Mas, Mud, Paint and Steelpan rule New York J’Ouvert 2010

[Pan Times]

New York, USA - It’s 4:30 a.m. in the morning and the 1-mile Flatbush Avenue stretch between Grand Army Plaza and Empire Boulevard is packed with bands filling the air with a percussive symphony of rhythm and soul. It is Labor Day, and it’s J’Ouvert morning in Brooklyn!!

There is nothing like J’Ouvert in Brooklyn. Pan, pan and more pan. In fact nothing but steelpan music is allowed.
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[Randisc]

That's the rule we should have in Trini - No Goddamm trucks just steelbands J'Ouvert, Carnival Monday mas and Tuesday mas. Trucks should be restricted to Savannah, Queens Park North. where nobody passes.

[evan lobo]

yea but then carnival will buss big time the large bands like tribe - harts etc bring out the most players - unfortunately we have generated to beads and carnival costumes imported from china etc
and soca music have also contributed to the quality of carnival
it is shite music and load of noise with no real musical content

[Catt]

evan that's fine for monday mas and carnival tuesday - that's where the trucks belong.... NOT in the j'ouvert

i tellya i was SHOCKED the first time i went to TnT and found all them DJ trucks in the j'ouvert. SHOCKED.

i could not believe Trinidad didn't have it that way anymore now that they've let trucks in the j'ouvert.. . . and just could not wrap my head around the fact that New York is actually MORE traditional than the original -- i was gutted. and well disgusted - I felt the TnT j'ouvert has been ruined-

[patrick ramdoo]

I totally agree with Randisc, pan should have a prominent place and role in the j'ouvert.. Beads, bangles and baubles could be on display in QPN (Savannah) . It's strange but there is more decency in pan.

[Sidd]

It is not that pan should be the only instrument played in Carnival or J'ouvert. It has never been like that in the history of T&T carnival. There was always other musical instruments played. They were referred to as "string bands". There was a time when the steelbands ruled the roost. Most of the steelbands would come out in full force and people would push the racks no matter how difficult they were. But as the electronic equipment came in with large speakers etc and most of the instruments were either electronically sounded or placed through mics. The use of trucks became prominent and the music became louder and of course more obnoxious but people responded more and more to such obnoxious music. As time went on less and less pan bands came out and this was caused also by "Panorama" the carnival pan band killer.

Now we have reached a placed where pan can return to the road scene also in the form of electronic pan. I personally am now satisfied that this can happen sooner than we think. I am getting a near 98% resonance sounding electronic pan right down to the bass. I would be launching this sound scene very shortly. The pan will return electronically with carnival. It will blow people's minds as well. Any of you interested in hearing please email me. [e-mail]

[Char Burgess]

I agree with all of you about the death of steel band at Carnival in TnT. I was so depressed when I went back the first time 15 years ago and heard all the DJ music. I am also in total agreement about Panorama being a steel band killer at Carnival because I played with Silver Stars on J'Ouvert morning this year and ALL they played the whole morning was Battle Zone. It was their 3 string side playing and it was awful!!! They did not go for the Bomb competition as they didn't even have another tune to play. Think about that - from 4 a.m. to around 11 a.m. - 1 song!!!! I finally left in disgust. It would be so good if they could ban DJs for J'Ouvert but the big bands like Red Ants and Yellow Devils and 3 Canal would not allow it as they make incredibly good money out of bringing out big J'Ouvert bands now with DJs. Let's face it people...Carnival is a HUGE money making business in T'dad now and the steel bands let the whole damned thing get away from them back in the 80's. Now the young people want "jump..jump..jump" and that's all they are accustomed too. Look in any steelband on J'Ouvert morning and most of the people are middle aged and young Zoomer types who love their pan - you hardly see young people in the bands at all. I just don't know what the answer is, to bring back the pan to Carnival. Yuh remember the saying..."closiing the door after the horse get out"??

[Sweet Eustace]

randisc the first J Ourvert I missed in trini , I had the blues and when ah turn on the TV and saw the mess I had no regrets, this is the first new york jourvert i missin in over a decade and I am still diggin blues

[Stephen Howard]

I'm sending this link of WBAI's live coverage of the J'Ouvert Morning jam. It's the second attempt in as many years. Suggestions are welcomed. http://archive.wbai.org/files/mp3/100906_030001mon3to6am.MP3

At the very end of the bacchanal, there was a DJ hand pulled truck which drew a crowd. Hope this doesn't set a precedent.

Stephen

[goslet piper]

We at Adlib steel band was very disappointed at the behavior of New York's finest. The police escort we had kept ordering us to go faster or they will pull us over and stop us altogether. There was no band ahead of us and none close behind, so there was no reason to speed. The driver felt it was very dangerous. But we felt a bit threatened if we had gone slower. This is a youth band, and we felt we had enough time to take our time as in the past Then when we got to Nostrand to make the turn we were prohibited and was told our truck would not make it and so we had to continue on empire for a few yards. this was about 7:30 and we were told by the police to stop the music. I felt they could have let the children continue playing till the time was up. Very disrepectful. On the other hand, I also think some of the people jumping must learn to behavior themselves. J'Ouvert is fun. Let's just dance and have fun not push and fight and hurt others.

[goslet piper]

I do agree that Panorama is causing the demise of pan. There has to be another way to show off pan. I too notice that the big bands in TnT can only play one song all morning for J'Ouvert. that is because they spend all their time preparing for panorama. during carnival season steel pan is restricted to their pan yard preparing for panorama. They should be out at different venus entertaining people and showing the world visitors what the instrument could do. But there is no time for that they have to prepare for that one song that last for 10 minutes. They put some much energy on that one song and that one night, that should be spread out through out the season. I love panorama, but there has to be a better way, so we can enjoy pan on J'ouvert and in different venues with lots of different songs. i hope Sidd's idea can help.