Thanks to Pan Trinbago I now know my country. After last Sunday's open air Pan in De Countryside concert on the beach of Guayaguayare, Pan Trinbago Inc has taken me to almost every nook and cranny of the country. I now have to get to Sangre Chiquito, Rampanalgas and Embacadere.
A convoy of maxi taxis from all corners of the country, in spite of mammoth rallies by the two major political parties in the East and North, converged on The Sea Wall just after lunch to enjoy the music of Brimblers, Scrunters Pan Groove, White Oak Starlift, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps and Skiffle.
DJ KC Klass is Class set the mood at 2 pm with pan music, a la CDs. Scrunters Pan Groove of Cocorite was the first band to perform with a spicy musical set, especially its interpretation of In My House, the selection which won Witco Desperadoes the 1999 National Panorama title.
Brimblers, resident in Woodbrook and positioned on Sunday next next to Starlift, also produced a colourful performance. Its set included Jane, Wrecker and Woman on the Bass, selections played by three previous Panorama champions, Starlift, Harmonites and Trinidad All Stars, respectively, as well as Kisses and Raze. As usual, Starllift was well rehearsed and its performance of Pennylane and Ah Feelin had a few patrons dancing.
Hailing from San Fernando, Skiffle, with its youthful membership, thrilled with each of its selections, especially its playing of How Great Thou Art, Like A Boss, Lucy, and Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing. Just before the band's performance, its manager Junia Regrello arrived to be with his young charges, having torn himself from the ongoing PNM Family Day in progress at Nelson Mandela Park in St Clair.
By the time Tropical Angel Harps began its performance at 6.45 pm, darkness had fallen on Guayaguayare. But Pan Trinbago secretary Richard Forteau, turned emcee, humorously quipped, "Angel Harps shall shed light on the proceedings. After all, its sponsor is T&TEC." Brilliant is one way to describe this Chaguanas band's performance. Opening with Baron's This Melody Sweet, its set incuded I Will Survive, Stay Up Zimbabwe, Play One, Calypso Music, Telll Me Why, and its 2015 Panorama tune, Tony Barclay's Pan For Beethoven.
The show ended at 7.45 pm. The convoy of maxi taxis made its way in the darkness to various destinations, transporting fully sated pan lovers still thirsty for another dose of this unique and thoroughly enjoyable steelband experience.The next edition of Pan in De Countryside is scheduled for June 27 in Lopinot. The names of performing steelbands will be announced by Pan Trinbago Inc shortly.
Sparrow, Stalin,Sandra in high spirits
Three of our most revered past national calypso monarchs, who have been under the weather, are on the mend in rapid fashion. Mighty Sparrow, who survived a coma last year; Black Stalin, convalescing from a stroke and Singing Sandra, who underwent surgery a couple months, are all hale and hearty.
Pulse spoke to Sparrow in New York by phone and the Calypso King of the World sounded in high spirits as he serenaded me with some of his vintage songs. He said he was continuing his therapy in the Big Apple, adding: "I want to be strong and fit when I come home for my birthday in July. I am looking forward to performing somewhere for my people back home." Sparrow turned 80 on July 9.
Sparrow's wife Margaret, contacted at their Petit Valley home, said: "So far nothing really grand has been planned for Birdie. It's up in the air. I may just have a little get-together at home for him, with cake and ice cream."Erupting in his trademark laugh, Sparrow ended his spontaneous phone performance for Pulse by singing a verse and chorus of Age Is Just A Number and Willie Dead.
When Pulse checked in on Stalin, he was in therapy, but his wife Patsy assured, "Leroy is getting stronger by the day. He is in good spirits and continues to follow his doctors instructions and get better."Singing Sandra, just finishing consuming a bowl of coo coo and fish, told Pulse, "by the grace of God I am improving. You guys will see me on stage sooner than you know it."
Pulse wishes these icons of culture complete recovery.
Woodbrook in mas
Having placed second in this year's NCBA Band of the Year competition at the Queen's Park Savannah and in the Downtown competitions, Trini Revellers has already decided that its presentation for 2016 will be A Touch of Woodbrook, Then and Now. Pulse was assured of this by bandleader Enrico Rajah.
Rajah explained that the presentation will focus on the brief history of the suburb of Woodbrook and will pay tribute to the icons who have contributed to its development.It will also focus on the changes then and now, and will touch on the changing face of Ariapita Avenue and Tragarete Road.
Now over 100 years old, Woodbrookers will now be afforded the opportunity of sharing their rich history of culture (mas and pan), sport, liming spots, entertainment, music and eating places on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. So don't be surprised if you see masqueraders portraying Roxy, Invaders, Hot & Cold, Little Carib, Beryl McBurnie, the Ice Factory, and recreations of mas by stalwarts like George Bailey, Stephen Lee Heung, Peter Minshall and Stephen Dereck.
Casablanca reunites
Casablanca Steel Orchestra will be hosting its Reunion/Launch on Saturday, June 6 at the Pan Yard, 31 Belmont Circular Road, Belmont, from 5 pm.The playlist includes performances by The Mighty Chalkdust and friends, pannists Michael Gabriel and Noel La Pierre. The T&T Police Service Band and Defence Force Single Pan Steel Orchestra will also be in attendance.
Casablanca Steel Orchestra is one of the oldest steelbands in the country, starting from a biscuit drum band in 1945 called Bar 20. Legendary figures included Oscar "Bogart" Pile, Ormond "Patsy" Haynes, Arthur "Art" DeCoteau, among others, whose perseverance moved the band to musical heights.
In 1982 Casablanca was awarded The Humming Bird Gold Medal for loyal and devoted service to the steelband movement. Since 1983, Casablanca has been performing on the international circuit. In the recent past, the band had been conducting a number of vocational courses to help the band's next generation.Admission to the June 6 event is free to the public.