Caribbean Life - OP-EDS
by Oliver Stephenson
“We can take solace in that the Pan still has an untold future,” says Anthony Salah Wilson, a steelpan musician, composer, arranger, educator, scholar and founder of Salah’s Steelpan Academy in Quebec, Canada adds: “The meteoric rise of the Pan internationally in the last two decades is evidence of a perceived longevity.” Wilson is one of several people who have in the past proposed a ministry exclusively for steelpan in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Wilson’s essential proposal includes several factors such as: A ministry that must be able to offer “something meaningful to the country, to the population, to the world”. A ministry that must, he proffers, “be able to provide a service to the country, to the population, to the world” one that has the ability to “generate finance and contribute to the economic development of the country;” one that should have a “positive impact on the social status of the population of the country;” as well be able to attract foreign investments and tourism and be able to positively affect the youths of the nation as well as be able to “be able to “create jobs and spin off related industries.”
The names Tony Williams, Bertie Marshall and Ellie Manette go hand-in-hand with the instrument’s evolution. And apart from Trinidad and other areas of the Caribbean, its impact, since its inception some seventy years ago, the instrument continues to play a major role in the music of the Anglophone Caribbean diaspora...
...This generally seems to be a veritable chronic problem with the inhabitants of the region. Indeed, the pan instrument, however, is still wending its way toward asserting itself as a more “visibly” recognized instrument in the pantheon of internationally recognized musical instruments...
Replies
Excellent article by Mr. Oliver Stephenson ....the fact is that we can no longer view, regard and do the pan as how we have been doing it for the last 7 decades. It is time to raise the game.
Also in echoing Mr. Selwyn Roberts posts ..I would like to add that more quality recordings (audio and video) is needed where eventually pan can have its own category in the arenas of Grammy awards and Juno awards (Canada) etc...
we still have some ways to go but it is imperative to move in this direction.
Salah
This article does give an overview of all things pan, which means that pan can be and must be developed on several levels to take its place alongside the already established musical instruments. For instance pan must now be perceived as pan music , pan ...the instrument , how to play pan, the teaching of pan and so on. Each of these levels require expertise to encourage its development in those fields.
As an encouragement in further readings may I suggest my peice for Hub Pages on " The Musings of Elton "Smokey" John...
a pan man" which can be read at Hub Pages.