Selwyn "Mello Sello" Gomes

Sello Gomes, the first arranger of Silver Stars Steelband passed away suddenly last night in Toronto at the age of 84.  Sello was a pan pioneer both in Trinidad as one of the 8 original members of Silver Stars in 1951,and in Canada in 1970 when he introduced pan to secondary schools (Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute) where he was a Business teacher.  Sello was an active pan musician on the Toronto scene from 1958 to 2015, and he will be sorely missed.  Sincere condolences to his family!

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  • My Condolence to the Selwyn Gomes Family and relatives  .  I have known him for approx. 64 years and seen him  grow into a genius.  Sincerely Charles Assevero, Plano, Texas 

  • Sorry loss! A memorable Trini-Canadian who showed the brilliance of our music with pan and calypso, both at home and in Toronto. Condolences to family and friends

  • A true pan pioneer here in Toronto indeed.  I had the privilege and honour of playing here with Sello.  My most heartfelt condolences to his wife Joan and the children, and his siblings Theresa and Gretta.

    Lennox Borel

  • Silver Stars - Gaudeamus Igitur "So Let Us Rejoice"

    Sanch Super Pan 1989

    • Ghost riders in the Sky / Somewhere my Love ( Lara's Theme from "Dr Zhivago") by Silver Stars (1967)

  • Sello first made his mark with his Carnval arrangement of Valerie/Valera for Silver Stars incorporating a "change key" as part of the tune. I believe he was the first to do so. He left Siver Stars to join Tropitones, where he played Cello. Fonzo Mosca was the lead tenor man there at the time, along with Rene Figueroa who had left Dixie Stars with his older brother Jose to join Tropitones. In 1955, I joined Tropitones and with Sello went to Canada to perform at the Canadian National Exhibition as the second  Esso Steel Band, the first one Dixie Stars being already there on a cross Canada tour. He returned to Canada in 1956, played music while getting his degree in teaching. He worked hard to get pan introduced to schools in Ontario as part of their music programs and was a true pioneer in this regard. 

  • Condolences to the family

  • Condolences to his Family.

  • Condolences to Sello's family.  Sello was a great pioneer of pan both in Trinidad and Canada. 

    Thanks for your great contribution to the pan.  Sello

    Rest In Peace

    Salah & Family

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