You may not have realised it before but the only month without an official public holiday this year is November. Apart from holiday activities being planned, this is an extremely hectic year for culture, especially pan and calypso.This weekend, Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations reach fever pitch with J'Ouvert, the parade of traditional Carnival characters and the annual steelband parade taking place tomorrow, beginning at 4 am and going through the entire day.
Pan on the Move will be held on the streets of Point Fortin tomorrow, from 5 pm. Seventeen popular steelbands are expected to parade, including 2015 National Panorama champion Massy Trinidad All Stars, runners-up Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove and Republic Bank Exodus, respectively, PCS Silver Stars, BP Renegades, CAL Invaders, Witco Desperadoes, RBC Redemption Sound Setters, Skiffle, NLCB Fonclaire, Super Novas, SIS Harmonites, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, Pan Elders, Tornadoes, NLCB Buccooneers and Starland.
Pan Trinbago's most ambitious production this year is its inaugural August 9 International Conference and Panorama (ICP), to be held at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. Themed Crescendo...Elevating The Steelpan and launched last August at the Central Bank Auditorium, the event has the blessings of President Anthony Carmona, Professor Clement Sankat (Patron of the Conference) and Minister of The Arts & Multiculturalism Lincoln Douglas.
An international competition, the ICP will field champions steelbands from around the globe, from North America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. They will test local champions, including Trinidad All Stars, Pan Elders and Arima Golden Symphony, as well as the top six-placed large conventional orchestras in this year's National Panorama competition, the top four medium bands and the top two small steelbands.
Notables who have not qualified are previous Panorama winners Desperadoes, Starlift, Harmonites and Nutones.
To be held in memory of late broadcaster Holly Thomas, this year's edition of Pan on the Avenue is being held in honour of Black Stalin and 24 pan tuners. Staged by the Woodbrook St James Community Association along Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, the seven-hour show and parade will be held on August 22. Also on the billing is the Susan Mohip Dance Troupe.
Despite losing its home base, Carib Woodbrook Playboyz will stage its annual pre-Independence Day steelband parade along Tragarete Road, Newtown, on August 30. Traditionally a crowd-puller this event features invited steelbands performing on three stages between Colville and French Streets with calypsonians and other artistes appearing on a fourth fixed stage. Popular acts who have graced this show are SuperBlue, Scrunter, Pelham Goddard & Roots and Blaxx.
At just the age of 15, Luke Samerson and his brother Joshua, performing as LuJoE, have what promises to be the big hit single this Mother's Day. Under the watchful eye of Richard "CharSu" Ahong the teenagers have released Song for Mama, a single which is embellished with some beautiful harmonies.
The brothers were born in a musical family–their grandfather was calypsonian Cedric "Chiller" Pierre, their aunt is Carlene Wells the chutney star, and their parents, Nigel and Camille Samerson, are also singers. Music has been a part of LuJoE's life from a very young age, and they were exposed to all types of music by their father who inspired them to pursue their dreams in a music career.
Luke, the older of the two, had his first appearance on stage at ten, singing calypso in school. At 13, he won the NYAC Junior Calypso monarch and as champion performed among the winning calypso monarchs and queens of that same year. From singing calypso he explored genres like blues, jazz, R&B and classical, and he started emulating the greats like Michael Jackson, Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder to name a few.
Luke has been involved in major musical productions such as First Instinct's Sound of Music in 2012 and JCS (Jesus Christ Superstar) in 2014, in which he landed a lead role.
At 15, Luke realised that his younger brother Joshua had an amazing voice and a passion for playing classical guitar. In 2012, Joshua placed second in his category, playing classical guitar in the annual National Music Festival, a great achievement at his age. Luke decided to join forces with him to form LuJoE (Lu as in Luke, Jo as in Joshua and the E for entertainment).
In 2014 LuJoE was introduced to producer Ahong who co-wrote and co-produced the Billboard Dance hit What I Want by Fireball. Ahong decided that they would be the ideal group to spearhead his vision of an alternative music movement from T&T, where young talented artistes can pursue international recognition fusing Caribbean genres with international standards.
The duo has since sharpened their vocal and performance skills, and have appeared at many shows including opening both the Junior Soca Monarch and International Soca Monarch competitions, singing the National anthem.
LuJoE's music is considered "Caribbean pop" and this is evident in Song For Mama, a cover of the Boyz 2 Men classic. LuJoE combines R&B-styled vocals with a Caribbean swing. It was produced by Ahong, with vocals coached by Keston Rosales of H2O Phlo and mixed by Grammy winning engineer Dexter Simmons who has worked with Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Whitney Houston and Britney Spears to name a few.
The video for Song For Mama is directed and edited by videographer Neil Alexander and is on rotation on Caribbean television channels.