Published: Thu, 2011-07-07 21:36
Based on the public’s support for two nights running of two steelband shows, not organised by Pan Trinbago, one can safely assume that the future of pan looks bright, despite the instrument’s umbrella body still without a headquarters. In spite of very inclement weather on both nights, pan lovers turned out in their droves to enjoy and support the national instrument and its exponents. On Friday night, Pan Lovers International (PLI) hosted 60 Years Since Taspo in the bpTT Renegades Pan Theatre, on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, and the following evening Junior Hutson Entertainment and WACK Radio 90.1FM staged the novel and innovative The Four Pillars of Steel Repertoire Competition at The Forecourt of the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Friday night’s concert was graced with the presence of the likes of Phase II Pan Groove, Carib Woodbrook Playboyz, bpTT Renegades, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, Couva Joylanders, TTDF Steel Orchestra. This event commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (Taspo). Taspo was formed in Trinidad in 1951 by a group of pan players for a trip to the United Kingdom and the Friday night lime at Renegades was intended to raise funds for the surviving pannists of the era. Seven veteran pannists were in attendance at Renegades, including former Renegades captains Leonard “Boldface” Patrick and Oswald “Ozzie” McSween, Clint Andrews, Rudy Marshall and Leon Johnson.
Pillars of steel
The following evening there was a well-balanced mix of the young and the old in the pan arena as four of the oldest steel orchestras in the land vied for cash prizes for having the best repertoire. In the fray were reigning National Panorama champion Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars, CAL Invaders, Tokyo and Witco Desperadoes. Judging this keenly contested competition were acclaimed musician and judge Junior Howell; stalwart southern pannist Cuthbert “Cutty” Mattews; and veteran journalist David Cuffy.
At the end of a night to remember they chose Desperadoes as having the best repertoire, one which included perennial crowd-pleasing selections like Love is a many splendoured thing, John Legend’s Ordinary People, Can Can (Orpheus of the Underworld), and, of course, Rebecca. Show promoter Junior Hutson said that since Saturday he had been besieged by requests to take the competition to south Trinidad, and to reprise the competition next year with other steel orchestras challenging Desperadoes for the much coveted bragging rights.
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