That age-old belief that "God is ah Trini" held true on Saturday night when the Woodbrook/St James Community Association (WCA) staged Pan on D Avenue IV along Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook.For starters, the weather conditions were perfect for an open-air event. Secondly, the event was incident-free, even with scarcely any visible presence of uniformed law enforcement officers to control the mammoth crowd.
Event organisers revealed they paid a hefty sum for officers to ensure crowd control but, especially at the review/VIP stand, they were hardly seen. In fact, four hours after the first steelband performed, it was only then we saw four armed, uniformed officers ambling eastward along the Avenue.
Parade marshals, co-ordinated by Sinclair "Raspo" Thompson, had their work cut out to ensure bands had a smooth and continuous parade.
The programme began shortly after its scheduled 6 pm start with opening remarks by WCA corporate secretary Allima Garcia. She thanked steelband icon Anthony Williams for attending and asked for a minute's silence for calypsonian Rootsman, who died the previous evening. Preceding the parade of the steelbands an opening prayer was said by St Mary's College dean Enrico Rajah, followed by performances by San Juan Young Stars Tassa Group and Blink bMobile Shiv Shakti Dance Company. Plaques, trophies, medical vouchers and monetary tokens were also presented to pan tuners and special awardees.
Among the specially invited guests seen in the VIP box were Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas; National Security Minister Brig Carl Alfonso; Prime Minister's Sport and Culture Fund head Peter Kanhai; Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee; deputy mayor Kerron Valentine; former mayor Louis Lee Sing; National Carnival Commission chairman Lorraine Pouchet; Blink bMobile chairman Everard Snaggs; and Pan Trinbago Inc deputy president Byron Serrette.
Scrunters Pan Groove was the first of 25 steelbands to parade the route. The event, held in memory of late broadcaster Holly Thomas and in tribute to Black Stalin, saw many of the bands playing calypsoes by Stalin. Of the lot, Witco Desperadoes was the most impressive, playing a beautiful Carlton Alexander arrangement of Stalin's Come With It. The Laventille Hill steel orchestra departed the review area with its 1983 Panorama winner Rebecca.
Many of the bands gave sparkling and impressive performances. Super Novas validated its second placing in the just concluded International Panorama with a powerful performance of Penguin's What Sweet in Goat Mouth and Organiser's Doh Tell ah Soul. Minister Douglas got up close to the Lopinot steelband to take a small jig on the street during the band's performance. Also seen mingling with the crowd was PNM general election candidate Stuart Young.
Also powerful and commanding attention was Melodians with Machel Montano's Like ah Boss and Sparrow's Slave; Republic Bank Exodus executing Pelham Goddard's arrangement of Pop ah Bottle. White Oak Starlift provided some deja vu playing its 1978 winning Panorama selection, Ray Holman's arrangement of Sparrow's Du Du Yemi.
The penultimate band to perform, hitting the stage at 1.45 am, was reigning International Panorama winner/2015 National Panorama champion/Band of the Year Massy Trinidad All Stars. Fielding an aggregation of young faces, the 80-year-old Duke Street band played its reprised version of Curry Tabanca, exiting with its trademark Woman on the Bass.
Bp Renegades also fielded young musicians; its playing of Duvonne Stewart's arrangement of Like ah Boss was as vibrant and energetic as it was when the Charlotte Street band competed a fortnight ago at the International Panorama.
Despite all the excellent performances, the steelband to stir something in me was Harmonites of Morvant. Obviously giving thought to the audio dynamics of a steelband being positioned on a trailer, Harmonites basses were sunk beneath an upper deck of higher ranged instruments with just one nine-bass at eye level.
The band nostalgically performed Earl Rodney's 1979 arrangement of Black Stalin's Play One, but it was its second selection that really grabbed my attention. Rodney gave a new and refreshing arrangement to Rebecca, a song previously mastered by late Clive Bradley.PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars, a band also comprising many young musicians, ended the programme at 2.15 am playing Edwin's Legacy and Like ah Boss.
There is more steelband action this weekend when Indepan Fest is staged on Sunday, at 6pm, along Tragarete Road, from Colville Street to Maraval Road. Steelbands to perform include Trinidad All Stars, Super Novas, Phase II Pan Groove, Exodus, Silver Stars, and guest appearances will be by SuperBlue and Scrunter.
On Monday, Independence Day, steelbands in the west will be hosting their normal post-military brunches in their panyards. Though having vacated its Tragarete Road yard, Carib Woodbrook Playboyz will have its brunch at the old panyard, featuring guest bands Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, Exodus and Super Novas. Just down the road, opposite the Queen's Park Oval on Tragarete Road, CAL Invaders will host a similar brunch, from 7 am.
Its guest steelband will be St James Tripolians. Another steelband in the west having an Independence Day brunch and show is White Oak Starlift at its pan complex on Mucurapo Road Extension, St James.
Just Wee & Friends launch junior mas band Carousel
Just Wee & Friends have thrown their creative skills in the Junior Carnival Band category. Come Sunday, September 13, the St James-based mas band will be hosting its debut presentation Carousel at the St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James, from 3 pm to 6 pm. Admission is free.
At the launch, patrons and would-be junior masqueraders can enjoy family fun activities and entertainment. Naturally, there will be the presentation of the six sections, to the party sounds of DJ Crosby.Two of Carousel's sections are Wee Music and Wee Birds and prices range from $400 to $1,000. Like its senior counterpart, the band will include individuals or section leaders. Parents and guardians can also use this opportunity to register their charges for their favourite sections.
For Carnival 2016, Just Wee & Friends, led by Anne Marie Placide and Earl Crosby, will be portraying Celebrating Wee Own. The band, comprising six sections, held its costume preview and band launch recently. The fun band is registered in the Medium category and has been in winner's row copping first and second places.
For further information on both the junior and senior bands call Anne Marie (765 7725).
After school music classes
One of the country's more progressive music institutions, Birdsong Academy, is inviting new students to register for classes in its After School Music Programme for the September 2015 to July 2016 period. Students aged nine to 14 years, accompanied by a parent, are invited to register and attend orientation at the birdsong panyard, corner St Vincent and Connell Streets, Tunapuna, as follows:
�2 Tuesday, September 1, 3 pm to 6 pm: Primary school-aged children
�2 Wednesday, September 2, 3 pm to 6 pm: Secondary school-aged children
�2 Thursday, September 3, 3 pm to 6 pm: Secondary school-aged children
Birdsong Academy provides its students structured music training to certification levels in music theory and playing of the steelpan, in addition to orchestra instruments. Registration and tuition are free of charge.For further information call 792-6506 or 620-5285, check the website, www.birdsongtt.org/or the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/birdsongtt