by Martin Daley
What a great result from the Panorama semi-finals last Sunday. The two groovy “young boy” songs Year for Love and Hello—subject only to a tie for fourth place with Lightning Flash—ran first, second, third and fourth as played by Renegades, Despers, Phase II and Skiffle respectively.
These songs create a feeling of peace and some optimism that we will survive the killing and heavy tension currently enveloping us. They have replaced the defiance of We Jammin Still.
Photo: Soca star Kees Dieffenthaller, who heads Kes The Band, has earned rave reviews with his 2018 song, ‘Hello’.
The choice of these songs by seasoned pan arrangers is confirmation that the succession plan for our unique performing arts is evolving on the ground with a sweet type of love—thank you, Kees, for that great line in Hello.
The “authorities” have been quick to claim that they have contributed to this evolution. I contend that the evolution has come despite backward, self-interested management and funding of Carnival arts in and out of season.
They only now see the extent of the involvement of the youth? Can they now see the societal turn-around potential of the arts to which so many of us have tried to draw attention, largely in vain?
The success of those carrying forward the performing arts has not been fuelled by the easy money of the dependency syndrome, which is now under scrutiny as the dependency funds dry up. These successful artistes understand that “to make a money” they have to please a market.
I acknowledge Machel Montano for the phrase “make a money”—which I was fortunate to hear him use at close quarters recently. Those who talk about diversification of the economy might consider whether the label Soca Kingdom has rebranding possibilities for our richly artistic island.
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