A list of Trinidad and Tobago 2016 Carnival events and activities
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Web Posted - Monday November 30, 2015
When Steel Talks

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. W.I. - Marie Toby (Tobago), Gerard Mendez (North) and David Balbosa (South/Central) will preside over their respective Regional Executive Committees for the next three (3) years.

However, the East will have to go back to the polls as at the end of the voting exercise there was a tie for the top position between the incumbent Vernon Morancie and contender Carlon Harewood. The run off is carded for Wednesday 09 December 2015 at the Arima Town Hall, Arima, at 5:00 p.m.
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Web Posted - Monday November 30, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Nicole was first runner up in the Calypso Queen competition, and was also a finalist in the national calypso monarch competition of that year. Because of her sweet voice and great range, she has always been in great demand by producers and other artistes alike, for work with studio background vocals.

She’s back for the Panorama 2016 season with the track featured here, The Sprits of the Past.
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Web Posted - Saturday November 28, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Dr. David Michael Rudder remains in fine form as a Soca legend, once again active for the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and Panorama 2016.  Teaming up with a legend in his own right—musician, composer, performing artist, arranger and producer—Pelham Goddard, Rudder vocalizes and penned lyrics for music laid down by Goddard.  The track is called ‘De Big Yard’ and is the tune of choice for Exodus Steel Orchestra for 2016.
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Global -  Ms. Kimberli St. Clair was born and raised in Tunapuna, Trinidad & Tobago. She is currently in her third year at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago pursuing a Bachelor in both Music Education and Steelpan Performance. She comes from a family of 5, being the oldest of three girls.

At age 21, Ms. St. Clair is already the CEO of her own company, Musical Ventures Institute of Learning, in addition to being a steelband arranger.  For the 2016 Panorama season, she will be arranging for Tunapuna All Stars Steel Orchestra, continuing her collaboration with the east Trinidad-based music organization for a second year.
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Web Posted - Monday November 23, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Dunstan “Carwash” Lawrence from Trinidad & Tobago is a composer and calypso ‘regular.’ Dunstan made his calypso tent debut in 1999.

Lawrence has re-worked and re-released his 1998 track called Me And Meh Lady for the 2016 Panorama season. It is arranged by Pelham Goddard.
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Web Posted - Sunday November 22, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - “Mr. Lonesome” aka Irving Boiselle has is the vocalist of choice for one of composer Miguel Reyes’ latest works. Boiselle has worked with Reyes before, and is featured on the latter’s In Meh Band of 2014.

For the 2016 Panorama season, he is back in this Reyes-collaboration, All Ah Dem, featured here.
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Web Posted - Sunday November 22, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Composer and panist Miguel Reyes (pictured above), who shares the same hometown with the late Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener, is from Arima in east Trinidad.

Recognition came Miguel’s way in 2009 with his acclaimed ‘pan tune’ Bandoleros, vocalized by “Tunapuna Scanty.” It took Sforzata Steel Orchestra in Trinidad & Tobago’s medium band category to winner’s row.

....A competent musician, Miguel Reyes has put out other pieces such as Pan Is Meh Life, In Meh Band, Mr. Pan, Donna, (Rebecca Daughter) and Blazing. He is back for the 2016 Panorama season with Mash Up, featured here; it is sung by Randy Isaac.
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Global -  Man, a film about artist-designer Peter Minshall, produced and directed by Dalton Narine, won the Long Beach International Film Festival prize for Best Feature Documentary on Oct. 11, 2015 n Long Beach, a city in Los Angeles County.
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Web Posted - Friday November 20, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - ....In 2013 “T.J.” wrote and sang two tracks for the Panorama season which were favorably received: Thank You Bertie and Mash Up De Stage. The latter was performed as tune of choice by a steel orchestra for that year’s Panorama. Both selections were arranged by Dave Ramoutar.

For 2016 Wayne “TJ” Pierre is back with Proud To Be A Trini, the track featured here.
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Global -  Election of Officers to the various Pan Trinbago Regional Executive Committees is carded for Wednesday 25 November 2015 at venues in the respective regions.
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Web Posted - Thursday November 19, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - “Bass on Fire” is the 2nd collaboration between Mark Loquan and Seion Gomez as composers, and Gregory “GB” Ballantyne as lyricist, after their popular piece in 2015, “Outta De Box”, which was performed in the National and International Panorama in Trinidad, and other pan events in Toronto and New York. For 2016, the vocals have been performed by the son of the late Lord Kitchener, and soca producer, singer and songwriter in his own right, Kernal Roberts.
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Web Posted - Thursday November 19, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - “Dr. WillB” has also been an avid Pan player and as a calypsonian, has performed with the Klassic Ruso calypso tent. Muster Point was his composition for the 2012 Panorama season, with People’s Choice and Bounce Meh Nah being put out in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

For 2015 “Dr. WillB” composed the witty This Bass Stick sung by Anthony Johnson, and for the 2016 Panorama he is back once more as composer and vocalist with Musical Chairs.
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Global -  The fifth edition of “Pan In D Rosa” takes place at Lime Blvd, Santa Rosa Heights, Arima, on Saturday 28^th November 2015, from 6:00 pm. Staged by the Pan in D Rosa Management Committee with assistance from the Ministries of Community Development, Culture and The Arts and Tourism. The Christmas Pan Lime has attracted eight (8) of the biggest names in steel orchestras .
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Global -  Bertie Marshall, 74, is a dreamer and trailblazer. A tuner of forceful personality who impressed his will on Pan.

Bertie was born in 1936 in the working class community of Laventille at a time when Trinidad was in industrial turmoil and the transition from Tamboo Bamboo to Dustbin was in full gear. By the end of World War Two (WWII) notes appeared on the drums and Bertie, as a schoolboy, experienced and witnessed this transition as there were several steelbands in his and the surrounding communities. These experiences impacted greatly on the young Bertie Marshall as evidenced by his lifelong commitment to the development of this indigenous musical instrument.
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Global -  The long-awaited Limited Edition DVD recording of the International Panorama is available Captured “live” from the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, Trinidad, the set comprises the twenty four (24) competing steel orchestras on three (3) discs.
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Global -  David ijaduola is an all-round musician from being a performer to an arranger and composer. His musical interest started at the tender age of 3 when he began to play his mother’s pots and pans using spoons as his sticks to imitate drums.
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Global -  Wallace Austin is considered as one of the finest steelpan tuners ever. Wallace Austin was part of the legendary team of tuners (Rudolph Charles, Lincoln Noel, James 'Bassman' Jackman, Emmanuel 'Jack' Riley, Bertie Marshall, and Tony Slater) that gave Desperadoes their unique sound.

In the early 1950s Mr. Austin was a great double tenor player for Invaders Steel Orchestra.
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Web Posted - Monday November 16, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Roland Barnes—sobriquet “Trinirollo”—was born in San Juan, Trinidad. Says Barnes “I am proud of my ancestry and the various opportunities afforded me to be a cultural ambassador.

....Trinirollo’s previous contributions have included Protect de Pan and Friendship. His 2016 calypso contribution is entitled No Pan.
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Reading, Michigan, USA — The Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band will entertain in Reading this week.

Reading High School will host the band at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night in the school gymnasium.

The 30-piece ensemble travels all over the country, including performances at Chicago Lightfest and Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

The concert is free and open to the public.

RHS Band Director Josh Sholler said area residents will not want to miss “what is sure to be an incredible concert and a truly special event.”
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Global -  Pan Trinbago's "Pan in D Country Side" 2015 was fantastic. All participants and patrons agreed that it was one of the best. Maybe it was because of the nature of the event. In this, the last such event for 2015, a number of Steelbands volunteered to give their services free of charge, to raise funds that would assist three icons of the South / Central region in attaining greater mobility.
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Global -  In 1969 Kelman became the resident Master tuner for Renegades Steel Orchestra. Bertram was also the driving force behind the legendary Jit Samaroo becoming the arranger for Renegades Steel Orchestra. Between 1980 and 1997, the Amoco Renegades won nine Panorama competitions, came second three times and third three times.
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Allan Gervais was one of the finest tuners in his era. He was quick and excelled on all the instruments. He was considered to be one the best, if not, the best, with respect to the maintenance of the instruments and was able to bring out the best in tone and sound of all sizes of steel bands.
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Ellie Mannette is widely credited with developing and refining the instrument, and its tuning, over the past half-century, and is often referred to as the “Father of the Modern Steel Drum.” For the past decade-and-a-half, he has proudly carried on this legacy from the hills of Monongalia County, as an artist-in-residence at West Virginia University.
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Global -  As one of a few considered avenues for expanding WST’s historical data, facts and figures surrounding significant characters, and events and times within the steelband movement - When Steel Talks (WST) has been collaborating with the “BestOfTrinidad.com” to access and include valued information related to the steelband art form, complied by Mr. Ronald Emrit over the years. This data is included within the WST media cards of significant events, figures, steel orchestras, tuners, players and arrangers, and will strengthen the already robust WST knowledge base system by providing additional facts for those seeking further background on the people, music organizations, places and events of the steelband world.
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Web Posted - Wednesday November 11, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global -  Jathniel Thomas (Jackspania), a multi-talented musician, was born in the island of Trinidad in the village of Arouca.

In 2015, Thomas had three tracks in the musical mix: Pan Is Meh High, Pan Warriors and The Pan Tones Ring. For the 2016 Panorama season, he is back with PanDora.
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Global -  Being of an adventurous nature and never wanting to avoid a challenge Jenessa dived right in and currently can be seen jamming her set of seven bass pans. Ironically, Jenessa has never played a tenor pan competitively even though it was the first steelpan instrument that she was introduced too. On the topic she stated, ‘I love my bass too bad!’
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Web Posted - Wednesday November 4, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Winston “Skippy” Maingot has won Calypso titles in Montreal, and Toronto, Canada. His compositions have been performed by artists such as Crazy, Macomere Fifi and Ronnie McIntosh as well as Connector, to name a few. Maingot was also a member of the Expo ‘67 Steelband.

In 2014, “Skippy” came with ‘Nothing Sweeter Than Pan.’ And he makes a musical appearance with “Doh Jam Me,” for the 2016 steelband Panorama season.
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Web Posted - Tuesday November 3, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - Trinidad-born Joel Davis aka “Connector” is a multi-talented artist who has made a tremendous contribution to Soca in Toronto since he burst on the scene in 1992. In 1995 “Connector” had his first hit single, “Bump and Shake Yuh Bam Bam.”

....For the 2016 Panorama season he is throwing his hat in ring as both composer and vocalist with the track featured here, “Pan In “D” Air” - with a bit of help on background lyrics by Nikki Coar, and with production and arrangement courtesy Mark Mosca.
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Web Posted - Monday November 2, 2015
When Steel Talks

Global - BamBam Ville Is a song about a mystical place, where Soca lives. It's a Paradise, a kinda Old days Trinidad, with beautiful women with wonderful appearance and the big bumper trait. MiMi is a teen sensation with very powerful voice, some say she sounds like Destra others say Patrice. It hard to determine where her beautiful voice resonates, except from her roots. MiMi sings about Bam Bam Ville in this song.
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Listen to a playlist of Trinidad and Tobago 2016 Soca tunes for Carnival.
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Upcoming

Global  - Upcoming Steelpan music events from all over the world
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks - Special

Champion Panorama Tunes of Trinidad and Tobago

Global - A critical component to winning any panorama competition is the song the orchestras choose to use as the basis of their panorama arrangements. Over the years these songs have inspired classic panorama arrangements. When Steel Talks invites you to take a look at and listen to, these famed tunes which have played more than just a cursory part in the history of Pan, and the lives of the players and fans.
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