Dear panlovers:
Over the past three weeks I've tried to use my T&T Guardian column to tell a story of how pan is the remaining heart of the Labour Day Carnival, and the heartbreak of this year's Panorama, that I flew from TTO to NYC for, after missing it for most of the decade I've been out of the City.
http://digital.guardian.co.tt/?iid=155372#folio=20
http://digital.guardian.co.tt/?iid=155487#folio=18
http://digital.guardian.co.tt/?iid=155595#folio=16
The commentary was to end last week, but the paper changed formats and a lot went wrong, so it concludes today. I don't want to end there, though. I'd love your comments, including what more I and others can do for the treasure that is New York pan and its Panorama. Above are links to the three pieces.
Replies
There is only SO MUCH PAN the people in the MECCA could take. Allyuh have to realize that PAN is a SEASONAL TING or a FLASH TING in Trinidad. Look at the SECOND BIG 5 CONCERT and see how scaled down and low profile it is. By the time they get to a THIRD CONCERT (if they do) the NOVELTY would have worn off. And the BIG 5 will have to LOOK OUTSIDE if they are to remain relevant. Of course trying to LOOK OUTSIDE with a set of LOCAL CONSULTANTS is a strategy destined to failure. However, around the world, PAN IS FLYING HIGH -- REACHING TO THE SKY!!! Some lil fellah in some far off corner of the globe will "technologize" the music and make a big hit some time in the near future and all the PAN GENIUSES in the MECCA will bawl out for MURDAH!!!
No yuh talking Cec. These are things that should b done. We don't like ourselves. We promote reggae, rap everything else except pan and true calypso.I spoke to a number of composers and they always say they have to ADD SOMETHING TO CALYPSO YET a merengue is a merengue samba is samba, jazz is jazz u don't hear musicians from other genres saying they have to add some foreign content to their music. I remember Spoiler and Caruso singing with pan but nobody followed them up. We still have a long way 2 go. The education system has 2 b overhauled. Local and Caribbean authors have to be used for english and literature courses. We have 2 teach ,Butler, Eric Williams, CLR James ,L'Ouverture,Sobers, Worrell,Rienzi, Capildeo to mention a few Then future generatios will believe in and love themselves and what they create.
"And how a SPECTACULAR and SHAMELESS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, which NOT EVEN PAN TRINBAGO could pull off ..."
Really? The only person that KEITH DIAZ is second to is JACK WARNER!!!
I'm glad u people feel the way u do. After CHRIST Pan is meh lifeblood. I make my living thru Pan. Brethren Pan is much,much, much more than Panorama. Don't get me wrong I;m all 4 Panorama but let's face it before and after Panorama what happens? We need a way to make the Steelpan Industry more viable. Someone spoke recently about a National Pan body in North America. That is a good idea,but Americans don't think like Trinis nor Caribbean people. There r numerous steelbands in the U S in particular. Do they take part in Panorama or r they trying to have one of their own? No. But they r progressing and many pannists make a good living out there. We need a paradigm shift.Have Panorama but it must not be the b all and end all of our existence.Up to now a microphone to recapture the full essence of our sound has not been invented. Studios and performing venues that are earmarked to facilitate our unique artform r non existent. The leading orchestras in d world don't have a single steelpan instrument.they have Brass, Woodwind, Strings, Piano , no Pan. Let's think about these things and forget d bacchanal and in_fighting and u will see how we would progress and these millstones will sink and b no more. We will b wondering ,what happen 2 so & so? I rest my case.
Sherman, if they move panorama from carnival they'll create another event for bands to make a dollar.
Cecil: Yuh see MR. SHERMAN calling for a PROPER MICROPHONE and MUSIC STUDIOS for recording PAN MUSIC (facilitating our unique artform). A man after my own heart.
(Ah see yuh immigration block CHELSEA MANNING from coming into your country ... ah go have to get ah good plan to sneak across that border. All this BACCHANAL down here from the FAR LEFT disrespecting the FLAG and the ANTHEM -- ah have to leave and go somewhere else. Barbuda empty -- ah could have the whole island for mehself if the CANADIAN IMMIGRATION catch me and send me back.)
Claude, Andy Narell, has all the technology to reproduce Steelband music, let them talk to him.
SanchElectronix
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Yeah Cecil. I agree that Panorama could stand on its own without Carjnival. But again, what else? What after that? We need Pan on TV whole year, Pan in the hotels and restaurants,Pan on the radio whole year , not some stations,all. All the major orchestras worldwide must have pan playing alongside the trumpet,guitar/violin etc.