A lot of CRITICAL ISSUES got TABLED!!! And I wish that we could develop some of those conversations and convert them to ACTION.
When it comes to PAN, I am a CONTRADICTION because I see the POTENTIAL OF THE INSTRUMENT yet I am of LITTLE FAITH that we (TRINIDADIANS) have the resources (and I am not going to expand on the latitude of the word "resources" as I used it) to make it profitable or present it to the world.
I have always liked my position in this debate because I DO NOT WANT ANYTHING FROM PAN. Even though I have contributed TIME AND AGAIN to the acceptance of the instrument in CALIFORNIA for decades. And even done my share in TRINIDAD.
What touches me the most is the PRODUCTION OF PAN MUSIC for GLOBAL CONSUMPTION. And the need to establish a database of PAN LOVERS around the GLOBE and produce music for them. And the HIGHEST and BEST USE of the PAN TRINBAGO PLATFORM!!!
There has to be a COMMERCIAL APPROACH to the PAN PRODUCT. And this is where I make enemies because I do not see the HUMAN RESOURCES in the PAN COMMUNITY in TRINIDAD who could even vaguely understand the challenge.
My CREDO in life is to LOOK AT WHAT YOU SEE and not WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
So look at PAN TRINBAGO today -- and then give me all the BIG TALK about HUMAN CAPITAL and the GENIUS and the EDUCATION and the PROFESSIONAL SKILLS of PAN MEN IN TRINIDAD.
Skilled People and Professional People TAKE THE INITIATIVE and make things happen. Just look at the STEELBAND MOVEMENT IN AMERICA.
Am I right WHEN STEEL TALKS?
Now, for those who might be NEW to THE FORUM, I am NOT a PAN MUSIC LOVER. And merrytonestothebone has misquoted me recently. My position on PAN is this: Once you put more than THREE PANS together -- you have NOISE. And from what I have read: More than HALF THE PEOPLE in THE MECCA agree with me!
But having spent decades attending over 1000 LIVE STEELBAND PERFORMANCES in CALIFORNIA in the last 40 years -- I see the potential of the music. And I think that I understand how to present the music to FOREIGN AUDIENCES since I was never a part of the PAN HUSTLE pretending to be musicians but instead an intermingling observer in the audience. And I am sympathetic to the PAN CAUSE.
With all the exposure I have had witnessing foreign audiences experience PAN MUSIC, I believe that I understand the musical product that could appeal to this audience. Although I must warn that the rapid demographic changes that are taking place in America (especially in California), the established audience is SHRINKING RAPIDLY. But that is another story.
I end by saying what I have said numerous times on this forum: EXPATS and LOCALS have to put pettiness aside and JOIN FORCES to make PAN the GLOBAL PHENOMENON that it could be.
Replies
PAN MUSIC FOR GLOBAL CONSUMPTION - great idea (as in idealism)
The challenge is creating GLOBAL DEMAND for an exotic music, that presents a major challenge to the unfamiliar ear.
When I first read the headlines, I thought for a moment that everybody resigned and there was no more PanTrinbago. Shucks!