Over the last 12 years, NO BAND outside of the NORTH has won Panorama. And in 52 years of PANORAMA, bands outside of the NORTH have only won 12 TIMES (11.5 actually). And calling SOLO HARMONITES an "EAST BAND" is a bit of a stretch for me.
So are the PLAYERS from the NORTH just BETTER PLAYERS?
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As an arranger and composer for the south-based Cavaliers in Trinidad, Bobby Mohammed introduced many of the now-taken for granted musical components of the Panorama competition. Together with the tuning wizardry of the late great Allan Gervais, under the musical direction of Bobby - Guinness Cavaliers left an indelible mark on the steelpan movement during that period known as the ‘Golden Era of Pan.
http://www.panonthenet.com/upclose/2011/bobby-mohammed-9-29-2011.htm
The answer probably stems from several reasons.
The fact that Port of Spain is the financial and cmmercial center of T&T meant that a town band had more opportunities for sponsorships and financial support from some of the countries biggest companies.
And also , the fact that the tourist industry was more of less focused in town , since obviously that's where the visitors came.
Take two bands , for example , Desperadoes , and Southern Marines.
I always felt those bands had a lot in common , since they both came into town from outside ( In those days Marabella wasn't part of San Fernando ) and met opposition from the town bands.
For years Marines, The Marabella band was considered one of the top bands in South , just as Despers was considered one of the best in the country.
However , we grew up hearing Coco Cola Desperadoes on the radio.
The only time I ever heard Southern Marines on the radio was on the broadcast of the countries very first panorama competition in 1963 which was held in the Naparima Bowl in San Fernando , and which was won by Southern Marines.
Town people never had the opportunity to enjoy Mlton Lyons and young Burch Kellman's sweet pans from that era, since there are no recordings , and little exposure for south bands back then .
Brother Valentino - Pan From The West
Ash Devone Stewart and Pan Elders why they are three peat champions and heading for a fourth victory.Ask Carlton Zanda Alexander why he left his hometown band Siparia Deltones and now arrange for the defending champions Desperadoes. Ask Terrance BJ Marcelle why he left his hometown band La Brea Nightingales and is now co arranging with Pelham Goddard and Exodus.Ask Ken Professor Philmore why he never left/give up on his band Fonclaire but went and arrange for medium band Courts Laventille Sound Specialists and got them two titles proving once and for all that the judges with ties to north bands are bias towards south/central bands.And last of all Claude Gonzales ask one of the best pan tuners in the land from my place of birth Point of Pierre in the southland who plays his fine tunes pans better. He will tell you that there are good pan players in the North,South,Central and East.One thing I will tell you is that a lot of south and central pan players are now playing with north large bands because they ate tired of losing and the north bands are always in the spotlight. Ah lie !
Steupes. The amounta south men dat does play in BANDS BASED IN NORTHERN TRINIDAD is no joke
Maybe the question should be....why so much south players end up playing in bands in the northern part of the country?
same question can be asked of tuners
.There is no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of the best arrangers happen to arrange for bands in the north
There's also no doubt in my mind that those bands that attract the best arrangers also tend to have the best pans.
So combination of best arrangers plus best sounding pans are the 2 MAIN factors that give a band a significant advantage.over the rest
Add to that now excellent players...regardless of where they come from...and you have a band in the upper echelon.. That the best bands are based in the North has less to do with where the players are from IMO..
North have more bands, when south bands play well they win, ok ok so Pro. got robed with Pan by Storm, look at how much times they rob other bands from town.