Old Tunes Killing Panorama?

Living in old folks memory lane can't be a good thing for the future of pan in Trinidad and Tobago. If the main objective is to increase young people involvement in Panorama as both players and fans, this surely not the way to go. Maybe it's time for a "Groovy Panorama". A "Groovy Panorama" would eclipse the current panorama alignment within three years on all levels for sure. I think we forget that when we were younger, we listened to and played the music of our time - not the music of our grandparents. As this years song "Outta Box" says - kill the retro.

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  • Allyu pan pundits real funny...old music?  You guys just talk to talk. Every year the same dumb comments. DO SOMETHING FOR PAN ...yes I said it.

  • Looks like Retro music dominating De Panorama....

    Here is the order of appearance and song of choice of all the bands, with the single pan and small bands playing today from noon, and the medium and large bands at the Savannah Party tomorrow also at midday.

    http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,206348.html

    Yesterday: Saturday Jan 31, 2015

    SINGLE PAN BANDS

    1.Curepe Polyphonics - Sweet Pan

    2.Shades in Steel - Ah Want It

    3.Tiger Tanks Fyzabad 4th Dimension - Ooh La La

    4.St James Tripolians - Wet Me

    5.Trinidad East Side Symphony - Fire Coming Down

    6.Chord Masters - No Wuk For Carnival

    7.Pan on the Move - Ah Feeling

    8.Trinidad Nostalgic - Ooh La La

    9.Uni Stars - Rain Melody

    10.Self Help Marines - Rainorama

    11.T&T Defence Force - This Party Is It

    12.King’s Row Retro Riddum - Wine On Something

    13.Scorpion Pan Reflections - Long Time

    14.D’Original W/brook Modernaires - Yes Darling

    15.Pan Elites - Free Up

    16.Brimblers - Toco Band

    17.Hope Pan Groovers - Nah Do Dat

    18.Rio Claro Koskeros - Doh Back Back

    19.Carib Woodbrook Playboyz - Ola

    20.Cocorite Road Pan Groovers - Ah Going And Party Tonight

    21.Scrunters Pan Groove - Symptoms

    22.La Famille United - Unknown Band

    23.Metro Stars - Showtime

    24.Blanca 47 - Pan In Danger

    25.Marsicans - Long Time

    26.City Sun Valley - All Night Tonight

    27.New Vision - Ben Lion

    28.Trinidad &Tobago Fire Services - Fever

    29.Gonzales Sheikers - Too Real

    30.San Juan East Side Symphony - Shaking It

    31.La Creole Pan Groove - Unknown Band

    32.Nu Pioneers Pan Groove - Pan In A Rage

    33.Pan Jammers - Chutney Bacchanal



    SMALL

    1.Harvard Harps - Tribute to Winston Spree

    2.C&B Crown Cordaans - Mr Fete

    3.Tamana Pioneers - Ah Feeling

    4.Golden Hands - Pan in D Galaxy

    5.Tobago Pan-thers - Caribbean Connection

    6.Tornadoes - Kaka Roach

    7.Laventille Serenaders - Chords

    8.Genesis Pan Groove - Ah Going And Party Tonight

    9.Our Boys - Ah Feeling

    10.Crescendo Musical - The Hammer

    11.New Generation - Bees Melody

    12.Super Novas - Dr. Samaroo

    13.Longdenville Claytones - Free Up

    14.Moods - Don’t Stop This Party

    15.Cocorite West Wind - Magic Drum

    16.Arima Golden Symphony - Ah Feeling

    17.Merrytones - Steelband Coming Down

    18.Musical Gems - Symphony in G

    19.Fusion Steel - Dis Feeling Nice

    20.UTT LH Pan Groove Outta De Box


    MEDIUM:  Sunday Feb 1, 2015

    1.Western Stars Philharmonics - This Melody Sweet

    2.Curepe Scherzando - Bassman

    3.Carib Dixieland - Tourist Leggo

    4.Tokyo - Outta De Box

    5.Pan Elders - Party Time

    6.Petrotrin Katzenjammers - Say Say

    7.Sforzata - Jump And Break Away

    8.Valley Harps - Outta De Box

    9.Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille - Nah Do Dat

    10.NGC Steel Xplosion - Du Du Yemi

    11.Arima Angel Harps - Toco Band

    12.Melodians - Doh Stop This Party

    13.NLCB Buccooners - Rainorama

    14.NGC Couva Joylanders - Feeling It



    LARGE

    1.NGC La Brea Nightingales - Pan On The Road

    2.Birdsong - Pan Magic

    3.BP Renegades - Jam Dem Hard

    4.RBC Redemption Sound Setters - Pan On The Road

    5.CAL Invaders - This Melody Sweet

    6.WITCO Desperadoes - Pan Hooray

    7.Massy Trinidad All Stars - Unquestionable

    8.PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars - Edwin’s Legacy

    9.Harmonites - Outta De Box

    10.Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove - Happiness

    11.Republic Bank Exodus - De Puna Band

    12.NLCB Fonclaire - Fifty Plus

    13.Skiffle - Celebration 

    14.White oak Starlift - Ah Feeling

    15.Tropical Angel Harps - Pan For Beethhoven

  • Another band is playing Tambu's  "Free Up".

    Incredible !

    You can't force people to like what they don't like , I guess.

    And I'd bet that these tune selections are not being made by old people , or people over fifty as David De suggests.

  • I'm listening to the single pan bands on 91.1 and so far there is a definite preference for old tunes.

    One thing to consider , however is the age of the players. So many of the tunes we may consider as "old tunes" that was played by steelbands in the past are relatively new to many of them , since some of them may have never even heard these tunes on pan.

    And , to young ears , who may not be as familiar with the "old tunes" as we are, they may sound new, and if you compare the modern crop of tunes to the great compositions of the past........well , you see where I'm going here?

    As I'm writing this , "Rainorama" is playing in the background. That was  about 1973.

    How many of those young panists were even born back then ?

    I'm sure it doesn't sound old and tired to them!

    Good music doh spoil!

  • Invaders - Say Say HD

  • Here’s something else to ponder in this discussion compare the two steel band Panorama performances that are 18 years apart 1987 the year the song came out and 2005 when Arddin Herbert shook the savannah with his interpretation of Baron’s “Say Say” composed by Winsford Devine.


    I choose them to make share the point made by our prolific composer Winsford Devine, the man should be given an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters for his contribution to this artform.


    Steelband music from the younger generation has begun to come of age the performances that used to be '''pedantic'' is no more”…. Winsford Devine

    Thanks for this post Glenroy.

    Baron's "Say Say" Hatters Steel Orchestra, Panorama 1987. A Winsford Devine composition(Live Audio)

  • One of the things we seem to overlook is the importance of familiarity with the basic pan tune to the average pan fan's appreciation of the panorama arrangement.

    Even in the old days , the fact is that many very good pan friendly calypsos were ignored by arrangers , who preferred to play music familiar to the audience , so that the arrangements could be better understood.

    That is why , for example , so many bands played Super Blue's "Lucy in the Savannah" in 1984 , even though there were quite a few very good alternatives.

    But "Lucy" was the most popular calypso that year.

    It is difficult for me to envision a scenario where today's pan tunes could get enough air play to familiarize the public with the music.

    So , except for diehard pan aficionados ( like some of us on this forum) , most people who attend panorama are relatively unfamiliar with the tune being played.

    And many attendees at panorama are also visitors for Carnival.

    Which leaves the arrangers with the difficult task of having to arrange a panorama tune with the source material unfamiliar to many in the audience, and yet have the ability to excite and hold their attention of that audience( and possibly even the judges).

    Only a handful of arrangers could manage to do this successfully , and I guess that's why they always win.

  • I mentioned this in another discussion, and i think it bears repeating here.

    One of the reasons that some will have a preference for old tunes is because calypsos of yesteryear were almost always pan friendly i.e. suited for percussion instruments.

    Listen to any old Sparrow , Kitchener , Maestro , Shadow , Stalin album and you would find several pan friendly tunes.

    I would bet that if an arranger would do some research he'd find many very  good calypso pan tunes of that era that were virtually ignored by steelbands back then.

    Remember , that was the time when calypsonians supposedly bribed or otherwise encouraged bands to "beat their tune" so that they could win the Road March.

    And also , many bands ended up playing the most popular tune on the road and for competition , even though there were many other good, pan friendly calypsos available.

    Remember "Lucy" ?

    Probably about half a dozen bands played Lucy on final night that year , even though other good tunes were available.

    Lucy was the most popular calypso that year.

    If we really respect our best artists who've contributed so much to our culture , we should have no problem using any of their works , past or present , just as we have no problem using the works of long dead European composers.

    • Maybe with more prize money thrown in the fray we can have A Old Calypso Prize as well as A New Calypso Prize.

      That should please everybody. What you think.

  • At least 14 of the 20 small bands and 11 of the 14 medium bands played an 'old' tune.   You mean to say these arrangers can get a whole year to arrange and practice with their stage side, and the ones that play a brand new song about six weeks, showing their skill and dedication to do something new? This is intrinsically unfair.  Whats unfair also is these composers dont get to hear their songs played for panorama, that is Pan Trinbago's vision? This shows that those old tune bands are just lazy and using the system to their advantage. This should be stopped. Lets see your skill, originality and innovation, arrangers!  I am totally against the old tune in Panorama.  Give us new music every year.  And finally for the arrangers and players , show me how good you are.

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