Forgive me if I come across as being flippant but after last Sunday I was left with the impression that only beautiful, fashionable women get cancer. The second annual Beat Breast Cancer Music Festival, held at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, was festooned with gorgeous women, many of them cancer survivors. Organised almost single-handedly by Basia Foundation director Alicia John-Powell and her husband, former West Indies batsman Ricardo Powell, the fund-raiser was one of the best concerts I have attended in quite some time.
While each act was at the top of its game I must single out the performance by husband-and-wife team of Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons, and their band Asylum, which now includes former Atlantik virtuoso guitarist Erico Camejo. I must commend Fay Ann for maturing into, not just a very good singer and recording artiste, a well-polished and charismatic stage performer. After a couple numbers from her husband, Fay Ann emerged on stage, elegantly attired, and simply took over, having every patron literally eating out of her hands. From its flawless sound system to its beautiful decor, the concert was simply a top-drawer effort, featuring some of the best artistes in the land, including Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, 3Canal, Ravi B, Shurwayne Winchester, Swappi, Maxi Priest and St Vincent's Kevin Lyttle.
A plethora of distinguished people from around the region was in attendance and I did see US Ambassador Beatrice Welters, US Embassy legal adviser Debra Coryat Patton, Junior Gong's mother Cindy Breakespeare, former Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs, designer Claudia Pegus, Dane Darbassie of Wendy's, fashion expert Pat Garcia and entertainer Marcia Miranda. During the evening I asked John-Powell how she managed to pull together such an ambitious project and she was effusive in her gratitude and appreciation of corporate citizens, like First Citizens, Guardian Holdings, bMobile, Toyota, Courts, Scaffolding Experts Ltd, Party Land, and Citadel Ltd. She also singled out individuals like Sharon Christopher and Dexter Charles (First Citizens); Lisa Agard (bMobile); Caira Cudjoe (Guardian Holdings); Marisha Narinesingh (Party Land); Laura Lalo, daughter of the late DJ Lalo, and Shival Maharaj (sound); and Amar Chan (Scaffolding Experts Ltd). John-Powell added that family and friends also threw their weight behind her and her husband to make the project a success.
In the wake of Pan Trinbago hosting its Pan in D Countryside and Friday evening After Work Pan Lime last month, the national instrument continues to hold its place in the spotlight with two mammoth pan shows carded this month. This evening, Pan Lovers International (PLI), a recently re-activated organisation of like-minded individuals whose vision include the pursuing of the national recognition of pioneers and icons of the steelband movement, is celebrating the historic 60th anniversary of Taspo's visit to the Festival of Britain with a gala fund-raising steelband concert. Scheduled for an 8 pm start, the production is being staged at the bpTT Renegades Pan Theatre on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, and is headlined "We remember Taspo."
Billed to perform are Phase II Pan Groove, Couva Joylanders, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, T&T Defence Force, Carib Woodbrook Playboyz and Renegades. Come tomorrow evening, the time worn argument of which steel orchestra has "the best repertoire' can be settled when four of the country's oldest steelbands meet in a face-off scheduled for the Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. The celebrated steel orchestras taking part in the musical face-off are Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) Invaders, Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars, Witco Desperadoes and Tokyo. To be staged by ENI Entertainment, the event is titled The Four Pillars of Steel, and its organisers say it is a "a repertoire championship in which the winner takes all."
The rules for tomorrow night's showdown are simple: each band will comprise a complement of between 25 and 40 players, and will be allowed 45 minutes to showcase its musical repertoire.
When the smoke has cleared, the winning band will not just take home $40,000, but will have bragging rights for some time. The other three participants will get an appearance fee of $20,000 each. Other prizes to be awarded include $1,500 each for Best Calypso, Best Latin selection, Best Pop rendition and Best Classical piece. One can already expect a reprise of this showdown in 2012, with probably this year's winner facing off against the likes of Phase II Pan Groove, bpTT Renegades, Sagicor Exodus, TCL Group Skiffle Bunch and even St James Tripolians, given the extensive repertoires each of these bands have.
Tickets are reasonably priced at $150, and are available at Crosby's, Western Main Road, St James; Cleve's, Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain; Rodney's, Arima; WACK 90.1FM, Coffee Street, San Fernando; and, DArena Restaurant & Sports Bar, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain. Call Junior Hutson at 341-4053 for more info.