note limitations
in the mid and
lower ranged
instruments
is severely
limited. As
long as Pan
Trinbago supports
the single pan
bands and there
continues to
be financial
incentives,
the future of
the single pan
looks good.
Dr. Jeannine
Remy
Department
for Creative
and Festival
Arts
University of
the West Indies
More on Dr.
Jeannine Remy
Leave a comment
in the WST forum
Contact Dr.
Jeannine Remy:
http://whensteeltalks.ning.com/profile/JeannineRemy
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1
Balbosa, David.
Telephone interview.
20 Feb. 2010.
2
Diaz, Keith.
Personal interview.
15 Jan. 2010.
3
Baynes, Cori.
“Pan Removed
from Around
Neck.” Trinidad
Guardian 17
Jan. 2010 <http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2010/01/17/pan-removed-around-neck>.
4
Forde, Niasha
Layne. Personal
interview 20
Feb. 2010.
5
McLeod, Kevin.
E-mail interview.
18 Feb. 2010.
6Joseph,
Hamlet. “Towards
a Revival of
the Steelband.”
Trinidad Guardian
11 Mar. 1984:
4.
Judges’ Comments
Single pan comments
in order of
appearance 12
February, 2010
from 7:00 p.m.
on the Kitchener
Stands, South
Quay, Port-of-Spain,
Trinidad
|
Band
|
Tune
|
Setup/miscellaneous
|
Arrangement
|
Performance
|
|
Uni Stars
252 points
13th
|
Doh Back Back
|
1 Rack - Pans were placed in front on stands. The engine room was stage right.
|
Creative reharmonisation. Nice use of melody in guitar/ background. Noticed 3 shifts in the key including a minor.
|
Not always clean internally.
The stop/break was clean.
Some sloppy playing in frontline/melody/harmony pans.
Overall very good.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Trinidad East Side Symphony
261 points
tie for 5th
|
Pan By Storm
|
1 rack - with pans on stands in front.
Although not a criteria for judging, the group captured the spirit of Carnival in this performance which also included their stage props and flag waver.
|
Noticeable creative/brave intro that had a ritard.
Captured the elements of text painting giving a storm effect through percussive dissonance.
Noticed background melodic lines.
Unison lines added a wonderful texture change, which hammered the motivic development into the listener.
|
Well-practiced stops.
The group needed more practice in cleaning up some runs. The basses were felt and not always heard.
The tempo slowed down ever so slightly from the original count.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
San Juan All Stars
262 points
4th place
|
Happy
|
2 racks - both NOT completely filled with pans. There were pans without racks or canopies in the centre. Interesting setup and balance.
|
The arranger utilized melodic and rhythmic variation. 3rd variation featured the guitar/ background which was nicely done. Good use of dynamics throughout.
A welcomed Latin style change added to the arrangement.
Tasteful use of chromatic runs.
|
There was one sloppy drop in the intro.
Clean stops.
It was unfortunate that the iron played out of place at the very end of the tune.
Scratcher part did not work on Latin, needed a change of rhythm to fit the Latin Groove.
Enjoyable performance.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Arima All Stars
261 points
tie for 5th place
|
Hurry, Hurry come for Curry
|
No racks, no canopies.
|
Excellent and very creative introduction with some unpredictable harmonies.
Captured the East Indian flavour of the tune throughout. Nice use of dissonant trills. Good question and answer (pitting).
|
Very fast tempo.
Overall a very clean performance. Seemed to lack a little power in the tenor section.
Enjoyable performance.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Chord Masters
255 points
tie for 11th place
|
Ethel
|
1 rack with a canopy. Engine was elevated but no canopy. Some pans placed in front. Noticeable mixed setup alternating tenors/harmony/second making players play independently.
|
Some parts of the arrangement were repetitive. The variations were long in coming. Interesting Latin part.
More dynamic contrasts could have been worked into this arrangement.
|
The performance was overpowered by unbalanced percussion, which at times drowned out the pans.
At one point there was a prominent sloppy entrance by the background pans.Overall the group needed more drilling and clean up.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
La Horquetta Pan Groove
275 points
winner 1st place
|
Fire Coming Down
|
No racks, no canopies. All pans on stands placed in semi-circle rows. Drumset was elevated. This setup is something they have used for a long time and it works. It was noted that the E-pans were placed in front of the group as photographic props. Not sure what purpose this served.
|
The arranger’s gift for making the ensemble sound full, especially with the limited background notes is worth mentioning. Interesting polyrhythmic drops and layered percussive accents. Good use of chromatic rise. Nice rolled Guitar solo. Excellent motivic development. A keen ½ step modulation. Interesting episode in minor key. Not many dynamics were used.
|
The band did not have the same energy it had in the semis.
It was noted that one player dropped their stick and actually went to pick it up. That was distracting. Also, the toc toc player stuck out during the quiet parts that sometimes ruined the crescendo. Clean sextuplets in upper pans. Always enjoyable to hear this cutting edge group perform.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Carib Woodbrook Playboyz
251 points
14th place
|
Gold
|
No racks, no canopies. An elevated rhythm stand. There was a balance problem. Out front this group had a thin texture. Those groups that set up closer to the judges sounded fuller. The group looked very professional in their Gold outfits.
|
The intro had a good dynamic climb into the first verse statement. The arrangement had some cliché tenor licks. The arrangement was very dense and there was little breathing room. There was one outstanding crescendo at the end. One obvious modulation stood out.
|
The tenors were not heard clearly at the start. The group played well together but not all the parts were heard cleanly.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
La Creole Pan Groove
259 points
triple tie for 7th
|
Madness
|
There were two racks accommodating everyone but the basses who stood to the side. The group had an alternating setup.
|
Good crescendo into verse. Good reharmonization and layered chromatic. Noted text-painting/ motivic development on the words “Madness”. A minor variation was a welcomed melodic development change. At least two modulations noticed.
|
There was a very percussive start however the pitches were hard to discern upon impact. Not all of the stops were together.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Marsicans
259 points
triple tie for 7th
|
Toco Band
|
No racks or canopies. Frontline set up in rows sandwiched by background instruments. The group had a noticeable country band look.
|
The arrangement was full of exciting moments, interesting variations, running lines with vertical percussive support, and question and answer parts. Good motivic development but could have used a bit more reharmonisation. Excellent guitar solo as a creative feature. The arrangement also had some style changes and tasteful vocals. I believe there was also a hint of sampling done here “Country Roads”.
|
There was an attempt at a visual that layered in parts almost like a marching drumline. There was a balance problem with the bass drum. The toc toc player was slightly behind…a strange phenomenon for a timekeeper part. This was partly due to a street echo.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Pan Jammers
249 points
15th place
|
Sousy
|
No racks or canopies in the set up. The band set up in horizontal rows with vertical background borders. Engine room was elevated.
|
The vertical punches were arranged too high and therefore did not give the impact. The arrangement needed more breathing spots. There was a very nice Latin guitar part into the minor variation, which was a nice reharmonisation.
|
Not a solid start by the ensemble.
Balance of the bass drum was over-powering at times. The guitar was not always audible. More tenors needed to support group. At one point the stage was split into a question/answer part that gave a nice aural and visual nuance. The double noted punches were not clean. The group could have used a few more players for more impact.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Shades in Steel
255 points
tie for 11th place
|
Ah Tell She
|
No racks or canopies. Horizontal setup. There was a mixed setup with more tenors upfront.
|
Overall a very nice arrangement. The dynamics were mostly controlled. There was a reharmonization into a minor variation. Half way through the timbre was broken by a nice question and answer section. Noted motivic development could have been more.
|
Bass drum was over-powering. The singing did not work in the intro because it was not loud enough to discern. The drummer was very tasteful and had good control of fills. The jam was very interesting with little bursts of guitar/backgrounds.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
La Famille United
257 points
10th place
|
Tourist Leggo
|
No racks or canopies. The band was bordered by the backgrounds on the wings. From what was visible, the upper pans were placed
horizontally followed by a second row of what looked like guitar.
|
The arrangement was very cluttered at times and needed breathing space. There was an interesting motivic/rhythmic development on one note jam. Motivic development observed. Interesting minor jam and reharmonization. Also noted the clustered semi-tone trills.
|
Not hearing the single seconds. The cymbals also needed to come down at the start of the crescendo. Good clean stop by ensemble. On the quiet section, make sure the ensemble does not slow down. There was a sloppy hi hat cym (left open) on the quiet part. The ensemble slowed down slightly during the quiet section.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
Gonzales Sheikers
247 points
17th
|
Large is Large
|
No rack and no canopies. Band had a horizontal setup. The setup was quite unique in that I believe the melody was mostly from the second row.
|
The arrangement contained most of the elements needed but at times was jumbled and lacked cohesiveness. Noted a minor reharmonization. Also an effective style change.
|
The impact of sound was not solid to start. The tempo was quite quick and maybe a bit fast for the players. Good attempts at dynamics and swells. Sloppy tenor section in spots. All the stops were not clean. Only two basses seen. The drumset player was not solid.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
All Aces
259 points
triple tie for 7th
|
No no We Ain’t Going Home
|
No racks or canopies. A good mixture of instruments.
|
A very good arrangement with three noted modulations. Good use of a unison part that created a nice impact. Very interesting harmonic development. Noted a good little Latin Groove/style change. Good use of rhythmic hook. Fresh arranging ideas.
|
A very solid intro. The balance of this ensemble was shaky at times because the bass drum over-powered some of the pan parts.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
St. James Tripolians
248 points
16th place
|
Wet Me Down
|
No racks or canopies.
This was a smaller band with a big sound. They were setup a bit closer to the judges.
|
Nice rhythmic elements in this arrangement. Noted rhythmic motif of “Wet Me Down.” Featured an interesting Latin section that featured the guitar and other polyrhythmic ideas.
|
The band had a rough start. Some sloppy moments during the stops. As the players got more into the arrangement they became more relaxed and it sounded more like an ensemble of working players. Not sure if it was intension of the arranger but the congas were actually tuned to the key of the piece during one of the variations and it was actually very pleasing. Good attempt at dynamics.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
NLCB San Juan East Side Symphony
270 points
2nd place
|
Black Man Feeling to Party
|
No racks or canopies. The group set up mostly horizontally bordered by vertical strips of background instruments. Good use of percussion instruments.
|
A very clever arrangement that captured the feeling of “party.” Good little ostinato and added whistles by players. There was a good long/clean stop. Long tenor runs in quiet sections…hard to do that. There was a hint of a modulation in the introduction that had the audience on the edge of their seats. Good use of extended chords and reharmonization. Good minor variation.
|
This was one of the more difficult arrangements for the night and the players executed them very well. A little more work on the percussive accents and vertical chord punches was needed. Very enjoyable and fresh performance. Well done.
|
| Band |
Tune |
Setup/miscellaneous |
Arrangement |
Performance |
|
United Sounds
268 points
3rd place
|
Magic Drum
|
3 racks, stands in front for key players. 1 rhythm stand.
|
Very strong introduction. Excellent melodic, harmonic and rhythmic development. Noted a sampling of the “Drummer Boy” in the arrangement. Nice pitting of frontline and background sections. Noted a very musical guitar solo. Not much on modulation …something to consider for next time.
|
A strong intro and assuring start. The cymbal needed to be replaced. It had a thin sound. Even though the theatrical part of the magic drum was not part of the judged performance, it made me aware of the bad quality cymbal. The cymbal should have been played with yarn mallets instead of drumsticks.
|
Prize money
was announced
as:
1st
place TT
$200,000
2nd
place TT $120,000
3rd
place TT $95,000
4th-5th
place TT $80,000
6th-7th
place TT $70,000
8th-10th
place TT $65,000
11th
-15th
place TT $60,000
16th
-17th
place TT $60,000
Contact Dr.
Jeannine Remy:
http://whensteeltalks.ning.com/profile/JeannineRemy
|
The Lost Art of Traditional Pan-Around-the-Neck-Bands
