I’m not pointing any fingers nor am I taking sides; I just think that a serious conversation has to be had among stakeholders about the type of competition we want the panorama to be. Is it about music? Is it about jam? I have no beef with whichever way it’s decided, I'm just saying that we need to agree on what takes precedence over what so that everybody, including the judges and the man in the street, could be on the same page. Otherwise (at least me) will continue to be confused (make that flabbergasted) by the results each year. In the golden era of panorama the score sheet clearly alluded to the fact that it was a musical competition; there was a category called, 'spirit of carnival’ for which 5 points was awarded. Arrangers like Bradley could have decided then to sacrifice 2 or 3 points in that category and go after the points for the music with which he mesmerized the world. Spirit of carnival was incorporated into the arrangement category in recent years and from all indications now take precedence over all else. Let me say again, I have no problem with that; I'm quite aware that the only constant in life is change itself. All I'm saying is, if the thing has evolved, (like our soca music), then lets scrap the current score sheet and use instead one similar to that used to judge the power soca monarch. Then every arranger would know that he could ride a rhythm and win and not have to buss he brains with re-harmonization and all the other fancy terms stated on the score sheet. We could also create a new classification to cater for the several rhythm sections in the land - who knows, maybe Laventille rhythm section would win panorama in time to come.
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so true! we have lost the melody in panorama, so much that when a band wins panorama, that is the end of that tune, you dont even hear it on there stage side, panorama now is backs, forwards, and plenty dance. thank god for the eighties and early nineties .
Hope point taken Mike the criteria has not changed much it still is a 60/40 contest, 60% for performance and 40% for music which is hard to asses, that is why it was subdivided, yet take a clean tidy arrangement like despers had met a large portion of the music requirements compared to silver stars redundant chromatics and never ending 16th note sequences (which was very well put together and also met the requirements ,so the choice boiled down to "how you play yuh mas" that means either the arranger makes a mas to portray or the mas player play the mas to its highest level,good luck. Mike you got a good mas maker now I expect him to make his punctuations and correct his grammar and spelling so its up to the band not just the music
Well said. I don't usually post, but we must all remember, In order to make a stand it begins with US.
Panorama is still about Music but not the best. Arrangers are compelled to compromise their ability to produce their best work in fear that they will not fit into the mold that pleases the judges.
Panorama is not a serious musical competition.To the true musical "genius",it is much like a pro. cricketer playing a wind-ball fete match,so the mind-set should be, that it is what it is.The tunners ,arrangers, leaders, etc, make some money,get a little prestige,the players have some fun and get a chance to showcase their talent.Bradley couldn't affect change until he had won on their terms.Can you imagine how a guy like Ray is feeling right now watching all this crazy s..t going on .We can't do anything to change it, because some people benefit from it,then we, the purists,want it to be what we want, or think, it should be.QUITE A DILEMMA. Isn't it?
Panorama is about music, it has always been the primary focus of the competition. Every panyard I have visited the bands are only rehearsing music. Why the focus on arrangers style and the panorama politics each panorama cycle or is there a preferred style some wish to hear featured more in the competition?
There are three dominant arranging styles we now hear in panorama each year - one arranger who consistently uses melody below jazz solos; another who uses idioms from the the selection restates and develops them using a variety of musical devices, and another who uses a lot of chords but rarely goes inside and dissect the melody. They are all musically correct in their approaches. Variety is the spice of life, what's there not to love?
Instead of the prevailing negative criticism, focus the energies positively - do something for pan - buy jerseys/T-Shirts and other items, help your favorite steelband create and efficiently maintain a website, encourage them to develop community outreach programs so they can remain active throughout the year - play mas with your favorite steelband and encourage those that do not to start. We have crafted an excellent instrument, why not excell in what is excellent.
Let me say this totally unrelated but a point never the less, when I worked as an Insurance agent they changed Managers a bit, every one came with a new rule and when they left the rule stayed, we there ketching we arse with the shit.That is what has happened just as you describe it .Until Pan men stand up and say this is not the correct format they will always inherit the shit.@ Micheal Marcano
i am but only a panman. from the time i could hold that stick and reach the notes that was given to me by many arrangers over the years, i am only but a panman ..
panorama is just a moment and when it's over all of the corner talk about my band better than your band and we going to beat you and send you back up the hill or across the river or down the road is something that has been going on for years now
.hence the reason way bands would never come togetherr and boycott because arrangers getting paid to do what they do and they do it for multiple band .not the love for pan but the love for money ...it is but a moment and when that moment passes and they collected their monies and all the pans goes back to the yards and push up in a corner until next year that is it
,,the panorama could run however it want to run, do people really care'' band would not come together for the betterment of pan because they all going after the prize for their bands... you see sometimes competition is a good thing because it give us a chance to create , but it is also bad in a way because it is decided by unknown faces with unknown abilities and hidden agenda.
. if an arranger knows he could collect $20.000 or so from one band or what ever they gets '' i doh know ""... would they focus on one band and do the best they can or arrange for four bands and collect as much as they can... are you getting the best he can do, or is he getting the best of you by giving you white wash and recycled music because the moment might pass and he has to collect that money now ,, and as much as he can.. is it about music or is it really about money ??
i love pan and the thing they calling panorama but it has not changed one bit ...pull out a tape '' and i say ''TAPE'' not DVD from thirty years ago and you will see the format is still the same ...if band do come together and demand change because the powers that be only looking at them at this moment, (, Panorama time) " it is the best time to do it ...when it passes no one care anymore ....so Bands !! Demand more from your arrangers and more from the association that representing you and build something that you can be proud to stand for .. Pan not Band.........and
May the best win...
Hats off to you trinibaby9 . You ain't talk yuh preach.
to answer this rhetorical question*is panorama still about music? the answer is obviously NO!!!!! Panorama today is about antics, theatrics, chromatic scales, hook lines borrowed from popular songs or repeated harmonies and phrases year after year etc.They, the judges have killed the whole concept of originality in a panorama arrangement. hence the reason we see the same judges handing out the exact results every year to the same bands who are boldface enough to repeat identical passages of music year after year.These bands go on to grab the top spots in the competition............ sad but true!!!!!
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