Forum

Revisited - Merle Albino-de Coteau - Steelband Music pioneer, adjudicator, educator speaks on Panorama 2012

“...sometimes describing oneself as a Panist can be met with disgust and even discrimination. The question which follows is “What else do you do?” ...the area from which you have come also sometimes brings discrimination.”  Merle Albino-de Coteau.

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It’s Steelband Time in Nigeria with the Third Secondary Schools’ Panorama

Nigeria - The first day of November is a day of Steelpan in Nigeria, as the Nigerian Schools Steelband Panorama is held for the third time. Last year, seven steel orchestras participated in the event and this year, additional schools which were in th

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Hanging with Steel Panist Extraordinaire Emmanuel “Jack” Riley

Tobago, W.I. - We are at Scott’s Holiday Apartments, in Mt. Pleasant, Tobago [for Pazzaz, the Pan Jazz show held earlier this year on April 29 in Tobago]: panist Jason “Peanuts” Isaac, Fitzroy “Poporoy” Henry, Riley and myself, Keith Anderson. Riley

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Shenelle Abraham - Steelband Music Arranger for Panorama 2012 - Skiffle Bunch

Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks, Shenelle Abraham, current arranger for Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra, talks about Panorama 2012, her first time out as an arranger for a large steel orchestra, and much more. Shenelle is known

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Looking back - Musical Tributes Celebrate the Life of Ralph MacDonald

Global - Many came to celebrate and pay homage to the vibrant life and achievements of Grammy-winner and steelband enthusiast Ralph MacDonald, at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, USA. The steelpan music fraternity was well represente

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Godfrey Camps – from Steelband Captain to Bartender

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - ....Godfrey Camps was at the tender age of thirteen when he had his first brush with the national instrument of his native Trinidad & Tobago. At that time Melody Makers was situated at the corner of Coffee and Drayton street

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PDN PhotoPlus Expo - Technology, The Immediacy of Now and the Steelpan Music Movement

New York, USA - Terry Joseph, the late entertainment editor for the Trinidad and Tobago national newspaper the Trinidad Express, once joked while lamenting (simultaneously impressed and irritated) that, in going through his normal routine after takin

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Remembering Lovely Latavia... Despers USA Steel Orchestra Tenor bass player

New York, USA - .- Miguel Reyes’s The Last Band sung by Peter D’Royce was the last Panorama piece lovely Latavia Deane got to perform with Despers USA Steel Orchestra, when the band competed in the 2010 New York Panorama. A song that makes one dance

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Vignettes of Pan History - The Montreal Story

Pan  magazine (the brain child of Dalton Narine and Les Slater) remains simply the finest steelpan music publication ever printed.  WST revisits another article from the magazine originally published in the Fall of 1987.  Thanks again to Dalton Narin

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Revisited -- Champion Arranger (Exodus Steel Orchestra) Pelham Goddard Speaks - Upclose!

He is one of the most celebrated musicians out of the Caribbean in this era, having composed, produced and/or arranged - some of the most respected music masterpieces that have become deeply and proudly associated with the Caribbean. “The Hammer, “Sa

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Looking Back -- Meet Andre White - Arranger for ADLIB Steel Orchestra - Up close!

Global - He is immensely talented, intelligent, unpretentious, thankful, hard-working and focused. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks (WST) - champion steelband panorama arranger Andre White - fresh from his victories in the UK Panorama

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Nigeria and Trinidad & Tobago set up Lagos-based Steelband Development Company

Lagos, Nigeria - Panland, Nigeria received some visitors from Trinidad and Tobago in August 2011. Keith Diaz - Pan Trinbago president, Ladi Franklin - Co-Chairperson of the Nigeria-Trinidad & Tobago chamber, Taharqa Obika, as well as the High Commiss

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Scipio “Sarge” Sargeant - An Exclusive Interview with When Steel Talks - Revistited

The late Scipio ‘Sarge’ Sargeant at Basement Recordings’ studios in an exclusive 2003 WST interview. Sarge has been a significant figure on the music scene, co-arranging for Despers USA during their record 6 consecutive year-wins at the New York Pa

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Ron Berridge, Caribbean Music Extraordinaire speaks on the Steelpan and More

Ron Berridge, Caribbean Music Extraordinaire speaks on the Steelpan and More

 

Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks, musician great Ron Berridge shares his thoughts on Caribbean music and Pan. He is simply one of the most influent

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Vanessa ‘Pans’ her way to the top at Berklee College of Music - gains full scholarship

San Fernando, Trinidad, W.I. - Vanessa Headley continues her high-profile rise to music fame with the steelpan instrument as her 'vehicle' of choice. A few weeks ago Headley completed the Five-Week Summer Performance Programme at the Berklee College

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Revisiting - New York 2011 Steel Orchestra Panorama in REVIEW - the good, the bad, the ugly

New York 2011 Steel Orchestra Panorama in REVIEW
 

New York, USA - The good, the bad, the ugly and things that leave me SMH & LMAO about 2011 New York Panorama. When Steel Talks reviews the 2011 New York panorama season in total.

 

The week leading

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Meet Seion Gomez - Arranger for Metro Steel Orchestra - Up close!

Global - In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - educator, champion steelband panorama arranger and steelpan performing artist Seion Gomez talks about his musical path to becoming one the respected young arrangers for the steelband art form

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RUDY KING - the Man who introduced Steelpan to America in an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks (11-11-02)

An interview with the late Rudy King

Rudy King at WST studios

The year was 1949, and the music scene in America would never be the same. That is the year that Rudy King, aka 'Rock' and 'Rudolph Carter' - (to those who knew him as a young boy/man i

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Revisited - Kim Loy Wong - Taking Pan to the Americans

Kim Loy Wong - Taking Pan to the Americans
 

Global - 

On arrival in New York Wong wasted no time in starting over a dozen Steel Drum programs for delinquent/ghetto children ranging from 5 years old to late teens. These included the Henry Street Sett

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Conspiring To Pigeonhole Pan, And That’s Cool?

Has Trinidad and Tobago dropped the ball on the steelpan?

Conspiring To Pigeonhole Pan, And That’s Cool?
  by Les Slater -
Chairman of the T & T Folk Arts Institute and former Highlanders Steel Orchestra arranger

Global - I don’t know if he remembers

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