Starlift Steel Orchestra
2024 Tune of choice: “Pan In “A” Minor - Remastered” | arranger: Danté Pantin
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Over the years Starlift has acquired a quality repertoire compiled by a cadre of high-calibre arrangers such as Robert Greenidge, Ray Holman, Clive Bradley, Carlysle Oliver, Eastlyn Hinds, Annise Hadeed, Herschel Puckerin and Aldon Moore. The band has been a finalist at the National Panorama nineteen times since the competition was inaugurated in 1963 and has won the coveted trophy in 1969, 1971 and 1978. Starlift has traveled to Costa Rica, North America and Venezuela.
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2023 Tune of choice: Witch Doctor| arranger: Danté Pantin
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2020 Tune of choice: Wrong Again| arranger: Danté Pantin
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2019 Tune of choice: Alive And Well | arranger: Keith Salcedo
Additional info below posted with special permission from the BestOfTrinidad.com by Ronald C. Emrit - check link for updates
Led by Eugene Peters,
Starlift was formed in 1956 in Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, by a group
of panmen from the Nightingale, Saigon, and Invaders steelbands. The
band took its name from the 1951 musical "Starlift" which starred
Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. Its first panyard was located at 9
Brabant Street and its tuner was Michael "Natzi" Snyder. Among its
first members were ex-Invaders panmen Albert "Philo" James, Carlton
"My Fan" Drayton, Vernon "Vats" Duncan, and
Andrew "Bambi" Contant, Alfred Lumlock, Archie Ali, Choy
Chansing, Michael and Kenneth Jadunath, Ruthven Herbert, Gary
Griffith. The band started off as a stage side based at 8 Brabant
Street, Woodbrook, and played at the American base at Pier 2,
Chaguaramas. The band took to the road for the first time in 1957
under the leadership of James who was also its musical arranger.
From 1957 to 1960, the band was located on Brabant Street. Some of
the other members in the 1950s included: Ernest Greaves, Irwin
"Pick" Alexis, Toy Lewis, Hershel Puckerin, Aldwyn Vidale, Hugh
Wellington ,and David "Splav" Waddell.
After a hiatus in 1961, the band resumed functioning in 1962 at the intersection of Damian and Hunter Streets with some of the following panmen: Gaston "Baby" Pierre, Ronald Emrit, Harold "Bip" Phillips, Joseph Pierre, Errol Brown, "JohnO" Brown, Rhonda Wellington, David Stoddart, and Emile Charles. In 1963, there was an exodus of many panmen from the Invaders Steelband who joined Starlift, among them, Ray Holman, Roland "Dinners" Inniss, Michael Phillips, Winston "Mouther Bee" Phillips, Percival Pitt, Wilfred and Selwyn Sharpe, Merrill Maund, Kelvin Barclay, Irwin "Fatman" Ross, and Errol Prout. In 1963, the band was relocated to Hunter Street, between Pole-Carew and Damian Streets, where arranger Ray Holman joined the band after departing the Invaders Steelband the same year. Holman's musical arrangements won the band two Panorama victories in 1969 and 1971; a third Panorama title was achieved in 1978 with Herschel Puckerin as arranger. Beginning in 1964, the band has had five sponsors: Angostura Limited (1964-1969); Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (1969-1977); Trinidad Tesoro (1977-1983); Trintopec (1983-1992); and PCS Nitrogen Trinidad Limited (1997-2006). In 1968, the band held practice next to the Woodbrook Youth Center. In 1970, it functioned at the corner of Warren and Gallus Streets, and later moved to Alfredo Street, between Ariapita Avenue and Wrightson Road. In the 1980s, it was relocated to Starlift Drive, behind the old Roxy Theatre. On June 5, 2004, the band formally opened its headquarters at the House of Music on Mucurapo Road. Following its musical success, Starlift has appeared in Canada, Costa Rica, USA, and Venezuela. In addition to its music, Starlift had two Carnival masquerade presentations that finished in the top five in the Large Band-of-the-Year competition: "Undersea Kingdom" (1957, 5th); and "Nursery Rhymes" (1958, 4th). In 2003, Starlift remained one of only two steelbands to ever accomplish this feat. Other notable presentations by the band were "Splendour Among the Himalayas" (1965), "Ceremony of the Redmen," "Of Feasts and Festivals," and "Feather Fantasy." Starlift finished among the top three steelbands in the following significant competition: |
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Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit |