Edwin Pouchet – A tribute by Mark Loquan, former stage side member of Silver Stars

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Background (Extract from Yara/Music Literacy Trust/UWI event for Silver Stars 60th Anniversary)

“Edwin grew up in pan. His brother, Junior, was the arranger of a steel band that practiced for hours when preparing for a music festival or Carnival in the backyard of his home, at 195 Western Main Road, Cocorite. He was so fascinated with the music that after the players left, he would take up the pan sticks and try to pick out the melodies he had heard. He credits his mother whose love for the steel band inspired him, but it was not until 1970 with his mother’s assistance, that he started to sneak out to practice with the Silver Stars. History records that year Desperadoes came first playing Kitchener’s Margie. Starlift placed second with Sparrow’s Pan man. Silver Stars tied with Invaders for third. Invaders played Margie and Silver Stars played Simple Calypso by Blakie.

In 1974, Junior received a contract from Bermuda and later Disney World. This meant that a new arranger would be needed for the Silver Stars. A good choice was Edwin but the transition from Junior Pouchet to Edwin Pouchet was a very traumatic experience. The band’s players did not want any other arranger, choosing instead to play the same tunes until Junior returned to Trinidad for the Carnival. Many left until the band went into a period of dormancy around 1976.

In 1986 a small group of former players decided to revive the band. There were several arrangers at that time including Lloyd Payne, Sonny Ottley, Michael Figuera and Edwin himself. Edwin began as an assistant to the others and eventually inherited the role of arranger. Initially the band focused on the music arranged by Junior. Edwin loved the vintage material but felt that they needed to develop a new repertoire relating to the present. Edwin was fully supported by his brother, Junior, in terms of the band moving forward.

Fans still requested the signature tunes, but they mixed it nicely with the new material. Edwin collaborated with his brother and received helpful hints on arranging. Junior’s philosophy was that of clarity, especially with the melody line.

Today the Pan and Parang series has set the band in a class by itself in terms of its ability to organize pan yard events that help to make the band self-sufficient. Edwin revealed that popular painter and parang musician, Alfred Cadallo was his uncle. This influenced the Pan and Parang events as a tribute to Junior and Alfred, his mother’s brother. He attributes the success of these events to the professionalism he acquired from travelling and witnessing how events were structured especially at Disney World.”

Joining a steel band

In the early 90’s after taking in Panorama with some visitors, I decided I wanted to learn to play this instrument, and someone (not sure whom) told me to visit Silver Stars, as they were not far away, and the band played all through the year. Edwin welcomed me in the band and gradually I would learn to play his arrangements as a stage side member for a couple years. It was with Silver Stars, that I was able to perform at several functions and events with the band, including the Bomb competitions, and it was then I realized how Edwin lived pan night and day. The band was so busy that I remember playing (a feat I could never repeat physically) a fete the night before J’Ouvert morning (Bomb Competition morning), followed by Carnival on the Road Monday (when there was pan on the road), followed by Monday night through the crowds in St. James, Tuesday on the road, and finishing off with Las Lap competition outside Harvard club. Edwin was busy arranging several new pieces of music, with some being truly outstanding. Unfortunately some of the songs would disappear from the repertoire as players left or as people forgot their parts with time.

Music Preservation

Several years later, I approached Edwin to arrange “Glory” for the Pan in Education series. This was coming back from Norway in the early 2000’s, and I explained to him the progress of scores being used by young children in schools in Finland. After discussing the project, he immediately agreed to do it, though I knew it would be taking time off the busy schedule for the band. Today because of this project, his arrangement can be heard in Japan.

Then when Silver Stars celebrated their 60^th Anniversary, through collaboration with Yara Trinidad, the Music Literacy Trust and the University of the West Indies (UWI), some of Edwin’s arrangements were scored and donated for use at UWI, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), and other educational institutions. The following Edwin Pouchet arrangements were scored:

• “Phantom of the Opera” (winning piece at 2007 Pan in the 21^st Century competition)
• “Love Theme” (winning piece at 2002 Pan in the 21^st Century competition)
• “Romance in F Major” (a Beethoven piece which Edwin loved)
• “In the Mood” (Silver Stars was runner-up in the 2005 Pan in the 21st Century competition)

Edwin told me of some “first in history” snippets when Silver Stars were planning their 60^th Anniversary celebrations. Out of many, which included winning the Band of the Year title, a couple struck me. He said that:

• (a) The Alexander Ragtime Band, one of the early steel ensembles in Trinidad’s history, originated from what is now the now Silver Stars pan yard (verified with Kim Johnson)
• (b) Steel bands were no longer harassed in the night, after a court judgment with Silver Stars. It turned out that one evening the band was practicing in a backyard in Warner Street, when the police raided the place and hauled the players in jail, charged with making noise at night. The Court ruled that they could not be a nuisance at the time of day they were practicing, but after 10pm they could be. The players were awarded a sum of money.

Whey de Panman?

One of my compositions “Whey de Panman” spoke about pan men trying to make a living after Panorama. I remember Edwin telling me that he decided to play on a cruise ship, to make some money. The family just had another mouth to feed. I do not remember how long he was on a cruise ship. Edwin told me “you have to remember, I do not get paid like other arrangers working with bands”. Hence the song had the words “One man take a work on a cruise ship.... Fellas ah gone, Ha to leave meh wife behind, and meh newborn”. That was Edwin I was talking about.

Panorama experience

I was quite happy to hear Edwin had selected for Panorama 2013 “Identity”, sung by Denyse Plummer (lyrics by Christophe Grant). Before there were categories of pan size, the band had placed 4^th in the semis and 8th in the finals. One has to look at this in the context of a medium band (in today’s category) competing with all medium and large bands together in one category.

He also chose “Frenzy” for Panorama 2005, sung by Denyse Plummer (lyrics by Christophe Grant). As the Medium band the band rocketed from 11^th in the prelims, to 4^th in the semis and on to 2^nd in the finals. Quite a feat, showing Edwin was not an arranger to be underestimated.

It was quite an exciting experience during my early days of composing for pan, to perform with the Silver Stars at those times. It was also not easy as a tenor player by any means, as his arrangement stretched the boundaries.

Composing and Arranging

Edwin/Silver Stars had already won the Medium Band finals in 2004 with a composition by Brian “Bean” Griffith. Edwin’s decided to enter the composing arena with his first composition for Panorama 2006, “High on de Pan” (sung by Eunice Peters, lyrics by Alvin Daniell). He said that when the rule was introduced for bands to perform any music, he did not like the comments being made as to why. The comments were that the new tunes were not good enough for pan, which he found to be quite insulting to those who had been putting out new music year after year, including Boogsie. He decided therefore to start composing and arranging his own tunes.

After only 2 years of moving the band to the “Large” category, Edwin captured the National Panorama title in 2009 with his own composition, “First in De Line” (sung by Eunice Peters, lyrics by Alvin Daniell).

Silver Stars went on to win for a second year with his composition and arrangement of “Battle Zone” (sung by Anslem Douglas, lyrics by Alvin Daniell) (see below).
 

In the Medium Band category, he also won with his composition and arrangements with Katzenjammers with his compositions, twice in a row, first with “Wake Up” (sung by Denyse Plummer, lyrics by Alvin Daniell) in 2011 (joint winner with Valley Harps) and with “This is Bacchanal” (sung by Eunice Peters, lyrics by Alvin Daniell) in 2012.

Certainly Edwin will go down in pan history as a major contributor to the steel band movement and its music in Trinidad and Tobago. R.I.P. Edwin, a Trini Pan Man 2 de Bone. Will miss your musical connection as so would many.

by Mark Loquan
Former stage side member of Silver Stars/composer

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