Google is a wonderful thing. I had been wondering why the Trinidad news papers were so quite after Jacob Edgar dissed BP Renegades and Trinidad pan in public and internationally in his now infamous article "Getting Panned in Trinidad". I googled his name and to my amazement I found an article on the Trinidad Guardian by Simon Lee essentially praising Jacob Edgar before he published his article dissing Trinidad and pan.
The T&T Guardian was fast and fortunate enough to pull off an on-the-wing interview with Jacob Edgar, founder and president of the Cumbancha label and one of the Cumbancha artistes, singer/songwriter Trini-born Canadian resident Drew Gonsalves.
San Francisco-born Jacob Edgar is one of those rare individuals who has made a successful career out of his passions— for travel and roots music.
The article was published on September 30, 2013
the article is this one http://guardian.co.tt/entertainment/2013-09-29/los-cumbancheros-come-town
bugs
Replies
I just searched National Geographic... no results for Mr. Edgar. Self-promoting? Self-important?
Well, well, well. Cyar say de Ghos' didn' warn allyuh. Sponsorship is the modern slave ship. smh. Ghost.
How ironic. I'm afraid you are right. We, as representing the culture of pan, have to speak for Renegades. Unfortunately, this is one case where sponsorship may weaken the cause. Those of us with no affiliation to Renegades have to raise our voice.
Yes, it might be difficult for Renegades to raise hell, BP will not allow that and Renegades need their sponsorship
So... The Guardian ran the story on September 30th, and Getting Panned was published to his blog on October 1st. Like I had suggested in my comments in the other thread, I don't trust that he isn't exploitinig world music for his own benefit, and did not see an opportunity to exploit Renegades or able to sell the solo musician... hence his bashing of our art and culture. But if he is creating opportunities for select acts representing third world culture and music, good for them.
Unfortunately, for him, he doesn't know how to sell pan. Thank Heavens!
Good research Bugs.
One of the logical thing at this point would be for the leader of BP Renegades to follow through with what he stated that their organization would do as regards the "Geting Panned in Trinidad" article
Salah
This is imperative Salah. All the other steelbands will be watch to see how BP Renegades handles this issue. Does the BP really stand for anything as it relates to the band they are associated with?
bugs
Yes indeed! Renegades should definitely approach BP to see how their sponsor intends to proceed. The band itself probably doesn't have the clout necessary for NG to take them seriously. As Brenda says, to NG, Trinidad is "just a drop in the bucket", so why take them on?
Peter