Pamberi Steel Orchestra’s ‘Chow Chow!’ Christmas Concert  

Live on TTT on Wed 16th Dec…Tune In Everybody!

 

Two Pamberi Christmas concerts separated by a 40-year journey of discovery. The first was really a ‘first’ in more than one sense. Back then, on December 6th, 1980, Christmas excitement was in the air and a brand new steelband, Pamberi,  was ready to unveil itself in its first public performance, at the band’s panyard, at 11A Santa Cruz Old Road San Juan. The details of the band’s repertoire at that Christmas launch are a bit sketchy, after all 40 years is a long time, but the Christmas joy was amplified by the excitement generated by the new steelband, with a different sounding kind of name, playing a different kind of music and playing it well.

 

Fast forward to December 16th 2020, and once more Christmas is in the year. In many homes a variety of Christmas fare will be on the menu and a bottle of Chow Chow will be a popular condiment that will add the traditional Caribbean flavour to breakfast, lunch and dinner tables. Tune in to TTT on the evening  of Wednesday December 16th , 2020 for the live broadcast of Pamberi’s Chow Chow! Christmas Concert. On the musical menu will be selections from Pamberi’s very popular Caribbean  Christmas album first recorded in 1994, in Japan on the Starland Label and subsequently re-released on a variety of local and international music platforms as Pamberi Steel Orchestra: Sweet Christmas. Also, on show will some brand new interpretations of music of the Yuletide season, courtesy Pamberi’s resident arranger, the multi-talented Cheo Cato.

 

Which begs the question, what would Christmas be without a few friends dropping by to join in the celebration? Word is that the one-man-band, the super talented musician, Kern Sumerville will be chipping in on some vocals, so too a taste of the beautiful tones and improvisations of Tony Paul on clarinet will add a helping of sophistication and Caribbean flair to the musical menu.  In the mix too will be the Caribbean and jazz infused stylings of the gifted composer and  arranger Mr. Theron Shaw on guitar, and to parang the Pamberi house, Una Sola Voz will be dropping in to give a real Trini Christmas flavour to the musical evening.

 

Yes, we are in the midst of a world-wide pandemic and yes, so many of our individual ‘worlds’ have been turned upside down. However, in the Caribbean no matter how tough the times, we find a way to make Christmas special occasion for friends and family. So, you should expect nothing less from Pamberi but a well-produced spectacular show.

 

That said, bills have to be paid, and the cost of an undertaking of the magnitude of Pamberi’s Chow Chow concert is not insignificant. Given everyone’s diminished income in these Covid-19 times, the only solution seems to be to share the burden. In this regard, we are inviting our listening and viewing audience as well as our many friends and supporters to chip in via the event’s fundmetnt link, to help Pamberi cover the event’s overheads.

 

If our beloved national instrument could have been conceived and born in the midst of the great depression of the 1930’s and the ensuing dislocation of World War II, then Covid-19, no matter how disruptive, is just another big hurdle to be creatively negotiated.   So, see you on December 16th, organize your Christmas food and drinks, but don’t worry about the Chow Chow, just tune in to TTT and your Christmas menu will be complete.  

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