South panists treated badly at NAPA opening

Trinidad Express Newspapers

(Commentary)

I am writing to let you know that the opening of NAPA South was a crying shame and insult to the steelpan fraternity of San Fernando. This was not a multi-cultural opening but rather a bi-cultural programme of only singing and two dance performances.
 

I am of the opinion that it is either the organisers of this programme just do not like the steelpan or they did not think our national instrument was worthy of the gracious stage of NAPA South.  

These people should be dismissed from any future cultural event planning as they clearly show no respect for the other aspects of culture such as our steelpan, literary foundation and the talented disabled persons, to name a few.

Culture is the one thing that brings all people of different ethnic groups, race, religion and languages together. This is one of the main aspects in our society that exhibits how cosmopolitan a country we are and the beauty of our diverse cultures coming together as one. This was sadly lacking at the opening of NAPA South.  

read full article

You need to be a member of When Steel Talks to add comments!

Join When Steel Talks

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Pan Times before you post a discussions get the FACTS correct, you are spreading rumors and lies. I am reading today Guardian (Thursday 11, October, 2012) life today section on the back page. NAPA, South Opens with a Burst of National Pride, pannist Daren Sheppard, the Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra appeared at the opening.

    Who is fooling who.......

    • Reply by Andre Williams 23 minutes ago

      Pan Times before you post a discussions get the FACTS correct, you are spreading rumors and lies. I am reading today Guardian (Thursday 11, October, 2012) life today section on the back page. NAPA, South Opens with a Burst of National Pride, pannist Daren Sheppard, the Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra appeared at the opening.

      Who is fooling who.......

      __________________________

       

      Mr. Andre Williams,

      We are not sure what your point is, but what we do know is that you are well aware that the posting of the "discussion" you speak of, above, is an opinion piece sent in via email to the Trinidad Express newspaper - http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters/South_pannists_treated_badly... -  by Candace Achaiba, the wife of winning panorama arranger Steven Achaiba; she is apparently a respected musician in her own right, and with her husband, the head of Achaiba’s School Of Music, and more than entitled to her own opinions.

       

      Since this post in the Trinidad Express is sent in by Candace Achaiba where she states her own opinion, it is her own.  The truth of her views/opinions in this post, or possible discrepancies - personal or otherwise - is no different than when you, Andre Williams, post what you claim to be the truth and/or valid in this WST forum.


      Pan Times

       

      • Not to mention the fact that said posting resulted in a healthy discussion, which is what this forum is all about!

  • Interesting answers by Cecil and Glenroy.

  • Patrick, pan amplified will be louder and need less people, but it does not sound the same.When pans are amplified,they lose their uniqueness. When Rhapsody plays on the road, they are loud, but the tonal quality is not the same as a band not amplified.The PHI for many of us is an instrument that looks like a pan but it is not referred to as a pan, as pan is unique to steeldrums.

    • That's true Gerard! Although Rhapsody can get the actual 'Pan Tone' they use the 'finger' touch/tones most times. but the points I was making were 1) Rhapsody converted to meet the requirement to play in fetes and through sound system and that was the faster way for the band

      2) The band had started in 2005 to amplify the Traditional pans but was faced with many challenges beyound their control.

      Amplifying a small Traditional Steel band to come through a big sound system is not far fetched. That is why I am advising/encouraging bands to try. Otherwise players would have unwelcomed intermitant breaks on Carnival days. Rhapsody played on the road with full amplification of the conventional Pans in 2006/2007/2008/2009.

      Converted to mainly Electronic 'pans' from 2010 because there were no work for the band in fetes and the players were forced to stop playing on the road whenever big DJ sound system were close by, bands are faced with a hundred 'big trucks on Carnival Days.

      It is not Rhapsody's intention to replace the Traditional Pans with the Electronic Pans. Nothing can sound like a Steel band sin amplification but it's the only way a promoter would consider 'steel band' in their fetes stage side. 'means to an end' Promoters don't mind hiring a single pan side to come in at the end of their fete for a final jump up. That's why Panorama is important to most bands. There are not many other events unless for most bands during and after the Carnival season unless.........

      • Steelbands  have to start by having their own fetes.

        Rhapsody could be loud but it not about being loud, they cannot duplicate the sound of 10 tenors.  4 or 5 people playing the PHI will never sound like a large steelband just because they could turn up the volume.

        • People seem to forget that the beauty of  pan is that it is an audio- visual experience, and that part of what generates the interest in the acoustic pan is its culture, and its humble beginnings.

          We enjoy recorded pan music because we can visualize the players and know the pan's history..

          Efforts to remove the cultural , the visual from the pan and substituting it with electronics are self defeating.

          Classical symphonies can also be replaced by synthesizers, but they are not.

          Movies can now be made without live actors, but with CGI images of dead ones. but this is rarely done( except(maybe in a few commercials).

          There is enough actual recorded pan music that can be used to supplement live performances. I wonder why more of this isn't done?

  • Did anyone say anything to the organizers when Pan was not invited? Get to the line minister and make sure pan is higher up on his agenda? When it's convenient to them, they talk about national instrument.Seems like they are eating out of the palms of Sat Maharaj with his dholak drum thing.A lot of people "eh want to rock no boat these days"

    • They must be getting pay well that's why they don't want to rock no boat (something in the mortar besides the pestle)

This reply was deleted.