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Professor’s Son on His Heels

 

Jason Farrel, Willis Charles – (front);
Hollis Clifton, D.J. Heshimu – (back)

Trinidad - Enter Keston Marchan, son of ace pannist Ken “Professor” Philmore. “The mango does not fall far from the tree.”  This is the belief of Jason Farrell and Willis Charles in reference to the panmanship of the virtuoso who plays pan with Tenacity led by Jason and Pan Eternal led by Willis.

The two expressed these sentiments last Sunday during Pan Diaspora on WACK Radio 90.1FM in South Trinidad where the two sons of the soil were guests of DJ Heshimu and Hollis Clifton.

Jason has been doing the cruise ship circuit over the last few years with his five–piece band, Tenacity, for which he co–arranges with Sheldon George. Other members of the band include Jeffery Farrell (Jason’s brother) on drums; Keston Marchan on pan (son of Ken “Professor” Philmore); John Loney, vocalist and Akil on bass.

Jason honed his pan skills with Kalomo Kings and Fonclaire steelbands.  Incidentally, his father was also a pannist and vocalist with the latter.  Farrell is currently giving back to the community by arranging for Kalomo Kings for Pan Trinbago’s Pan in the Twenty–first Century.  His first opportunity to travel, however, presented itself in 2001 when he played at Caribana in Toronto, Canada.

Willis Charles, on the other hand, honed his skills at Hatters Steel Orchestra and then at Fonclaire where he encountered Jason.  He is the leader of Pan Eternal and Eternal Family which include his brother Ryan, Jeffery Farrell (drums) Akil (bass), Keston Marchan (pan), Shelly Byneille (vocals), Julio Nelson (vocals/programming) and Ian Skerritt (guitar).

Like Jason, Willis has been playing at Caribana since 2001.  He has also been doing the cruise ship circuit over the last four years with [the] New Wave band. The other members of the band include Lesha Thurton (vocalist), Vincent Edwards (drums) and Robert Brown (guitar).  Willis is now looking forward to his annual trek to perform at San Francisco’s Carnival, come May 31.

Both players are grateful to Darren Sheppard for opening the way for them to be able to teach pan at the Jesse Ketchum Public School in Canada.

Appreciative well wishers from various parts of the Pan Diaspora, including Seattle phoned to congratulate Jason and Willis on their contribution to the promotion of pan and for bringing joy and gladness to their parts of the world.


Hollis Clifton
Founder, Pan Diaspora


1 (868) 652-7020
1 (868) 462-2738
hollisclifton@yahoo.com 

 

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