Good Morning Steel band Lovers - There's a down-sizing taking place with steel band groups in Brooklyn, NY who are displaced, dismissed and soon to be forgotten! This moment in history reminds me of when I first came to the U.S. in 1962. In the late 60's and 70's it was a novelty to hear PAN which we enjoyed as young adults with the one steel band group I knew then at the time known as Gabriel Steel Orchestra where we would party in a basement! Just knowing you're around your people in an atmosphere where you're enjoying your culture was an exciting time.
I feel the likes of what is happening now to our cultural base seems to evoke the times of that past era when the culture of pan music began with a slow progression to what we all witnessed on Labor Day, i.e., steel bands on Eastern Parkway until the ushering of DJ's brought steel bands to a halt and Pan Lovers, and hence the introduction of J'Ouvert that Mr. Earl King had the foresight to do something with the J'Ouvert and together with Danville Williamson saw the need to restore PAN to its rightful place, that is, in the hearts and minds of its lovers and approached me, Hazel John (because of my legal background) to register the name which we came up with, and which was registered to legally carry on the J'Ouvert.
Where do we stand now with the digital/techno age we are facing. Does steel band groups have to now think of how they can evolve and yet still maintain an orchestra-like appearance for example, Panorama. Do we downsize the steel PANS? What happens NOW!
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