You watch TV and you see the MEDIA exploitation of TRAGEDIES and NATURAL DISASTERS. I mean CNN will NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT LAS VEGAS.
In Trinidad we have PANTRINBAGO: The world governing body for steelpan worldwide. And you have the INTERNATIONAL STEELBAND FOUNDATION also known as the BIG 5. Global and International Organizations -- they say.
Then you have all these HURRICANES wiping out CARIBBEAN ISLANDS leaving the residents desperate for help. At the same time the GLOBAL MEDIA is bringing endless EXPLOITATIVE ATTENTION to these catastrophic events.
You would think that between these TWO "GLOBAL" ORGANIZATIONS some PAN MEN could run in the studio and produce a BENEFIT CD for the ISLANDS or LAS VEGAS victims -- riding the wave of sentimentality for a dual purpose. This will be in the BEST INTEREST OF PAN FIRST riding a media wave to deliver to those in need with some goodwill and at the same time using the opportunity to further the GLOBAL and INTERNATIONAL marketing and image of STEELBAND MUSIC.
It might be too late to sit in on these two hands. But the organizations should make plans for the future.
One WHITE BOY FOOTBALL PLAYER FROM HOUSTON single-handledly raised $20,000,000 for the HURRICANE RELIEF. So in the future our GLOBAL and INTERNATIONAL organizations would JUMP IN THE BREW early and contact a guy like that and say THAT WE WANT TO HELP. We want to produce a STEELBAND CD to HELP THE CAUSE. He runs with the BALL from there because they have ready made PLATFORMS.
Then you get in on a SAILING SHIP and you get all that FREE MEDIA and PAN MUSIC does good for the world and at the same time reaches into millions of new homes.
NO BOUNDARIES TO MARKETING!!!
Replies
Excellent idea Claude.
I don't think there is any young pan arrangers in TT that can arrange anything good. To me the youngsters today arrange pan music with a 'BRAM' BRAM' dancehall type jam. Proof, review their panorama work. Not going to sell. We need to encourage them to arrange sweet music and stop the 'cap in hand' mindset.
patrick check out the small bands.
Cecil: A lot of people seem to like AMRIT. Ah hear he was supposed to play "YESTERDAY" in the BIG 5 SHOW last night. Yuh hear anything reports on how the show went? You have all kinda connections on the ground in THE MECCA. Aquil supposed to come and give a report some time today or tomorrow if he eh too busy FIGHTING KEITH DIAZ.
The 'cap in hand' mindset is so deeply ingrained and embedded -- mere words cannot begin to recondition the minds of the VICTIMS.
Claude Gonzales, I applaud you honestly for fighting for the youths in pan. My comments is always never to discourage pan musicians but to be honest, and shape the youths to realize nothing comes easy and its always a work in progress to become the best. Thought I mention this to you.
I doh mind if the steelband community (and I mean from TOP TO BOTTOM) think small and talk small. That doh bother me.
But when ah see them thinking small and TALKING BIG that does always drive me crazy.
And all dem psychologists and FBI PROFILERS spending hours on CNN trying to figure out why MAN DOES GO OFF. That eh really too hard to understand.
I believe it's the cost factor that prevent these things from happening. The Steelband community is NOT organized as such.