Revisited -- From the Mind of a Pan Man - Dalton Narine Speaks

[Pan Times]

He is one of the best and most trusted cultural journalists in the world today. For years - panist, editor, journalist and director Dalton Narine has been the 'Walter Cronkite' of cultural affairs - particularly in Trinidad and Tobago's mas and pan worlds. In this exclusive interview with When Steel Talks when he was in New York recently, Dalton allows us to get a glimpse into the makeup of the man whose writings and all-round professionalism have chronicled and impacted so many throughout the years.

click for video and story

[odw]

I say the time has come to give this man a National Award for his WORK and DEDICATION promoting the art-form.

So many lessons one can learn from this interview © 2010, hopefully, the powers that be can use it for a GUIDE to implement CHANGE.

Any individual seeking guidance on HOW to do things RIGHT. When yuh know what yuh don't know yuh have KNOWLEDGE.

"DN is of the opinion that in Trinidad & Tobago, there are currently too many people on the airwaves, and several who are commentators for pan but don’t know the history of the steelpan instrument and art form, and/or have never been behind a pan; but this is their modus operandi."

This one hit close to home for me, my 16-year-old son and I, am beginning to have a similar type of dialogue, developing a sense of cultural APPRECIATION.

"DN wrote to his Dad that if he made it back alive, he would take his father around to show him another side of pan. He did, and took Dad to Queen’s Hall where Trinidad All Stars was performing. Their classical repertoire included ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and more. Dad was enamored, saying “you have to forgive me, I never knew it was like this!!” He began going to the national panorama competitions, with DN taking him home after the events. Dad became a staunch pan lover; “if there was one convert that I know in Trinidad, it was my Father!” says DN."

[Pan Times]

ODW

Dalton Narine should absolutely have already received  a national award.

[Claudius Phillips]

I have just finished watching your videos for the second time and to be truthful, I would have watched your interviews during carnival preliminaries and finals over the years and would be facinated at Daltons' ability to recollect dates and evnts inn the Steel band Movement. Like you I was not encouraged to associate with the instrument due in part that one of my mothers dearest cousins dying as a result of steelband riots in 1954 there about. It would also be interesting to note that the instrument which carried her home was the Steel pan a first in the churches histrory.
I have taken up the mantel of popularizing the art form as staple musical diet in South Central Pennsylvania. This year is the second year of the hosting of Steel Summer series of Steel pan workshops and Concerts in lancaster City and Harrisburg. We would be joined by Despers USA, Pan Sonatas,Representatives of Women in Steel, Slver Birds Steel orchestra out of Jamaica and our workshop directors Solomon Steel Manufacturers out of Pittsburgh. We would like to have Dalton joint us on one of our dates in July.
We were able to connect with our New York pannist through your website. I can be contacted at;
Email; [e-mail] or 484-794-8676 or 717-723-7490.

Press release for Steel Summer 2009.doc

Steel Summer 02-1.pub

Steel Pan Workshop at Lancaster Public Library June 15th 2009.pdf

[Gonzales]

Claudius Phillips:

I responded to your note via e-mail. Thank you for the offer to share my involvement in the art form with students and players of the instrument at the Steel Summer Series..

Dalton Narine