Given the recent developments with arranger Robert Greenidge leaving Desperadoes to arrange for Starlift and Zanda coming to Desperadoes, which band do you think will place higher in the 2016 Panorama and why?

You need to be a member of When Steel Talks to add comments!

Join When Steel Talks

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • I think bands are their sounds,take the top bands over the years and you could almost always tell them by that sound.i am an all stars fan and up this day you could tell them by their bass sound,lnvaders tenors,despers rhythm section.zanda has that same style ,he will do well with them .the hills will come alive again.
  • It has been a few years now I have been waiting with bated breath, for the union of Zanda and Desperadoes.Finally it has happened. They are tailor-made for each other. I want to go on record (on this day 10/30/2015) as saying, Desperadoes IS the band to beat...for Panorama 2016.

    • I hear you loud and clear!

  • If Zanda's arrangement of "Trini" with Deltones was played by Despers, that, for me, would have been a Panorama win - but at a cost of Despers' identity and that would pose a problem for me. 

    Take Renegades for example. Duvone's style is not Jit's or Amrit's yet he has thankfully continued to maintain that unique Renegades identity.

    Someone mentioned Liam and Silver Stars - yes, especially with "Edwin's Legacy" a clever arrangement one could identify clear, minute quotes of Edwin's past arrangements punctuated in an Edwin-style manner yet the entire summation of notes is all Liam's. Everyone hearing that performance knew Silver Stars was playing.

    • A.L. Nunes, The way things are today with the steelband I think bands won't mind compromising their identity if they could win the million dollar prize. 

      Panorama is the main source of income for steelbands so the closer to the top is more money for them. If an arranger don't own a band and it's not competitive they could just be replaced, loyalty will become old-school. Everything is money driven these days and the way a steelband will be in the money will depend on their arranger.

      • A.L.Nunes, I like your analysis, but to your point on Liam on Edwin's Legacy the song was a tribute to Edwin and Silver Stars, Liam did was he was expected to do, the piece may for all you know become part of Silver Stars Panorama classics. If you look at Robbie at Despers and Robbie at Pan Knights two different styles (bands identity) but you know its Robbie, same with Ray at Phase II, Starlift and Skiffle and Ray is Ray he is SET on how his music should SOUND, traditions/identity are of less importance.

         Despers management has been known to take RISK, they did it with Andre White from New York and I’m not talking about the outcome but the ability to make the decision itself.

        Not many arrangers can go outside their resident band and create a winner while sticking with traditions/identities and create memorable Panorama music, local or international. Bradley and Duvone are the only two who come to mind.

         I agree with Cecil's point of view he’s a realist, that’s the nature of the Panorama industry. Arrangers are business people, contracting there services for bands in search of getting in winners row.

        • Your fact based points are taken and very much appreciated.

          I am grateful to see one young mind pliantly open to the complex perspectives contained within the ever so slow evolution of the Pan movement and its music.

          Admittedly, I am no longer young hence my being a tad entrenched in tradition.

          Re: Liam - that's why I described his arrangement of “Edwin's Legacy” as being clever. Like Robbie, it takes a versatile and talented arranger to achieve that end.

          • No restriction should be placed on a arranger, they should always have a blank canvas to paint on, this is how we get excellent work.

            • As a general statement there is weight to your statement but with respect to my question? No. Quarles wrongly attempted to ape Bradley's style and failed in my view. Bradley's style was his own, period.

              • Would you say the years Quarles spent at Trinidad All Stars he maintained the band's identity in his arrangements or attempted to be more like Smooth or created his own style? His placings were high in those years 2nd and 3rd if I'm correct. This was before the Despers assignment.

This reply was deleted.