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Mexico’s Xalapa Steel Band with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra - 2014 Panorama

An exclusive interview with Xalapa founder Eduardo “Lalo” Téllez

A When Steel Talks Exclusive

 

Global -  Members of Xalapa Steel Band of México were in Trinidad for the early part of the 2014 Panorama season, and took part in the preliminaries with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra led by Michelle Huggins-Watts. Eight members, six of them players, arrived in Trinidad on January 25. The remaining twosome from Xalapa were along on the visit for company, and to assist generally.
 

Xalapa Steel Band members learn ‘Happiest Man Alive’ with Valley Harps
Xalapa Steel Band members learn ‘Happiest Man Alive’ with Valley Harps

Though they very much enjoyed their overall time spent in Trinidad, because of the dates they would have to miss the semifinals and finals when Valley Harps moved forward. The group returned to Mexico February 9, but was exuberant over its experience. “We hope to go back again the next year!” says Xalapa band director and founder Eduardo “Lalo” Téllez. Téllez is a Percussion Professor in the Superior Institute of Music in Veracruz, Mexico and founded Xalapa Steel Band, the first in the country.

Xalapa Steel Band members with Valley Harps arranger Michelle-Huggins-Watts
Xalapa Steel Band members with Valley Harps arranger Michelle-Huggins-Watts (center)

Téllez himself has been to Trinidad twice previously, and met Huggins-Watts on his second trip which had been for carnival season. She invited him to play with Valley Harps then, but time was not on his side. Eventually plans were made to join the steel orchestra for Panorama 2014. When Steel Talks was pleased to be able to further explore with Téllez his group’s first ‘Panorama’ experience.


WST - What was the very first session with Valley Harps like for you and your band members? 

Eduardo Téllez - “As soon as we arrived in Trinidad, we went to Petit Valley and started to learn the tune. So, the very first practice for us was the 26th of January.  And it was great because, it was new for some of us; I mean, we were used to a different layout of the notes.  I had to play the double second, which we did not have in Mexico before going to Trinidad, and I had to learn the tune with these new positions. It was the same with our triple cello player, learning to play the four cello.”

Xalapa Steel Band members learn ‘Happiest Man Alive’ with Valley Harps
Xalapa Steel Band members learn ‘Happiest Man Alive’ with Valley Harps

WST - What did you think of your time in a Trinidad pan yard, that of Valley Harps?

Eduardo Téllez - “We had a good impression since the first practice, and what we really wanted to see is the traditional way to drill a band, the rehearsals, the dynamics and how they learn to play the arrangement and indeed, how the arrangers make it without music scores as we do in Mexico.  Our thinking about this was that Trinidadians are very proud of their country, their musical roots and their strong tradition on pan music.  We could see most of the players enjoying the tune every time they played it.”


Xalapa Steel Band members rehearse with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra
Xalapa Steel Band members rehearse with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra

Xalapa Steel Band members rehearse with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra
Xalapa Steel Band members rehearse with Valley Harps Steel Orchestra

WST - What was the experience like learning the music for this full competition performance?

Eduardo Téllez - “It was quite an experience, we had the chance to see other bands practicing too, and they had this same idea of repetition, over and over again, every single part of the song to make each section sound like one single player.”


WST - How did your group relate to the Valley Harps members?

Eduardo Téllez - “Very well.  I think probably the young people was wondering why were we there?  And at the beginning they were distant, but little by little they accepted us. And the elders of the band were always nice and took care of us very well.  We feel very thankful with them and of our friends, Ian Franklin, Ronald Matthews and Sherene Matthews, who shared many things with us and were very interested on our work in Mexico.”


WST - Did you get to visit any other steelband pan yards? If so, how was it, what did you think, especially of the large steel orchestras (if you did see them practice)?

Eduardo Téllez - “We visited the Panyards of Desperadoes, Renegades and All Stars, not always when practicing because their practice was at the same time as ours.  But when we saw them play I can say it was just amazing, and specially we enjoyed that most of the people always had a smile to give us.”


WST - How do you feel overall about your entire experience in Trinidad?

Eduardo Téllez - “Very motivated, and ready to work hard in the development of Steel Pan in Mexico. And we surely will be back again to play in Panorama and have this wonderful experience again.”
 
Xalapa members at the panyard of Valley Harps Steel Orchestra
Xalapa members at the panyard of Valley Harps Steel Orchestra

WST - Now that you are back in Mexico, what do the next few months hold for Xalapa Steel Band?

Eduardo Téllez - “Actually, I’m working on some arrangements and I expect to have them finished soon.  I have this idea of making a musical connection between Mexico and Trinidad, not only with the pans, but with Mexican and Trini songs. As well, we have an invitation to go to Belgium next year and play with the band there. We’re looking for sponsorship to make it possible.”

Contact Eduardo Téllez  @ lalotellez.mx@gmail.com 


Xalapa Steel Band members with Valley Harps arranger Michelle-Huggins-Watts
Xalapa Steel Band members with Valley Harps arranger Michelle-Huggins-Watts (in hat)

Below:  Video of Valley Harps Steel Orchestra, with Xalapa players

Click for WST’s Trinidad and Tobago Panorama 2014 coverage

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