Sterling Betancourt (pictured far right) is launching a calypso about TASPO that he’s written (which the ever-popular Crazy has contributed the vocals to) at the Trinidad High Commission in London on March 26th 2013.
The man is an octogenarian, but amazingly still has a lot of the energy he first brought to this country when he first arrived in 1951 as a member of TASPO (the Trinidad All Steel and Percussion Orchestra). This was a steel band consisting of 12 of the finest steel pan players in Trinidad, from various steel bands (the first and last steel band ’supergroup’?) and they predominantly played with the pans strapped around their necks either sitting, standing or strolling.
TASPO’s participation in the Festival of Britain was integral in establishing this new instrument- the steel pan- into the musical landscape of the country at that time. Sterling was the only member of TASPO to stay behind after the tour and it wasn’t long before he was performing alongside Russ Henderson with other Trinidadian musicians including my uncle Ralph Cherrie and my father Max at society events.
Now Sterling is an MBE and is feted- quite rightly- for a number of things related to pan and carnival, but for me personally it’s his pan roun’ neck contribution that I admire the most.
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I heard the song T.A.S.P.O by Crazy the singer who sang it and its a nice pan song by Sterling... I was there to hear itnice man
I must say his is a Sterling Contribution to Pan and to T+T. Thanks.