by Fitzgerald Gary Cardinez
Selwyn Fruits Williams in the picture below.
Trinidad Valley Harps Steel Orchestra from Charlo Village, Penal is not resting on its laurel of opening its brand new panyard.
Members of the band's executive are working in collaboration with pan enthusiasts in the USA to put together an event labelled as “Pan for Philadelphia.”
The event, carded for Mother’s Day 2023, will honour Philadelphia’s own award-winning songwriter and producer Kenny Gamble, who together with his partner Leon Huff are credited for creating “The Sound of Philadelphia” back in the seventies.
Several 25-member steel orchestras will gather in Philadelphia USA for the event. One each from France, England, Canada, and Japan, as well as four from the USA, and three from Trinidad and Tobago will be featured on the playbill.
International arranger/pannist Andy Narell has been given the task of choosing the steel orchestra from France, while Michael Mannish Robinson will choose from Japan. and Rudo Forteau will do the honours in Canada. The organizers are still looking for a representative in England.
Selwyn “Fruits” Williams, Public Relations Officer of Valley Harps, heads the local team which is collaborating with members of a committee from a Southern University in Philadelphia to stage the event. They will be in charge of choosing steel orchestras from the USA.
According to Williams: “ We would like to have one steel orchestra from New York, one from Washington, one from Philadelphia and one from down in the south. The bands will be chosen based on experience, tonal quality, and the ability to pull people to the event.
“The committee is in the process of finding sponsorship for Pan for Philadelphia from companies in the USA. We are also currently looking at four venues to choose the perfect one to host the event.”
An excited Williams also said, “The bands chosen for the event must understand that the organizers will be making arrangements with the Ellie Mannette Camp in Virginia, USA to provide the bass pans for each steel orchestra and the instruments will be painted in their respective colours.”
One stipulation is that each steel orchestra plays a song from Gamble’s catalogue, along with one calypso from their repertoire.
Pan for Philadelphia is already generating interest, as folks are already asking about getting tickets online. Williams said they will also be looking at having possible charter flights from Trinidad to get to the event in Philadelphia.
Members of the band's executive are working in collaboration with pan enthusiasts in the USA to put together an event labelled as “Pan for Philadelphia.”
The event, carded for Mother’s Day 2023, will honour Philadelphia’s own award-winning songwriter and producer Kenny Gamble, who together with his partner Leon Huff are credited for creating “The Sound of Philadelphia” back in the seventies.
Several 25-member steel orchestras will gather in Philadelphia USA for the event. One each from France, England, Canada, and Japan, as well as four from the USA, and three from Trinidad and Tobago will be featured on the playbill.
International arranger/pannist Andy Narell has been given the task of choosing the steel orchestra from France, while Michael Mannish Robinson will choose from Japan. and Rudo Forteau will do the honours in Canada. The organizers are still looking for a representative in England.
Selwyn “Fruits” Williams, Public Relations Officer of Valley Harps, heads the local team which is collaborating with members of a committee from a Southern University in Philadelphia to stage the event. They will be in charge of choosing steel orchestras from the USA.
According to Williams: “ We would like to have one steel orchestra from New York, one from Washington, one from Philadelphia and one from down in the south. The bands will be chosen based on experience, tonal quality, and the ability to pull people to the event.
“The committee is in the process of finding sponsorship for Pan for Philadelphia from companies in the USA. We are also currently looking at four venues to choose the perfect one to host the event.”
An excited Williams also said, “The bands chosen for the event must understand that the organizers will be making arrangements with the Ellie Mannette Camp in Virginia, USA to provide the bass pans for each steel orchestra and the instruments will be painted in their respective colours.”
One stipulation is that each steel orchestra plays a song from Gamble’s catalogue, along with one calypso from their repertoire.
Pan for Philadelphia is already generating interest, as folks are already asking about getting tickets online. Williams said they will also be looking at having possible charter flights from Trinidad to get to the event in Philadelphia.
Replies
All the best Fruits.
Definitely the direction in which independent steelband impresarios should be heading, away from dependence on the state (I hope).
Go for it Fruits, I have confidence in your ability to pull this off.
T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia) · Trinidad Steel Band
GRAND PROJECT!!! I hope it WORKS OUT!!!
The Sound of Philadelphia - Only The Strong Survive