Pan stewards and officials dropped the ball last Saturday at the 16th edition of the annual Point Fortin Borough Day Celebration Pan on the Move.
Most of the participating steelbands were hampered by disc jockeys along the route, who were hesitant to turn down the volume on their systems as the bands made their way to the review stand at Market Square. One particular DJ was guilty of this from as early as when the first band–south's Pan Elders–commenced the trek as he continued playing loud music during the band's performance.
I feel that the organisers of this event need to adopt the rule of Brooklyn Labour Day organisers and have absolutely no disc jockeys along the steelband parade route, between the hours of 5 and 10 pm, the hours that Pan on the Move is held. After all, this event is billed as Pan on the Move, held in the supposed "culture capital" of "the land of the steelband."
Otherwise, Saturday's event was incident-free and an enjoyable one for thousands who journeyed to the South, some from the previous day, for the morning's J'Ouvert.
Among the steelbands that seemed to attract large crowds and create the most excitement were Massy Trinidad All Stars, bpTT Renegades, Supernovas and reigning National Panorama champion Desperadoes.
Impressive were Trinidad All Stars and Renegades as they did "concerts on the move," their repertoires comprising more than 30 selections.
All Stars had a very large following jumping to selections like I'll Always Be There For You, Soca Junkie, Curry Tabanca, Is Carnival Time Again, What a Feeling, Raze, Woman on the Bass, Unknown Band, Sugar Rush, Different Me, GBM Nutron's Scene, Disco Daddy, Adrenalin City, You Gotta Be Careful, Total Disorder and KC & The Sunshine Band's How About A Little Love.
Equally enticing was Renegades with a Kitchener medley, inclusive of My Pussin and Rainorama, UB40's Falling in Love, Voice's Cheers to Life, a Kerwin Trotman and Patrice Robert's song, Farmer Nappy's Big People Party, Rental and My House, Machel Montano's Fog and Temperature, Thunder, Suck Mih Soucouyant; Bahia Girl, R&R Riddim by Blaxx, SuperBlue's Fantastic Friday, Joey Lewis' Pint o Wine, and Yohan Chuckaree's Music Inside Mih Head, the band's 2016 Panorama tune.
Desperadoes, also with a large following in tow, chose Lewis' Bound to Dance, People, Cheers to Life, Rebecca and Different Me, its Panorama tune.The steelband event, held in tribute to late iconic musician Joey Lewis, required steelbands to play a Lewis composition. Most bands favoured Lewis' Bound to Dance.
At times the track stewards seemed overwhelmed by the task at hand and perhaps in the future organisers might seek assistance from Pan Trinbago's South Central Region in this venture?
Soca rules Junkanoo Carnival
T&T soca music continues to conquer new foreign lands as our artistes promote music and country. Last weekend Bunji Garlin, his wife Fay Ann Lyons and the Asylum Vikings Band were the toast of the Junkanoo Carnival in the Bahamas. The cultural ambassadors kept a mammoth crowd alive with an energetic performance, when the Bahamas National Festival Commission staged its Aftermath concert at Da Cultural Village at Arawak Cay, on Saturday.
The event, which featured Bahamian musicians performing alongside a host of international artistes, followed the Parade of Bands through the streets of Nassau. The Vikings took the stage in the wee hours of the morning, following performances by reigning T&T International Soca Monarch Voice, Cuban hit-maker Latritza Bacallao, Canadian singer Justin Believe, and soca artiste Lyrikal, Skinny Fabulous and Ricardo Drue.
Garlin and Viqueen Fay Ann didn't disappoint those who waited on their performance as they proceeded to inject new life and vigour into a crowd ,that had been feeling the effect of the revelry earlier along an extra long Carnival parade route. "They tear up the stage," one ecstatic women in the crowd was overheard saying after the performance. The show ended with a performance by Jamaica reggae sensation Tarrus Riley.
Also receiving heaps of praise from the Bahamian people was Ronnie & Caro for the costumes they produced for the Xtasy band's presentation of Dream Of.... In fact, Ronnie & Caro have already been invited back for Junkanoo 2017.
Mothers Overjoyed on at Kaiso Blues
Mothers were toasted on Sunday when JVMP hosted Overjoyed...A Mothers Day Celebration at Kaiso Blues Cafe in Newtown. Pelham Goddard & Roots and a cast of excellent artistes, including Moricia Cagan, Nigel O'Connor, Natalie Yorke, Jason "Fridge" Seecharan and Carol, Carla and Caryl Jacobs, kept a packed venue captive.
Though every vocalist was exceptional, I was particularly touched by Caryl Jacobs' solo of Yolanda Adams' The Prayer. Applauded throughout this item, she received a well deserved standing ovation when she completed the rendition. This young vocalist excelled with her controlled vocal range. Her mother and sister also displayed beautiful harmony as they performed Pressure, Luv Up and Carol's Biological Clock, the latter done a cappella style.
Yorke opened the vocal aspect of the evening, her set including I'm Glad There is You, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Caught Up In The Rapture, My Love and Make It Easy On Yourself. She was followed by Seecharan doing Can't Get Enough of Your Love Baby, Easy, Just The Way You Are, Ascension, and a duet with Yorke of Pharell's Get Lucky.
Following the Jacobs family was Nigel O'Connor who offered Forever Young, Three Times a Lady, Mother's Love and She's Royal. His wife to be, Cagan, looking resplendent in all white, continued to take patrons on a high as she performed Overjoyed, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, How Can I Love Again, Morena Osha and I'll Always Be There For You.
Doing a wonderful job as show host was Roots saxophonist Malcolm Boyce, while Junior Hutson rounded things off with a vote of thanks. Mothers in attendance were treated to snacks and chocolates.
In addition to Boyce, Roots also included Jevan Ochoa, Keishorn Jack and Vonrick Maynard.