Renegades could do no wrong, winning Panorama 1995, 1996 and 1997. Jit had the formular. Lots of jam from start to finnish, animated players, a dash of innovation and staying close to the melody so that the audiences never get lost. Jit had figured it out the formular.
The only other finalist with a jamming style are All Stars, Fonclaire, Silver Stars and Redemption Sound Setters, who always show why they have made the finals. All Stars are capable of anything.
Then their are the sweetness with Boogsie Phase 11 Pelham, who is always very musical with Exodus. The other purveyors of the sweet style are pan icon Despers, Starlift, Invaders and jazzy Deltones.
Will the future be jam? Or sweet? Or sweetjam? WHAT DO YOU YHINK?
Replies
Yes the records are there to show that Jit and Renegades dominated the '80s and 90's but not with "Lots of jam from start to finnish" Jit !!!???
Please, don't confuse Jit with 'Smooth'.
What I think is true is that mid and lower instrumental passages (in particular three cellos, four-pans, quads) were accentuated in his arrangements even though, that in itself, would be very unfair to Jit because that area of the orchestra has always been, to me, his sacred ground. No other arranger, either singly or collectively, has satisfied me especially in this area as Jit has.
Whay do you think I have great appreciation for 'Zanda''s arrangement of Trini. It's simply because I have been accustomed to, expect and have a deep appreciation for excellence, the standard of which has been set by Jit Samarooo and Renegades.
"Jit had the formular". I have been hearing this statement for decades in various panyards and on the air waves and sadly 95% of the time it was said as an uncomplimentary statement. I'd give you the benefit of the doubt for being in the minority
It's not a formula. In my view, Jit's music is "structured" [the best word that comes to mind] and the structure he uses is his own. No one else's. Since it's his, he is free to do what he wants with it. These structures can and indeed have been rearranged as he felt it necessary to shift around with whichever melody he has at hand.
The tripple you cited is exemplary of what I mean.
As to where the accent should go in the future I'd work at this in a process of elimination way:
- eliminate sustained and repetitive chromatic runs a la Smooth in Soca Warriors;
- eliminate that one sustained beat throughout a la Professor with every band he arranges for;
- eliminate a sermon within a sermon effect a la Boogsie (of old) to which he revisited this year
- eliminate musical quotes which are stuck on as opposed to intertwined to entrances a la Despers Band from Space
- eliminate overly lengthy entrances and codas a la Exodus' Max it up and quite a few of Ph II codas
- eliminate the 'unfinished' lullaby from winning a panorama a la NuTones in '98
and, I'll add just ONE do:
- everyone ought to visit Duke Street and take some "surwah" because dem does giv it way free and sprinkle liberally over their arrangements - and, this is the greatest irony because All Stars this year also failed to raise anybody from their seats to 'take a wine'. And that's because the accent was on "theatre" for which no points are given.
Royce, I beg to differ.
Whether it was Mystery Band, Pan In A Rage, or Pan In A Minor Renegades was not all about jammin. Jit did emphasise the tenors pans' melody and counter melody quite alot, they were not just extended chord jammin.
Randi (Starlift supporter and Flag waver)