Web Posted - Tuesday July 25, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - In one fell swoop the event elevated the past, present and future of pan in Trinidad and Tobago. More importantly, in July, people are talking seriously about Pan in Trinidad all over the world...
read more

Web Posted - Sunday July 23, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - These musicians are pouring their hearts out to diverse audiences, and yet there's a lack of professionalism in the control room. Audio is hardly sound. Life certainly isn't perfect, for sure. Still and all, great show by the performers. Pure creativity bursting forth. Exodus, Phase II, Renegades, Desperadoes and Trinidad All Stars put on their dan dan and a well-crafted show the likes of which I would never have dreamed could take shape.
read more

Web Posted - Saturday July 22, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Big 5 – The Pan Concert. Massy Trinidad All Stars, Desperadoes, bp Renegades, Republic Bank Exodus and Phase II Pan Groove in collaboration with HADCO - live - Trinidad and Tobago.
Watch Live stream

Web Posted - Wednesday July, 19, 2017
When Steel Talks

Meet Zahra Lake
Antigua & Barbuda

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - “At age 25 I will be a first time, female arranger on a National Panorama stage and I want that to inspire other women to take that leap….it is humbling and a great burden at the same time. I am ready for the challenge.”

In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - multitalented instructor and musician Zahra Lake shares her, intellect, optimism, expectations and views on the Steel Pan music art form in Antigua & Barbuda and more.
read more

Web Posted - Saturday 18, July, 2017
When Steel Talks

St. John’s, Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - Nine steel orchestras are scheduled to take the stage in the capital of Antigua & Barbuda to vie for the crown of 2017 Panorama champs. Eight of them are attempting to dethrone reigning champions Halcyon Steel Orchestra, which will be going with the selection ‘Miserable’ arranged by champion arranger Devon Bachelor.
read more

Web Posted - Saturday 15 July, 2017
When Steel Talks

Castries, St. Lucia, W.I. - After a one-year hiatus, the return of Babonneau Steel Orchestra led by champion arranger Alison Marquis was a triumphant one. With a musical army seventy-nine strong and appearing in position three out of six, the band displayed its trademark musical skill set, in a presentation of a classic kaiso by St. Lucian calypsonian Herb Black called One Day’s Work.

Grey slacks and ties, and grey ‘farmer browns’ paired with white shirts, were the choice of attire for the members as they deftly and with style, sashayed through their piece, ending at 11:05 p.m. on this Friday night. Babonneau last took the National Panorama title back in 2012, but were stumped at second-place for the next three years. With this year’s triumph, the orchestra now has three Panorama titles under its belt. 
read more

Web Posted - Saturday July 15, 2017
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - With most of the old guard of the steelband world in the autumn of their years it is now up to the youth to take the national instrument forward and upward to greener pastures and higher ground. Almost every one of our steel orchestras, inclusive of Trinidad All Stars, Desperadoes, Exodus, Renegades, Invaders and Skiffle, are all blessed with qualified and excellent musicians.

Recently the youth of Exocubs were the stars at a graduation exercise held at the Eastern Main Road pan amphitheatre of Republic Bank Exodus in St Augustine.
read more

Web Posted - Friday July 14, 2017
The Daily Herald

Philipsburg, St. Maarten, W.I. - The foundation for government buildings Stichting Overheidsgebouwen, (SOG) signed a one-year agreement on Wednesday with Isidore “The Mighty Dow” York to house his steelpan classes at St. Maarten’s Festival Village.

Talks started several months ago and parties agreed to move the Dow Musical Foundation steel pan programme, which will resume in August, to the Village.

The Dow Musical Foundation also has a steel pan class for tourists and resumed those classes on Wednesday. Daily, tourists who have signed up with tour operators will get a chance to learn how to play the steelpan.

SOG President Kurt Ruan, Secretary Cylred Richardson and Treasurer Marco London signed the agreement with York on Thursday during an ongoing tourist steelpan class at the Festival Village VIP section. York said some booths will be used as classrooms while different sections will be used for bigger classes.
read more

Web Posted - Saturday 8 July, 2017
When Steel Talks

Kingstown, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, W.I. - All that glittered was indeed gold, and this was the case for Starlift Steel Orchestra of St. Vincent and The Grenadines on the night of Thursday July 6, as they played their way through to the 2017 Panorama championship title at Carnival City. And fitting it was, as the country’s veteran music organization celebrates its 50^th Anniversary as well in 2017. At this year’s “Steel and Glitter” competition, the sixty-seven-musician-strong steel orchestra indeed shined in gold-accentuated black attire as they took the stage—second in the five-band line-up—to perform Duvone Stewart’s arrangement of favorite son-of-the-soil calypsonian Alston “Becket” Cyrus’s Nanny Revival. The 1993 calypso was written by Frankie McIntosh. Dancers were part of Starlift’s presentation. 
read more

Web Posted - Thursday July 6, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - A pictorial look at the NY Pan Stars 2017 Band Launch.

Hosts New York Pan Stars with invited musical guests CASYM, Despers USA and Pan Evolution steel orchestras opened the 2017 New York Steelband Summer Season with a Bang.
see pictures

Web Posted - Wednesday 5 July, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - Okay it’s official. The 2017 New York Summer steel band season is open. It was ushered in with a bang at the recent New York Pan Stars Band Launch. Held at the Despers USA panyard in Brooklyn, three additional Brooklyn orchestras (Despers USA, CASYM and Pan Evolution) participated in what was official billed as a “Pan Party.”

As is the operating style of New York Pan Stars they attempted to begin as close to the advertised start time as possible. From Lord Kitchener’s “Pan in ‘A’ Minor” to “Zouk” to Marc Anthony’s “Vivir Mi Vida” - NY Pan Stars no doubt got this party started right. 
read more

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The 2017 Trinidad and Tobago Panorama season—and by extension the Carnival season—was a tumultuous one that was overflowing with enough drama, intrigue, passion and controversy to field a season of Scandal, Empire or Game of Thrones. But in the end there was the music. An abundance of great music created by the finest arrangers, and outstanding performances delivered by the best steel orchestras in the world.

Two songs captured the imagination of Trinidad and Tobago for this 2017 Panorama and Carnival season - “Full Extreme” by Ultimate Rejects and “Good Morning” by Peter Ram. In fact, “Good Morning” became sort of the de-facto “test piece” as no other tune of choice has endeared itself to the steel orchestras as much in recent times. However, on closer inspection Bunji Garlin & Machel Montano’s “Buss Head” or Crazy’s “Gee Gee Ree” would be apropos to telling the complete Panorama season’s story.
read more

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Global - Within the historical context, a look at the impact of American movies on the naming of early steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago.
read more

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - At a glance and on a single page, access the comprehensive summary of results for the Small, Medium and Large conventional steel orchestras participating in their respective categories in the 2017 Panorama.

Follow the musical journey of respective bands through all three phases - preliminaries, semi-finals and finals through data on band info, scores, tunes of choice and arrangers.
access full summary here

 Tunes of Choice - Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Panorama 2017

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - A unique playlist featuring only the music selected as Tunes of Choice for the Trinidad and Tobago 2017 Steelband Panorama and Carnival.
listen to playlist

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Upcoming

Global  - Upcoming Steelpan music events from all over the world
click to calendar

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.
click to hear and/or view