PAN-JAZZ FOR DAYS

…famous names coming for weeklong jam

Over the next eight days and nights, the Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan & Jazz Festival (TTS&JF) brings to local stages 29 of the best acts in both genres, who pledge to deliver on the much-advertised promise of fine music at concerts in Port of Spain, Arima and San Fernando.

Formerly known as Pan Royale (and originally as In Celebration of Excellence), the TTS&JF has, in its five year existence, grown from a one-night stand on the basketball court at Queen’s Royal College (QRC), through a weekend presentation and nationwide programme, into its current national status and week-long staging. Primarily designed as a fund-raiser for the QRC Foundation to help the school meet is recurrent expenditure bill, the festival is now a highly anticipated event on the local annual entertainment agenda.

Beginning tomorrow night (Saturday October 22) at 8 pm at the Queen’s Royal College (QRC) Grounds with multiple Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau, plus the formidable Witco Desperadoes and calypsonian extraordinaire David Rudder; the TTS&JF has scheduled a mix of steel orchestras, pan ensembles, jazz groups and vocalists and calypsonians; comprising a powerhouse cast.

On Sunday, also at QRC Grounds, the popular Voices and Steel presentation begins at 6 pm and will this year feature three prize-winning groups, Bishop Anstey High School and Jeunes Agape choirs and the Laventille Youth Chorale, along with the music of CFS Pantasy Pan Ensemble, with a peppercorn admission price of $50.

Fans of the music are in for a treat Monday, with the first of three shows being presented free to the public. From 7.30 pm at the St James Amphitheatre, patrons will be treated to the music of five time national calypso monarch and reigning calypso king of kings, Black Stalin, plus a string of timeless hits from the legendary Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars steel orchestra, Caribbean jazz from Ming Low Chew Tung’s élan parle and the highly respected Tobago-based Roger Sardinha & Friends.

 The second free concert takes place Tuesday from 4 pm at Harris Promenade in San Fernando, home of Black Stalin, who again headlines the cast that, for this presentation includes Sando-based NLCB Fonclaire steel orchestra, the celebrated musical fusion of Mungal Patasar & Pantar, an exciting blend from Ken “Professor” Philmore & Friends and the retro R&B style of David Baptiste & B-Sharp.

Wednesday October 26 is the powerhouse night, when Trinidad gets to experience the tenor sax of globally-acclaimed festival headliner David “Fathead” Newman, with Trinidadian David “Happy” Williams on bass and incomparable vocals by Lenora Zenzalai-Helm the latter returning to the TTS&JF marquee by public demand, who will be accompanied by the Orville Wright Quartet, which includes our own Ron Reid on bass. In addition, there is Europe’s best known pan-jazz artiste, Trinidad-born Rudy “Two-Left” Smith, leading his cosmopolitan quartet onto the Queen’s Hall stage.

The final free concert takes place on Thursday October 27 at Arima Municipal Park from 4 pm, again presenting Black Stalin but this time joined by Pamberi Steel Orchestra (among whose guests is entertainer supreme, Lord Relator). Also on that playbill is Rellon Brown’s Dominant 7^th Calypso Jazz Band.

The pan virtuosos take over Queen’s Hall on Friday October 28 from 8 pm, when the festival showcases the work of Paris-based jazzman

Andy Narell, with his group Sakesho, “the Mozart of pan”, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe & Friends and the Ray Holman Sextet, whose latest CD, In Touch, continues to make waves. His group will also feature local Berklee-trained drummer Sean Thomas.

The Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan & Jazz Festival closes at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah on Saturday October 29, in majestic style with the music of Britain’s premier reggae group, Steel Pulse in the lead role and ably supported by reigning national Panorama champions, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, the infectious rhythm and presentation of former road march and national calypso monarch, Shadow and rapso crusader Brother Resistance, with the Network Riddum Band.

In addition, during the course of next week, the TTS&JF will be holding workshops for selected young pannists in both Port of Spain and San Fernando and a symposium for steelband managers, designed to sharpen their skills in dealing with international promoters and the preparation of technical and hospitality riders when preparing contracts for such gigs.