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Trinidad, W.I.
- The stars came out, and they did shine!! Silver
Stars Steel Orchestra, that is. Making history as
they did so, the band which calls Tragarete Road in
Woodbrook, Trinidad their home, had three “firsts” at
the end of the competition.
This was
the orchestra’s second time playing in the large conventional
band category. The name of their selection was
“First In De Line.” And at the end of the night,
scoring 469 points, they emerged ahead of the pack, and,
first. Not bad for a ‘first’ in the big band arena - the
first time, that is, in which a band has moved up from the
medium category to that of the large - (where Silver Stars
also competed in 2008) - and triumphed. The orchestra
previously contended in the former category from 2004–2007. In fact, just on time, if you were
to ask management and players! When the
band was through wowing their supporters and the crowd, arranger Edwin Pouchet said:
“...after the
semi-finals, you know, I kind of lost a lot of - the encouragement to go on, because I didn’t
think the performance [in the semis] was a fourth place [as
per the results] performance. But thanks to the lyrics
of the song...in the third verse...‘no matter how many
times they knock you down, you get up and go again,’...I think
that is what you heard here tonight. I was just
determined to come back and fight.” First In
De Line is Pouchet’s own composition, with lyrics by
Alvin Daniell. Sliver Stars has been coming to
panorama with Pouchet’s compositions for the last few years. The crowd
thoroughly appreciated the band’s presentation, which, with
their opening, literally threw down the gauntlet, borrowing from
John Williams’ memorable work for the 2008 Beijing Olympics
to do so.
A standing ovation followed the band as they made their way
off stage. With a
mere point separating Silver Stars and last year’s winners,
Phase II Pan Groove, it was just enough to tip the scales in
favor of the new title-holders, and for the trophy and
million-dollar (TT) prize purse to be handed over to them.
Soca star Machel Montano, who vocalized
“Magic Drum,” and which was written by
Phase II’s arranger Len
“Boogsie” Sharpe, took the stage as the orchestra’s proud
flag man. Speaking after the band’s presentation that
ended precisely at 12:15 a.m., “Boogsie” Sharpe ‘stuck to his guns,’
proudly insisting that he loved to be different, arranging
partly on feelings, and spoke about his willingness always
to ‘try something new.’ “This piece - is one of my best pieces” Boogsie
declared as his band cleared the stage.
Trinidad
All Stars who came once again seeking victory, had to settle
for third place with “Pan Rivalry,” a composition penned by
Leon “Smooth” Edwards, who returned as their panorama
arranger. It was the first time the band had walked a
route regularly trodden by Phase II, competing with a
selection composed by the band’s arranger. Regardless of
the judges’ final decision, Trinidad All Stars delivered a
performance which reminded many present why they have
remained one of “the Big Six” for many years.
From the
hills of Laventille, the mighty Desperadoes have been
knocking on the door for several years, demanding to be let
back into not only the
top three, but as numero uno. It was
in 2000, nine years ago, that the band last tasted victory.
But this year, it was not for lack of trying. Belting
out a refined Robert Greenidge arrangement of a Jason
“Peanuts” Isaac composition entitled “Pan Redemption,” the
band was in a very strong position to make this their year
of triumph. With a powerful interpretation, customary
tight and punchy but
spiritual delivery, and fabulous
ending to “Pan Redemption,” Greenidge was quite pleased with
his band’s presentation, and overall commended the
orchestra. “A great performance, I think the guys
[Desperadoes] did a wonderful job.” According to the judges
however, this work reflected a fourth place overall in the
results.
Renegades
Steel Orchestra returned to the finals once more, with
arranger Amrit Samaroo ably stepping up to both the
challenge, and happy occasion, of honoring his father in the
selection the orchestra presented - “Dr Jit” - a tribute
written and performed by Winston Scarborough, D Original De Fosto. Clearly well rehearsed and aiming to make 2009
their year to re-capture their glory, while simultaneously celebrating their
legendary arranger Dr. Jit Samaroo, 457 points saw them securing
fifth position when the results were announced.
In almost
every competition, there is one result that elicits shrieks
of disbelief. And on this night, these yelps were
breathtakingly audible when Exodus was allotted sixth
position. In a celebratory mood with “Festival
Time,”
co-written by their arranger Pelham Goddard and artists 3
Canal, the band returned to the savannah with the daring
move of relinquishing canopies that have been the norm for
many years. For the second year in a row, the band from the
eastern region opted instead to resplendently perform fully
visible to all, with their musicians nattily attired and
positioned on tiers or risers. Needless to say, the
shock waves from the orchestra’s final placing are still reverberating with many,
and will for some time to come. It was
back in 2004 when Exodus won the panorama battle with
Goddard’s arrangement of the appropriately-named War
2004.
There were a few perilous minutes for
Exodus Steel Orchestra just before they performed, with
allegations they were over the hundred-player limit.
While it is unclear as to exactly by how many they were in
excess; and if, or why a firm decision may not have been
arrived at beforehand - to ensure only the maximum took the
stage, it was undoubtedly
upsetting for those musicians who were “dressed to
the nines,” adrenalin flowing, and all fired up to perform on
‘their’ finals night, only to be asked to leave the stage
and not be able to play.
Former Member of Parliament Edward “Eddie” Hart
shared his thoughts in part on this situation, saying that it
was “very hard when you have players ‘burning the midnight
oil’ and to hear when they reach...that they cannot
play....” Continuing, and describing them as “the most
sensational panoramas,” Hart reminisced about years ago (in
the sixties) when there were no size restrictions and the
then-powerhouses came to the competition in all their
glory; bands like Harmonites, and Guinness Cavaliers - the
latter sporting literally around two hundred musicians on
stage. He lamented about the overall adulteration of
the panorama and the “spirit” of the event, hoping that these
issues would be addressed.
The governing body for the steelpan, Pan Trinbago,
had announced the reduction in
the three categories [small, medium and large] a few weeks ago, claiming that the
bands were on board with their decision. However, up
to mere days before the final, there had
been some clear dissonance with the new restrictions which
lowered the maximum number of musicians from 120 to 100 in
the large category, while also meting out adjustments in the
medium and small divisions.
Siparia
Deltones hailing from South Trinidad and mustering seventh
place with 450.5 points, saw the pan musicians thoroughly
enjoying themselves on stage, reveling in their unique
journey to the finals. In recent years, they competed
in the small steel orchestra category, but for 2009 leapt
into the big band arena. Their ebullient but competent arranger, Carlton
“Zanda”
Alexander was
extremely happy with his band’s presentation, and his choice
of tune for the panorama. There were shades of the
late musician and arranger Clive Bradley in some of Zanda’s
words, as he voiced no qualms about having opted to go with
“I Am Not Drunk” - unconventional musical fare in panorama
circles, overall more of a “party” ditty, and definitely
more in keeping with the mindset of his fairly young and
modern pan musicians, who made up in large part, the
orchestra’s complement. Clive Bradley, himself happiest around the younger generation, was famous for - when the choice was left up to him
- having zero fear about
how the panorama judges would receive the choice of selection, and
going for ‘music’ over traditional ‘pan songs,’ especially in the New
York panorama arena. This generally meant arranging
selections other
bands ‘would not touch with a ten-foot pole.’ But then again, this is
the same Carlton “Zanda” Alexander who, with Siparia Deltones
but in the small band category,
went with Destra Garcia’s wildly popular “Roll It” back in 2006 when the
band claimed third place in the panorama finals that year.
Though the
band ably and proudly represented Trinidad’s sister isle of
Tobago, an unwelcome type of “inversion” took place in the case of Redemption
Sound Setters and arranger Winston Gordon. They
competed as the first band to take the stage, and also chose
“First In De Line” as their panorama tune, but after the adjudication
- as far as
the panel of judges saw it - they merited last place overall
in the night’s performances. As the saying goes -
someone has got to be last, but no one wishes to actually
fulfill that criterion.
The delay of the scheduled 7:00 p.m. start
of the evening’s program had been attributed in part to the
rainy conditions, and saw the national anthem being played
around 7:30 p.m. But it will be a blindingly
brilliant day at the panyard of this year’s champs - Silver
Stars steel orchestra - regardless of the weather.
There will be absolutely no raining on their parade.
And of
course, while thousands of pan lovers were fortunate enough
to bask in the passionate renditions of pan performances - in
person - at the Queen’s
Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain,
there were the additional legions of fans from around the
world who were glued to the various internet feeds that
technology now affords.
While there were many hundreds of happy people dancing around at
Silver Stars’ victory - the forums, micro-blogs, and other
social networks were equally alive. Many were happy to have been,
in some way, able to vicariously enjoy the show; some
reacted with grudging
acquiescence to the new champions, others with howls of dismay
at the results. That’s competition. There is a
winner, and there are losers.
 With the
2009 panorama finals now in the rearview mirror, and the
ever-present debates raging on, the euphoria that is being
enjoyed by Silver Stars is well-deserved after many, many days and
nights of hard work in their panyard to interpret the work
of their much-loved arranger, Edwin Pouchet
(pictured [in green] with band members at 2005 event). Undoubtedly the
individual orchestras will return in 2010 with a vengeance to lay
claim to what they each see as their right to the
championship title.
The year 2010 is already looming
large.
Editor’s note:
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Pan Trinbago is playing with fire. The size
limitations will destroy bands. If the
situation is so dire - that is, in the
organization’s mind - that they believe from an
economic or numerical standpoint, that there must
indeed be limitations on bands, then - they should
consider eliminating at least one of the three
categories, to bolster numbers in orchestras overall
- in the other division(s).
But it is illogical, irrational, anti-social, and
frankly destructive to the artform and its
communities - to expect bands that have
traditionally fielded, and continue to do so - up to
one hundred forty qualified and faithful pan
musicians, to downsize and strip down to one hundred
people. And particularly when this mandatory
downsizing so adversely affects their flagship music
organizations/orchestras, and crowd-pullers. |
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