I stopped visiting this forum about a year ago, due to my abject disappointment at the level of ignorance displayed by many members, most of whom should know better. Too many recycled grudges dating back before I was born (and I am in my forties). How can the pan movement grow as a force when its elders cannot be objective enough to even say 'congratulations' without trying to take something away? On the odd occasion I do post something, it goes like this (sent to the editors of the 3 local newspapers in Trinidad). Don't even bother replying to me, I will not see it because I won't be looking:
The Editor
I would like to publicly congratulate my steel orchestra, the Massy Trinidad All Stars for 80 years of existence and the unquestionable performance last Saturday night in convincingly capturing its 9th Panorama title. The Band of the Year title for the second consecutive year is more than mere icing on the cake, but a phenomenal result that further underscores the amazing work coming out of the East Port of Spain based icon. Clearly, something great is taking place ‘behind the bridge’. Here then are 5 lessons to be learnt from All Stars’ latest success for those willing to listen:
1. Prepare for Panorama as a carnival competition and not a music festival – Machel Montano will not enter Power Soca Monarch with a lullaby, neither will All Stars in panorama. You cannot intellectually discuss yourself into a panorama title, you have to touch people emotionally. Leon ‘Smooth’ Edwards deliberately sets out to make people happy by giving them what they want and he has worked hard to master the art of marrying sound music content and crowd pleasers.
2. Practice practice practice – on most nights All Stars is one of if not the last band to finish practicing, while many of the critics are probably already tucked away safely in bed dreaming of becoming panorama champion. Griping and complaining after the results are announced are no substitute for intelligent hard work.
3. On that note, instead of griping and complaining about results spend the time figuring out how you can improve instead - All Stars lost 4 panoramas, Soucouyant (1985), Soca Warriors (2006 1.5pts), Thunder Coming (2008), and Excitement (2014) by 1 point, not to mention the highly contentious Heat (1982), Curry Tabanca (1987), and Dus in Dey Face (1993) among others. The band did not get beyond the preliminary round in panorama 1989 and 1990, and suffered further humiliation by losing the Best of the Rest competition both years. The organization never complained, criticized, attacked the victors, or cried over results that obviously hurt. Instead, All Stars regrouped, did their homework and came out harder than before.
4. Focus on carnival and not just panorama – the Band of the Year Mas titles in 2014 and 2015 were the results of years of focus beyond panorama. All Stars has portrayed mas every year since inception and will continue to do so. This year the band’s carnival fete ‘Soca by the River’ enjoyed its 19th edition, an unparalleled achievement in the steelband world. Winning the various J’ouvert Bomb competitions has become the norm for the band. None of this magnificence takes place without, discipline, dedication, and focus on carnival, not merely panorama.
5. Enjoy what you do – at the heart of every single presentation, whether it be panorama, mas, classical concerts or world tours, the members enjoy every minute of what they do. Their smiles, hops, skips and steps flow naturally from a deep and sincere enjoyment of their lively music. This genuine enjoyment is infectious and is a main reason why the band enjoys such popularity.
Congratulations and Happy 80th Anniversary Trinidad All Stars! You deserve every accolade because you have worked hard for it with humility and sincerity. May you live to see another 80 year of growth and success and many more years after that.
Daryl C. Joseph
Replies
DJ... I understand completely and you are 100% correct... My only point now is to get Smooth his due Respect....
Dr. Leon Smooth Edwards.
I think that the most important lesson to be drawn from this year's successes by Trinidad All Stars is not about Panorama, but about the Carnival itself.
There is a vacuum in Trinidad 's Carnival parade that yearns to be filled , and that vacuum has led to a severe deterioration in the carnival parade.
That vacuum is the missing steelbands, and equally important , pan people.
Years ago we had two distinct flavors in carnival , the carnival bandleaders , and the steelband mas presenters.
The steelbands and its people added a different flavor to the carnival in its types of mas presentations , and those presentations attracted a different following than the carnival bandleaders who today are in the money making game of bead and bikini mas.
Those people who looked forward to the steelband on the road at Carnival time were left behind in our single minded focus on panorama.
I know of many , included myself , who returned to Trinidad from abroad to beat pan , play mas and support our favorite steelbands in the old days , and that is less likely today.
The true massage of Trinidad All Stars carnival success, is to demonstrate the importance of the steelband to the carnival parade .
I've become convinced that the future of the carnival lies in re-incorporating the steelbands back into the Carnival , and making that unique music band the centerpiece of the carnival , similar to the role played by the Samba Schools of Brazil.
Kentish, Glenroy R Joseph and Cecil Hinkson have been beating their Brains out about saving and bringing back the Steelband on the Road, and the Discussion keeps going round and round I don't know what else can be done to get it back on the road.
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I am a member of Massy Trinidad all stars and I have to agree with DJ we need to give jack his jacket and give credit where it is due. why hate congratulate. We practice long and hard, we keep our eyes on the prize and most of all we enjoy what we do. The old folks use to say 'people only pelt trees that produce good fruits' so for the haters thank you. Panorama 2016 here we come. Congrats to my fellow bandmates on our astounding victory.
Love your old folks saying /quote!!! explains the negative comments directed at us Looking see ya in 2016
Daniel L, WST is 24/7 wey yuh going? everyone is needed to make this ting better.
aforementioned arrangers is quite troubling. Mr Goddard has had our nation wining with several road marches; Mr Grenidge is a ten time winner ( playing+arranging);Mr Holman is a serious innovator/ composer/successful arranger.Dont tell me that these gentlemen find a way to lose every year with the great stuff they routinely produce.Ask any serious musician about Hammertime(2013) by Despers and they will tell you that musically it was probably the best arranged tune + extreme performance in 8-10 years. That got them nothing. maybe one day the cream will rise to the top again. It always does and for the sake of our instrument it can't be too soon.Congrats to the All Stars organization anyway.
For someone who professes to be educated on the Judging criteria, you really know little.
I have been to Panorama all over the world and if you know anything about judging, you will know
“YOU CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE”
There is always going to be disagreement in a competition. Every band or player strives to be the best and feels they are the winners. The only competition where the winner is undisputed is a race you physically have to run… even then, there are always doubters stoking the fire asking questions on potential drug use of the athletes. I am an All Stars fan and proud to say so. I was one of the first ones to say I didn’t like Unquestionable when it was first selected, however I understand Leon Smooth’s choice and reasoning behind the selection. I didn’t even like it the first time I heard All Stars play it but it grew on me and by the semifinals, I know they were on to something special. Every musician or band has their signature and that is what determines their success.
What I think you should do is listen to all the tunes online or wherever you can have access to them and judge honestly for yourself. I even wanted Fonclaire to win, but they lacked the fire and drive they had in years past when they were close to winner’s row. It was sweet but more of a last lap chipping jam than a panorama fire and blast. Most of the renditions played on final night by the large band could put you to sleep.
Even the mighty Renegades had a hot tune but failed to light the savannah with musical flame. Jam dem Hard was played at a Jam dem slow pace.
This is Panorama not musical festival, and as such we need the tempo or something to really dance, so please stop trying to fit it into your preset criteria. Judging is not the problem … Are you trying to say Pan Trinbago has been using the same Judges for the last fifteen years? All Stars is a band that take their lix well… We never complain we just get stronger. All the arrangers you mentioned with the exception of Professor have tasted winning, however as soon as another bad starts to dominate like Desperados and Renegades did in the 70’s and 80’s we have a problem. All Stars is 80 years old and it took them that many years to win 9 times…. That works out to once every 9 years rounded up, so I would never say that is domination. After 1986 All Stars didn’t win a panorama until 2002 that’s 16 years without a win. That included some zonal finals. Phase II also had a dry spell when they also played excellent music between 1986 and 2002. That’s 17 years of losses. Please don’t be a hater if these two bands are now top of the pile. Desperados is the only band to have a win in every decade of the modern judging.
As evident in the Savanah All Stars were the only large band to bring the fire and as a result sounded different to all other bands and that is why they won. Never mind the fact, they may sound like years gone, they are the only band through the years who have changed with the times and morphed into a real force to be reckoned with. The medium bands were where the fire and passion was on the night.
Boogsie came second because he was the best of a fledgling bunch of chipping music with little drive and fire. Unquestionable was delivered at an unquestionable pace and fire. Not too fast or too slow. Getting the tempo right is key. That is the master craftsman Smooth.
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