The Lost Art of Traditional Pan-Around-the-Neck-Bands

[Pan Times]

By: Dr. Jeannine Remy  -- ( judges comments also included )

Trinidad and Tobago - The entire 2010 Panorama season was kicked off in the south on Coffee Street in San Fernando on January 15th with a preliminary competition for single pan bands. Only one band, Jah Roots, walked onto the judging venue with their traditional pans around their necks. It was refreshing to see that the art of carrying one’s pan is not completely lost, and that the crowd appreciated their efforts to preserve the tradition. There is something to be said about carrying the weight of the pan, moving, and playing at the same time. Although they played in a stationary position, Jah Roots was a pleasant reminder of the tradition of pan on the move. Jah Roots is a band that strives to participate in every traditional pan competition and they have vowed not to change their performance practices, regardless of how everyone is changing around them.1
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[Michael Marcano]

What you haven't mentioned Dr. Remy is that many of the players in the single pan bands are hustlers from the conventional bands. So you are right, as long as there continues to be financial incentives the future of the single pan looks good

[Noah]

i sincerely hope that next year pan trinbago realizes this, and moves single/small finals to wednesday... having it the night before medium/large panorama killed practices for those bands until at least 11 pm...

[AMD]

Great article. I love the sound of single-pan bands and hope they stay alive. They represent tradition and history, and many factors, as stated, make them more reasonable for small communities. However, it is true that many here in Trinidad & Tobago look down on them. When I played for both a single pan band and a traditional conventional band, I was repeatedly asked why I was doing such "chupidness." Those in the conventional band said that, once you play there, you "doh go back." Often they are considered "training grounds" until you can "make it" into a bigger band. Too bad. They are two completely different experiences. I love doing both.

[Catt]

this year was the first time i got to experience traditional pan-round-the-neck (In Bago) and i must say it was enchanting. most of the traditional 'single pan' bands did have their pans racked up, which was kind of confusing to me as well - they seemed sort of halfway between traditional and conventional.

but there was one Tobago band - Natural Mystic - that went both on the road, and in the stationery competitions, in traditional round-the-neck style, and they were fabulous. i think they won one of the competitions too. and l gotta say i loved chipping along with them in the road, it made me feel like i got a tiny little taste of what it was like in 'old times'. purely delightful, magical, and wonderful -

all in all, the Tobago pan in its entirety was much less crazy, and much more old style, than Trini. one of the things i loved the most, was that the pan was not amplified in the Bago Panorama, we could really hear everything perfectly.

it was sweeeeeeet, for real-!

[Sarah-Ann]

Pleasedo not forget Defence Force they also still carry their Pan around the neck. i missed them so much this year.

[Jeannine Remy]

True, I would love to know WHO is still doing the pan-around-the-neck style.

[Dika]

Hello Remy;

But if the single pan bands are now on racks what will be the logical reason for not allowing them to introduce conventional steelpan instruments? Is it not just a matter of time? Sounds like you're asking someone with two arms to only use one. Seems like it is just a matter of time before people forget why they are only using one arm and use both of them.

[Noah]

.......because by definition SINGLE pan is just that, single... if they develop a SINGLE second or SINGLE harmony pan with a chromatic range, then great. but the limitation is quite clearly stated: SINGLE pan... i don't think the racks are necessarily a step toward become more 'conventional' but more for practicality's sake. less sore backs...

[Jojo]

Yea but Noah what about tradition?

[Noah]

No I think Defence Force simply uses stands like La Horquetta. However they do march them down the drag in an impressive manner. As far as I know Jah Roots is the only one subjecting themselves to back and neck problems...