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When Steel Talks
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9.5.03
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by Terry Joseph Steel orchestras in Pan Trinbago’s South/Central region will this evening kick off the inaugural Republic Pan Fiesta, as they play their preliminary round on the move along Cipero Street in San Fernando from 7 pm. Region chairman Whitfield Weekes assures that all systems are in place for a smooth operation of the contest, which will see bands starting at the corner of Sutton and Cipero streets and parading westward to the judging point (opposite Neal & Massy) outside Skinner Park. The Fiesta, another attempt by Pan Trinbago (in collaboration with the National Carnival Commission) to develop products for the post-Carnival season, features three nights of preliminaries, from which 12 single-pan bands and an equal number of conventional orchestras will playoff at the September 20 final at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Some $1,285,000 in prizes is at stake for the regional and national championships. Apart from tonight’s south/central joust, similar events will take place tomorrow in the eastern and Tobago regions and on Sunday in Port of Spain. From each region, 12 prizes will be awarded in single-pan and conventional categories. The winner of each regional playoff will automatically qualify for the final round, plus eight other bands in each category. Tomorrow’s eastern preliminaries will take place along O’Meara Road, Arima and the Tobago elimination parades along Milford Road in Scarborough; both beginning at 7 pm. The northern region does its preliminary round Sunday on Ariapita Avenue outside Pan Trinbago’s headquarters, an event scheduled to run from 4 pm to midnight. All preliminary playoffs are free to the public. Single pan bands are allowed 35 players, ten less than those performing in conventional orchestras, with players limited to working with no more than one band in each category. Bands must play for six minutes (or less) a selection composed by a recognised Panorama arranger but not one it rendered in such a competition. They will be judged on musical arrangement (40 points), general performance (40 points), with tone and rhythm each earning a maximum of ten points. The winner in each region will receive $10,000, while victory for the conventional orchestra will bring that band $25,000. For the final, winning bands will receive $15,000 and $50,000 respectively. Pan Trinbago president Patrick Arnold yesterday described the event as "a pioneering move, designed to maintain national interest in pan music and bring at least the early rounds to the public in the various communities. "This is all in keeping with our aim to promote, encourage support from and develop already existing audiences for the preservation, enjoyment and appreciation of after-Carnival performances by steelband musicians and to bring some returns to the pannists themselves," Arnold said. The majority of participating bands (27 of 62) have opted for works composed by the prolific Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, including "Fire Down Below", "This Feeling Nice", "Woman is Boss", "Cool Breeze", "Mind Yuh Business", "Freedom", "I Music", "Pan Rising", "Rags to Riches", "Sweet and Sexy" and "Birthday Party". Other popular choices for the contest salute Ray Holman (whose songs are being performed by 12 bands), Ken "Professor" Philmore (8), Robert Greenidge (7), Clive Bradley (3), Winsford "Joker" Devine, Pelham Goddard and Earl Rodney (2) and single entries from Maestro, Brian "Bean" Griffith, Godwin Bowen, Dennis Smith, Lincoln "Fats" Waldron and Selwyn "Parry" Paul. Interestingly, the BWIA
Invaders are going with Holman’s "Pan on the Run", a song they helped
inspire, after the band routed the neighbouring Starlift Steel Orchestra who
was that year playing another Holman composition, "Pan on the Move".
Not allowed to play any of his Panorama tunes at the Republic Pan Fiesta,
Sharpe’s Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove will enter with the song "Party",
composed by arch-rival Clive Bradley. TOMORROW 7 pm, Milford Road, Scarborough: Tobago Region Preliminaries: Band/ Song/ Composer (not necessarily in order of appearance) Natural Mystic/ Dus’ in Yuh Face/ Pelham Goddard Tobago Panthers/ Fire Down Below/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe Dixieland/ This Feeling Nice/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe Dem Boys/ Fire Down Below/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe Katzenjammers/ This Feeling Nice/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe Our Boys/ Pan on the Move/ Ray Holman Redemption Sound Setters/ Pan on the Move/ Ray Holman New East Side Dimension/ Woman is Boss/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe Tobago Buccooneers/ This Feeling Nice/ Len "Boogsie" Sharpe
SUNDAY: 4 pm, Ariapita Avenue, Port of Spain Northern Region Preliminaries: Single Pan Bands (In order of appearance) Band/ Song/ Composer Woodbrook Playboyz/ Pan by Storm/ Ken Philmore Woodbrook Modernaires/ Pan on the Run/ Ray Holman Peake’s Scrunters Pan Groove/ This Feeling Nice/ Len Sharpe Worldwide/ Song not known Harlem Syncopators/ Pan by Storm/ Ken "Professor" Philmore La Creole Pan Groove/ Mind Yuh Business/ Len Sharpe Laventille Pashphonics/ Fire Coming Down/ Robert Greenidge Laventille Serenaders/ Party/ Clive Bradley Gonzales Sheikers/ Pan is Mih Jumbie/ Robert Greenidge St James Tripolians/ Pan on the Move/ Ray Holman Spree Simon Harmonics/ Song not known
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Feedback - Tell Us Your Thoughts This article is printed with the express permission of it's author - TERRY JOSEPH, of the Trinidad Express Newspapers, and is subject to any and all copyrights of same. |