Nutones Steel Orchestra

NUTONES

Nutones Steel Orchestra was formed in 1969 in the Arima area known as “Over the Bridge”. As so many other bands, there were many who pioneered the formation of the band with aliases such as Sweetie, Twigs and Rangee. They all worked under Joseph “Crazy Joe” Salvary the first arranger.

With only a few years after its formation, the band won the 1973 National Steelband Music Festival with a great interpretation of “Boca Chimes” a John Donaldson senior composition. The music was arranged by Bettie Fraser who later became a Government Minister. The pans were tuned by Sylvester “Scorpion” Garcia. Over the years 1973 - 2001 the band has certainly been quite successful at the Panorama competition in particular at the Music Festivals.

The band won the East Zonal title of panorama in 1978 playing ‘King Kong” by Sparrow, in 1983 playing “Oh La La” by Becket, in 1986 playing “Rat Race” by Bill Trotman and of course that great year 1998 playing “High Mass” by David Rudder. During the period 1981- 1986 as well as the period 1992 the band reached the finals of the National Panorama.

In 1980 when the steelband Music Festival returned after a lapse of 7 years with Pan is Beautiful, Desmond Waithe’s interpretation of Sparrow’s slave with Nutones is still considered a classic. In this year the band placed 3^rd in that particular competition.

The band suffered a setback when the International Trust Company went into liquidation. However, in 1998 the band won its first and only Panorama title with “High Mass” arranged by the master arranger Clive Bradley. Nutones has made several overseas visits. They include trips to Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta and has been associated with projects which have contributed to the development of Arima.