Master Tuner Wallace Austin
Wallace Austin at Basement Recordings/ WST Studios
Wallace Austin is considered as one of the finest steelpan tuners ever. Wallace Austin was part of the legendary team of tuners (Rudolph Charles, Lincoln Noel, James 'Bassman' Jackman, Emmanuel 'Jack' Riley, Bertie Marshall, and Tony Slater) that gave Desperadoes their unique sound. {picture above Wallace Austin preparing Garvin Blake's 2nd's for the Belle Eau Road Blues recording project}. click for more
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Wallace is a master pan builder and tuner, his work in tuning the Churches Steel Pans will not be forgotten. I also remember taking my Double Tenor to him to get it touched up and he wasn't too happy about it's workmanship...he then started to play on a beat up, dented up Double Tenor that he tuned and it almost brought me to tears...the sound was heavenly. I think credit to great men like these is long overdue....thanks to WST for recognizing them.
Wallace used to Blend my Double Tenor in NY, But I also remember him when he finished tuning Pan for City Symphony on ST Paul Street, POS, I used to listen to him Coasting "Ave Maria" in the Wee Hours of the Morning, makes you feel that you are in Church, (His Specialty is the Double Tenors), they used to Bark,
I noted all the BIG names above. NOT ONE OF YOU mentioned ELLIE MANNETTE or for that matter MIKEY ENOCH. By the way Wallace is the last tuner that blended my Mikey Enoch built dbl Tenors and its still in tune (perfect pitch) about 14 years now. paddy corea
I heard about Mr.Austin and his double tenor tuning. I am happy to see that he is being credited. I am also happy that mention was made of Mr. Leo Coker and Bendix Cumberbatch. Many persons do not have a historical background of these great Men.
How come when they are speaking of pan tuners at all level no one seem to remember the name Mr. Leo Coker ?
Very good point Curtis ...Leo Coker another Unsung Hero ( May He Rest In Peace). it might have been 1969 or 1970 that Henry "Bendix" Cumberbatch ( May He Rest In Peace) , came to Flamingoes ...Wallace Austin went away and Bendix had brought a Chaguans posse ( including Jimi Phillip) this of course changed the influence in a bigger way of Flamingoes which was a renowned Recording and Dance bands ( Pan used to play in all the Fetes). But Bendix had also brought up this quiet hard working Pan tuner named Leo Coker. i had a good relationship with Coker over the years. a man about business and hard work ( he had his own ways but then again that was Coker ). He was a good brother and a hard worker for the Pan
Thank you. We all proudly salute the men who created the SOUND. The tuners are indeed a special breed.
What would we do without WST, you guys are definitely on the ball. Many thanks for presenting what is important and necessary for especially the Pan World. Your insight is great and we know that you are paying attention to your 10,000 plus membership, so we hope that this relationship with you and your membership continues and grows ...all for the betterment of Pan.. Thank you for highlighting Ace Pan Tuner Wallace Austin..he really is one of the unsung heroes, who never stopped working despite his health ..nuff respect.. Wallace is like a big brother to me growing up in St. John Village, St. Augustine with the original Flamingoes. everyone who can remember Flamingoes of the late 60's and 70's will recall the "Sweet Pans' from the numerous recordings of Flamingoes plus Flamingoes also being a "Fete Band" in those days . The Sweet Pans" was on account of Wallace. He has been a tuner of many other bands including as mentioned the legendary team of Despers in the late 70's and early 80's ( Rudolph, Bertie, Lincoln & Wallace) many other bands have benefited from this talent not only in Trinidad but New York also. Presently the "Sweet Pans" coming out of Exodus is none other than Wallace. For whatever it is worth I wish to nominate Wallace Austin Ace Pan Tuner for one of those Awards the T&T government gives out . I also hope that Pan Trinbago could pick up on this and "Do Something .................
Salah
Salah,I would second that bout Wallace, he is really a great tuner especially DOUBLE TENORS, people like him should be nominated to those awards
Thank you WST for focusing the spotlight on the men, without whom their could be no Pan. The Tuners. Many of them never lived to see much financial rewards, and we must never forget their invaluable contributions to this art form. There are WST members out there with much more knowledge of others than I have, but I remember Alan Gervais, and Errol Moore, both deceased. Lloyd Gay, Herman Guppy, Bertram Kellman just to name a few. As I have said before we owe them our respect, our gratitude and our love for putting up with all society meted out to them in the early days; giving and leaving the new generation of tuners, arrangers and players the benefits of skills derived from raw talent. Thanks again for your passion in promoting this art form.