Ken 'Professor' Philmore: More Steelbands Than Players

So true. The truth is that the players who normally plays in the big bands gravitate to the traditional steel bands to increase their income. The steel bands practice a lot during the year to build a varied repertoire to please their customers and fans but unfortunately, the bands do not perform regularly at any event to generate a regular income. It's only during the Carnival Season that the player is provided with any opportunity to show case their talent and be rewarded financially for it. What are the international hotels doing for our industry? What is the Tourist Board doing for our industry? What are the fete and other entertainment providers are doing for our industry? What is corporate Trinidad doing to promote our steel bands? What is the radio stations doing to help the industry? It's only Pan Trinbago trying their best with events like "Pan in the Country" to assist the pan men.

We must do more to support our pan music industry. Every year, we have so many pan players graduating from some of the best universities in the world but yet they are not able to obtain regular employment in T & T. We do have competent and qualified musicians playing the steel band instruments but no one is prepared to invest and accommodate their talents.

Corporate Trinidad and Tobago must invest in the youth. We must point them in the right direction. The entertainment industry must look at the steel bands for an alternate source of great music. That's probably the reason for there being more bands than players in this era. I support the talented musicians who are unable to show case their skills and be rewarded accordingly. We must be innovative and do our best to utilize the pan music generally.

Replies

Joseph Renaud February 1, 2017 at 10:11am

So true. The truth is that the players who normally plays in the big bands gravitate to the traditional steel bands to increase their income. The steel bands practice a lot during the year to build a varied repertoire to please their customers and fans but unfortunately, the bands do not perform regularly at any event to generate a regular income. It's only during the Carnival Season that the player is provided with any opportunity to show case their talent and be rewarded financially for it. What are the international hotels doing for our industry? What is the Tourist Board doing for our industry? What are the fete and other entertainment providers are doing for our industry? What is corporate Trinidad doing to promote our steel bands? What is the radio stations doing to help the industry? It's only Pan Trinbago trying their best with events like "Pan in the Country" to assist the pan men.

We must do more to support our pan music industry. Every year, we have so many pan players graduating from some of the best universities in the world but yet they are not able to obtain regular employment in T & T. We do have competent and qualified musicians playing the steel band instruments but no one is prepared to invest and accommodate their talents.

Corporate Trinidad and Tobago must invest in the youth. We must point them in the right direction. The entertainment industry must look at the steel bands for an alternate source of great music. That's probably the reason for there being more bands than players in this era. I support the talented musicians who are unable to show case their skills and be rewarded accordingly. We must be innovative and do our best to utilize the pan music generally.
patrick February 1, 2017 at 8:45am

I was always against players jumping from band to band(cheating) in previous years and the additions of band size categories for panorama competitions. Many were saying players need to 'eat ah food', well, this is the consequence. Hopefully things may change for best, only if we learn how to manage responsibly.
Jerry Bain February 1, 2017 at 7:13am

Hopefully most of the players from the single pan movement will now be coming in to help the bigger bands build up their numbers

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