Peter Ray Blood
Legendary local musician Clarence Curvan has added his voice to the growing confederacy of supporters of Massy Trinidad All Stars winning this year’s Band of the Year title. Based in New York for several years, Curvan, who returned home for this year’s Carnival, lamented the dearth of “creativity in mas” in T&T Carnival.
Said Curvan, now aged 76: “I am in total agreement with the Band of the Year for the past two years. All Stars deserves to win, as it was the only band portraying anything recognisable. It is difficult to choose a winner when all the bands are playing the same thing, perhaps only different by colour.”
An acclaimed T&T musician, Curvan has a deep and special affinity with the steelpan. His musical roots are deeply embedded in the national instrument: from being a pan player and steelband captain, he rose to lead one of this country’s top orchestras.
“I was born on St Vincent in 1939 next to a calypso tent (The Old Brigade),” said Curvan, “and, around the age of six, my mother and the neighbours would go to the calypso tent yard and peer through the holes in the fences. We enjoyed a night’s performance, so you could say I was nurtured on calypso and music. I grew up knowing all the popular calypsonians of that era, like Growling Tiger, Dictator, Commander, Spoiler, Spitfire and Lord and Lady Irie. This was the start of my experience in the calypso business.”
“Around the age of of 16, my mother began sending me for piano lessons by Norman Simmonds, a recognised pianist. I grew up as the eldest of three children, with a younger brother and sister. My father, a well-known prison officer, was very close to me, and he had other children, four all told.”
Curvan’s initial love in music was percussion, despite his piano lessons. “This was probably because of my steelband connection,” he surmised.
Starland days
http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2015-03-10/%E2%80%98all-stars-deserves-win%E2%80%99
Replies
I enjoyed reading the BIO on Clarence Curvan, very touching
Clarence has a point. It's time for Trini mas, leave Brazil mas alone.