Winter 2009/Spring 2010	The Official Magazine of The British Association of Steelbands

Hello,

2010 marks the end of a very memorable decade. New inventions in the Pan industry prove that since its birth in the 1930s, the steelpan instrument has surpassed its infancy and is maturing with time. The G-Pan, Pankat and PHI are prime examples of the technological transformation of its development.

Pan Podium’s 10th anniversary is also a milestone in the promotion of this wonderful 20th century acoustic instrument. Firmly rooted into the fabric of multicultural Britain, the instrument and its infectious music can be heard throughout the UK and is spreading globally like a pandemic. 

Our mission of global support and promotion of the artform in conjunction with our universal media partners will continue far into the future. We continue our programme of media development and look forward to another successful decade ensuring that steelpan, its music, musicians, arrangers, administrators and organisations are always at the forefront.

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to Pan Podium’s success over the last decade and look forward to continued efforts in making Pan Podium a beacon for the artform.

Pan 4 Life!
Robbie J

E-mail: panpodium@aol.com  or robbie@panpodium.com  Website: www.panpodium.com

CONTENTS●

• Welcome - Message from the Chairman

• Contents/Letter from the Editor

• 6.  KEVI Steelband
  Now into its third year of operation, KEVI Steel, aka ‘Jenny and the Sandwiches’, has gone from strength to strength and is one of the North’s newest Steelbands.

• 8.  BAS J'Ouvert
  The pre-dawn tranquility was broken by the sweet strains of steel band music in West London and saw masses of people chipping down the Grove in true Trinidadian style.

• 10.  Southern Marines Steelband
  The Southern Marines Steel Orchestra is the oldest existing band in the greater San Fernando area of Trinidad.

• 12.  Contrast Steelband – 30th Anniversary
  Contrast Steelband performed their first gig in Leicester Haymarket Shopping Centre for Christmas 1973 but the Band had their actual launch in 1974.
  (cont’d on pg. 14)

• 16.  Laventille Serenaders
  Formed in 1958 as a conventional steel band and known as Love Serenaders under the leadership of Sylvan Morris aka Grant who held that title for many years before his reign came to an end in the sixties.

• 18.  Debi Gardner
  The steel band tutor at the school was Zack Herbert. He said ‘play this’, I did and that was it!
  (cont’d on pg. 20)

• 22.  RAPSO 10th Anniversary
  RAPSO Steel Orchestra started out as a community steel band set up by founder Mary Genis in February 1999.

• 24.  NTSB 20th Anniversary
  Another milestone was winning through to the Schools Proms stage of the National Music for Youth Festival at the Albert Hall in 2003, a fantastic experience which we were delighted to repeat in 2008.

• 26.  Arddin Herbert
  In 2009, Arddin Herbert joined an elite club of pan arrangers who arranged for all three big Carnivals in one year, Trinidad, New York, and London.

• 29.  Russell Henderson – The Pan Man
  In Michael McKenzie’s excellent  documentary, the legendary Russ Henderson MBE comes alive as a man and as a multitalented musician.

• 30.  UK Panorama 2009
  The British Association of Steelbands (BAS) celebrated their 32nd annual National Panorama ‘Champions of Steel’ competition on Saturday 29th August 2009 in Hyde Park.
  (cont’d on pg. 32)

• 34.  Nostalgia – 40 years on the road
  In 1969, Philmore ‘Boots’ Davidson coined the name ‘Nostalgia’ for a steelband whose roots are embedded in the history of the legendary Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO).
  (cont’d on pg. 36)

• 37.  Clive Bradley   More than a musician.
  (cont’d on pg. 41)

• 38.  T&T National Youth Steel Orchestra
  The Orchestra comprise of 120 young persons’ between the ages of 8 to 23 years drawn from four regions Northern, Central/Southern, Eastern, and Tobago as defined by the constitution of Pan Trinbago Inc, the parent organisation of the NYSO.
  (cont'd on pg. 40)

• 42.  Pan Jazz UK
  The audience of over 700 patrons was treated to a performance that has not been seen in the UK for several years.

• 44.  11th BAS Awards 2009
  The Awards has developed in leaps and bounds setting the standards for similar events organized by the other Carnival arenas.
  (cont'd on pg. 46)

• 48.  New York Panorama 2009
  It was a very entertaining panorama, because there were a lot of high expectations for all the groups. Very few were simply counted out.

• 50.  Knights of Steel
  McCallum High School’s steel band has become one of the most respected and sought after performance groups in Austin, Texas.
  (cont'd on pg. 52)

• 53.  Mr. Steel
  Mr. Steel migrated to Holland in the mid seventies (70s) and signed a contract with the Dutch Rhythm Steel and Showband.  Touring through the whole of Europe, he performed with artists like Boney M, Hot Chocolate and James Last.

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