Trinidad Express Newspapers
Global - The steelpan will take centre stage at the upcoming Dubai Expo 2020 carded to run from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
Both the tenor pan and the PHI electronic steel pan will be featured at the event. The six-month multicultural extravaganza, which will feature creative and business presentations from 193 countries, comes off one year later than originally planned because of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Music promoter Simeon Sandiford, a designated business representative for the T&T Pavilion at the expo, said it presents a unique opportunity to have over 25 million people interact with the pan in person and millions more virtually.
....Sandiford, owner of popular music store Sanch Electronix, said he was pleased to discover that T&T panist Earl Brooks, Jr. has been booked to perform at the expo.
Replies
I give up, for years I kept hoping we would get the merit and exposure we deserve for our progress in pan but it never came. In 2016 I attended a meeting with The black caucus which was associated with the Munroe family and representative of the government..I took the opportunity to address the lack of enthusiasm the T&T government displayed in our musical culture. I also mentioned the comparison between sports and entertainment but I detected an attitude of resentment for my approach. I mentioned the fact that I was in T&T as the coach for the three times guinness world record holder for LIMBO Shemika Campbell and questioned why were we invited to represent T&T by other countries like Germany, Japan, China along with National TV shows like America's got talent, The Ellen Degenerous show, Disney and others but not one peep from T&T where LIMBO originated. The sons of Cyril Diaz' band Caribbean Extravaganza represented T&T in the Dubai expo in the late nineties not on a big scale as we were already performing in a park called "Wonderland."We were invited because we were already in the country .My point is that no effort was made for us to be represented properly..Of course we were flattered but not conceited to think we could represent T&T in a pan category, not wih all the talented steelbands we have. It is sad not for the present situation but for how long it has been this way.
... and even more sad on how much longer it will continue to be this way.
"Music promoter Simeon Sandiford, a designated business representative for the T&T Pavilion at the expo, said it presents a unique opportunity to have over 25 million people interact with the pan in person and millions more virtually." Michael Mondezie Sep 18, 2021
YET THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PAVILION WERE UNABLE TO CONTRACT ONE, NOT EVEN ONE PANMAN, NOT ONE SANCH?
"Sandiford, owner of popular music store Sanch Electronix, said he was pleased to discover that T&T pannist Earl Brooks Jr has been booked to perform at the expo. A member of the Steelpan Tuner’s Guild, Sandiford, says he has already spoken to Brooks Jr, a former student of his Pan In Education programme, about making stops at the T&T booth to deliver live demonstrations to visitors." Michael Mondezie Sep 18, 2021
WHAT, NO REPRESENTATIVE PANMAN DOMICILED AND BASED IN THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO WAS EVER CONSIDERED?
“We were trying to get someone to Dubai to go give a demonstration. As fate would have it I bounce up Earl Brooks Jr, one of my mentees from Pan in Education with St Augustine Secondary School. He is one of 50 musicians from all around the world chosen to provide entertainment in the expo so he will be there for six months." Michael Mondezie Sep 18, 2021
SOO... "WE" WERE TRYING TO GET SOMEONE TO DUBAI TO GIVE A DEMONSTRATION, but apparently "WE" couldn't get anyone suitable, appropriate or available in Trinidad and Tobago, although DUBAI 2020 was postponed to become DUBAI 2021, so is a lucky thing Mr. Sandiford bounced up his old "mentee"?
"The Dubai Expo is just another small step in Sandiford’s overall plan to create regional cultural harmony through his One Caribbean Voice project.
Sandiford says the initiative seeks to utilise the talents of the region as a vehicle to tell a uniquely West Indian story." Michael Mondezie Sep 18, 2021
REALLY MR. SANDIFORD, REALLY? I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT TRINIDADIANS ARE STILL SO #@%$*&! STUPID ( I meant to write naive). WHICH OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLAND LOOKING TUH UTILIZE "WE TALENT" TO TELL DEM STORY SIR?
I have no doubt that the designated business representatives at the Trinidad and Tobago Pavilion are qualified, competent, accomplished and successful persons.
I have no doubt in my mind too, that some designated business representatives at the Trinidad and Tobago Pavilion may have absolutely no intention of promoting "All of Trinidad and Tobago Pan" across the board, as much as their agenda will be to promote themselves and their preferred products, and persons that represent them, that could be considered, are identifiably and undeniably Trinidadian or Tobagonian.
"... as much as their agenda will be to promote themselves and their preferred products, and persons that represent them, that could be considered, are identifiably and undeniably Trinidadian or Tobagonian."
Russell: Expand on that statement above ... I am not quite sure that I got your point ...especially the last clause.
I want to make sure I got your message CLEARLY!!!
Brilliant and extremely hopeful. Who are the orchestras, pannists etc.?
Until TT leadership comprehends, appreciates, and considers that our culture is vividly our spirit, only half-arse attention will be paid to Pan initiatives locally and internationally
That’s a great thing to occur. That is what you call international togetherness for all pans.
This is the type of show I would like to see a top female pannist like Keisha Codrington also representing T&T. Our band Caribbean Extravaganza did it in the late nineties but since they have upgraded the event catering to a wider venue a female in the category of Keisha combined with the great Earl Brooks would be most impressive.We need more ambassadors like them to put us in our rightful place in the entertainment industry.