In this edition:

1. All Stars - New Panorama Champs
2. Panmakers to the World
3. Pan News:
   Young Renegades are Junior Panorama Champs
   2002 Pan Kaiso Monarch
   Shades in Steel Single Pan Champs
   Arima All Stars Grabs Pan Round de Neck
   South/Central Zone Finals
   More Panorama Results
   
4. Archived News

1. All Stars - New Panorama Champs

Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars

After being in the Panorama wilderness for the past 15 years Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars, became Panorama champions 2002, scoring 482 points for their scintillating performance of Winston Scarborough's tune "Fire Storm".

It is the fifth time the band has achieved the crowning glory of pan, the first being in 1973 with the late Kitchener's "Rain-o-Rama".

The Duke Street band led by Beresford Hunte edged out by two points, a pretty strong performance by Phase II Pan Groove, playing the band's own arranger/composer Len Boogsie Sharpe's "Do What You Want".

Last year's champions, Exodus, filled third berth with 473 points for their performance of Pelham Goddard's "Good News".

Two of the top guns in the north - WITCO Desperadoes, playing "Savannah on Fire" and BP Renegades, performing Edwin Ayoung's "Ramona" were pushed into fifth and seventh spots respectively. Despers with 467 points and Renegades with 460. Between the two was Tropical Angel Harps in 6th position with 463 points, playing Anselm Douglas' "Pan Dispute".

Overall, the level of pan music by the various competing bands was good reward to the patrons who packed both the Grand Stand and North Stand.

Despers set the pace with a very spirited performance of the tune "Savannah on Fire" composed by New York-based Anthony "Pra" Trebuse. The band, like many of the others, had done their homework after the semis.

Solo Pan Knights followed with "The Bomb" composed by Robbie Greenidge.

The band that won the hearts of patrons was the Tobago band - Redemption Sound Setters. They indeed rendered "Music for the Soul" for the thousands of patrons who applauded them loudly.

A mediocre Starlift came up with "Dr Mannette" by arranger/composer, Ray Holman. Although well played, it did nothing to move the audience.

The carnival tempo moved to a higher level when the La Romaine band, TCL Skiffle Bunch performed Preacher's "Meh Dulahin". But they paid the price for a fast count. As a result, the tune was racy and had lost much of its musical flavour from what was dished out at the semi-finals.

They placed 10th with 456 points. It was when the bands at Nos 9, 10 and 11 - the "guns" as they are known in pan talk, began to bunch, patrons knew it was going to be a close fight. Indeed it was close.

Phase II seemed to have left nothing undone. At least up to the time they had completed their piece. But when All Stars began to perform, I recalled the good old saying of Renegades arranger, Jit Samaroo. He usually told me, if there is one band that has a cutting edge in a final, it's All Stars. Well, they did not disappoint.

From midway in the tune, my eyes and ears were open for the surprise. The music was clean and crisp and full of tonal resonance. Towards the end of the tune, there it was - the explosion of fire, backed up at the end of the final musical bar, by fireworks.

That was it. The presentation was a holistic one of a fire storm permeating a carnival-type atmosphere among the thousands present. It was all over, bar the shouting.

National Panorama 2002 Final Results

2. Panmakers to the World     [back to top]

It's one of the proudest boasts in marketing and may very well be true.

"Panmakers to the world" is the promotional line of Trinidad and Tobago Instruments Limited (TTIL), the Laventille-based steelpan manufacturing company.

The company was founded nine years ago by current president, Michael P. Cooper and two other shareholders- Metal Industries Ltd. And Pan Trinbago, which has a two percent shareholding. It has a registered brand name of "panland" and distributes steelpans to customers around the globe including to the USA, UK and Italy. While TTIL is not the sole distributor of pan, says Cooper, others do not produce on the scale it does.

The US Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago, Mr Roy L. Austin takes a close look at pan construction. TTIL's Michael Cooper looks on.

TTIL should enjoy a major competitive advantage in this business. For starters, it was a conceived in the land - and community- that gave the steelpan to the world. Then too, as Cooper explains, foreign competitions that have the breakthrough in this particular manufacturing business have come up against the real cost challenges of this particular product.

According to its 2000 catalogue "everything for and about the steelpan can be made accessible to the world through TTIL."

Cooper identifies production material as the single largest expenditure item; a fact, which he says, explains why so many foreign manufacturers abandon the business. In fact, he says, one company in Denmark has actually approached with the idea of making the Laventille company its supplier.

"They do not have the production capacity as in Trinidad and Tobago," he said.

Customers check out the double seconds at TTIL, Booth at NAMM 2002, Winter Market, Anaheim, California

The biggest hurdles facing the foreigners are accessibility top raw materials and the need for climate control.

"They worry about heating while we have an abundance," explained Cooper.

TTIL's real home advantage, of course, is its knowledge of, and access to, the required steelpan expertise, both in production and tuning. Two such experts at TTIL, are Edsil Joseph and Gabrielle Robley. Joseph is also a tuner for BP Renegades, while Robley has travelled the world tuning pans.

According to Cooper, each person directly involved in pan production is fully trained in the art of pan tuning. He says in the making of their pans, TTIL combines modern technology with proven traditional methods and places more emphasis on specifications and product consistency. The company is a member of the National Association of Music Merchants and a sustaining member of the Percussive Arts Society, both of the USA.

It is also a supplier for trade and musical shows abroad, including the US Industry Show.

Its development has not gone unnoticed. In 1998, TTIL copped the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Copper said that in the years following the company's entry into the industry, interest in pan has registered growth, particularly in schools abroad.

"A tremendous amount of expenditure is put into educational systems the world over. There has been more emphasis on music as a formal part of most school's curriculum," he noted.

The courses he adds, all require hands-on training on pan, which in turns helps boosts, the market, creating something of a snowball effect. Still, conditions on the home front worry him; he is convinced that enough attention is being given to the future of pan. What he's seeing makes him fearful that the pool of critical technical expertise may be drying up.

"We need to think in terms of replacements and fully trained persons equipped to do the job. If there is no technician there is no pan."

3. Pan News     [back to top]

Young Renegades are Junior Panorama Champs

The son of a renowned pan arranger followed in his father's footsteps yesterday, as he led BP Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra to capture the 2002 National Panorama title.

Amrit Samaroo, the son of Jit Samaroo, who arranges for the band, did a powerful rendition of Preachers "Dulahin" featuring variations in the tempo including a tassa beat, to cop the first prize.

BP Renegades Youth Steelband - National Junior Panorama Champs 2002. On stage, ready to perform

The Young Renegades jam on the track before going on stage

The young Renegades edged out last year's winners, St. Augustine Senior Comprehensive School by four points.

Twelve bands competed for the title at the competition, held at Queen's Park Savannah yesterday.

Despite a small crowd trickling in at midday, the 12 bands gave rousing performances, with Preacher's song being played six times.

St. Augustine placed second with Natalie Yorke's "Do What You want" arranged by Sean Thomas.

The bands were well received by the crowd with one onlooker stating "they could send the junior bands to play in Panorama instead."

The Talented youngsters created quite an impression on the foreigners who kept up with the rhythm waving, swinging their rags, and swaying to the music.

2002 Junior Panorama Placings

2002 Pan Kaiso Monarch

Roger George

Roger George won the 2002 Kaiso monarch by a mile with his song "Good News". George possesses one of the best voices in the Caribbean and that is no idle statement.
The young artist first became a household name when he joined Charlie's Roots back in the mid 1980's.

The final, which took place at the St. James Amphitheatre from 8 p.m. consisted of 12 contestants all vying for the $50,000.00 first prize. Among them there were five female contestants.

The second place winner, Hollis Wright with "Music for the Soul" walked away with $25,000.00; De Fosto's "Fire Storm" placed him third, with $15,000.00; and David "Happy" Williams with " The Prize" fourth with $10,000.00.

As early as then it was realised that he would go places and go he did. George found his way to Miami where he spent some years performing. A couple of years ago he returned home and hooked up with Xtatik.

A lot of patrons however were quite disappointed as the reigning Pan Kaiso Monarch; Colin Lucas did not defend his title at the competition final citing pressure of work.

Shades in Steel Single Pan Champs

Shades in Steel has won the finals of the Single Pan Category of Panorama 2002 which was held at Skinner Park, San Fernando on February 7th.

Following are the full results:

Arima All Stars Grabs Pan Round de Neck

Arima All Stars lived up to its name when it won the single-pan (pan round the neck) category of the Arima Panorama on Monday night.

Playing "Chances", All Stars scored 266 points, six more than joint second place winners LH Pan Groove with "Hairy Bank" and Trinidad Nostalgic with "Meh Dulahin".

"Meh Dulahin" was also the choice of Pan on the Move, which placed fourth with 251 points

Marsicans made the same score with "Fire Storm."

Sixth with 231 points was Brazil RX4 with another version of the popular "Meh Dulahin."

Magic Notes Rebirth came in seventh with 22o points for Iwer George's "Gimme a Bligh" and Nu Pioneers Pan Grove with "Biting Insects" placed eight.

Among the conventional bands, Melodians proved "Pan can play anything" and scored 272 points for first placed.

Nutones with "Meh Dulahin" edged one point ahead of Arima Angel Harps, whose "Chances" earned them 257 points.

South/Central Zonal Finals

TCL SKIFFLE Bunch, world steelband champion, emerged winner of this year's South/Central Zonal Panorama final without even going onstage, beating last year's winner, Tropical Angel Harps, into second place.

Skiffle Bunch was forced to perform on the cycle track at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on Thursday night because the stage was declared unsafe by fire officials.

The decision to stop the large bands from going onstage was made while Couva Joylanders was performing. Skiffle Bunch, Petrotrin Deltones and Trinmar Hatters were affected by this decision.

Etson Glasgow, Divisional Fire Officer (South), advised organisers to use the stage for the small bands only and had suggested the larger ones perform on the cycle track. The results are as follows:

Conventional results

1. TCL Skiffle Bunch - Dulahin
2. Tropical Angel Harps - Pan Dispute
3. Petrotrin Hatters - Music for the Soul
4. Petrotrin Deltones - Dulahin

Single Pan Bands (South Central)

1. Shades in Steel - Dulahin
2. Petrotrin Self Help Marines - Biting In-Sects
3. Rio Claro Koskeros - Play Anything
4. New Age Trendsetters - Those happy feelings

More Panorama Results

National Panorama Semi-Final Results 2002
Conventional Orchestras

North Zone Preliminaries
Single Pan Bands

North Zone Preliminaries
Conventional Bands

North Region Pan Trinbago
North Zone Finals - MERCHANT TUNE
Conventional Bands

North Region Pan Trinbago
North Zone Finals - MERCHANT TUNE
Single Bands

North Region Pan Trinbago
North Zone Finals - PANORAMA TUNE
Conventional Bands

North Region Pan Trinbago
North Zone Finals - PANORAMA TUNE
Single Bands

Down Memory Lane
Final Results

Pan in the 21st Century
Final Results

4. Archived News     [back to top]

December 2001 [opens in a new window]
November 2001 [opens in a new window]
October 2001 [opens in a new window]
August 2001 [opens in a new window]
June 2001 [opens in a new window]
May 2001 [opens in a new window]
March 2001 [opens in a new window]