Pan prelims fail to pull crowd in South

By Innis Francis - Trinidad Express

NCC audit coming after Carnival... Pantrinbago gets $30m, biggest slice of the pie

Chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Kenny Da Silva says it is time the commission raises its own funds and not depend on the public purse to stage the greatest show on earth.

When Carnival 2016 comes to a close on February 9, Da Silva

The Saga of Jit Samaroo - From Nobody To Somebody to Iron Man to the Great Beyond

by Simeon L. Sandiford

“Somebody will win this Panorama” quipped Keith Matthews of Trinidad All Stars as no fewer than nine bands played Winsford ‘Joker’ Des Vignes’ title song of 1989. In 1990 Jit whipped the field again with Lord Kitchener’s immort

JIT by DALTON NARINE

A When Steel Talks Exclusive

Global - Just a single name encapsulates this slight man, what he became and the huge legacy he left pan and country.

Imagine a shy East Indian panman/ arranger from Surrey, Lopinot, not your ordinary panist at all, being

NCC looking to return traditional mas to Savannah stage

Time may be allotted for traditional mas only on the Queen’s Park Savannah stage on Carnival Monday.

The National Carnival Commission (NCC) is considering a proposal to return traditional mas to the Carnival in Port-of-Spain by allocating time on sta

A Tribute to Dr. Jit Samaroo by Mark Loquan

This morning I awoke to the sad news of the passing of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural icons, Dr. Jit Samaroo, who came from very humble beginnings to not only create history in the Panorama arena with 9 winning arrangements, but has also compo

Iconic Steel Band Arranger Jit Samaroo Dies on the Eve of Trinidad's Panorama Music Competition

Screen grab of a YouTube video of Trinidadian artist Darren Cheewah painting a mural of the late steelpan composer and arranger, Jit Samaroo in the Renegades panyard.

The steel pan is the only surviving instrument to have been invented in the 20

Jit Samaroo’s funeral today

Saturday, January 9 2016 - Trinidad Newsday

THE funeral service for late pan icon, Jit Samaroo, takes place at 1pm today at the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Cochrane Street, Tunapuna. Samaroo’s remains will then be taken to the Surrey Village Publi

Happy Birthday to Mr. Mack --Sonatas Steel Orchestra

When Steel Talks extends birthday greetings Mr. Mack Scott of Sonatas Steel Orchestra.

Crime makes iconic pan side homeless

The homeless plight of Laventille steelband Witco Desperadoes has afforded Port of Spain businessman Alfred Galy timely opportunity to demonstrate support for Carnival arts.

In urgent need of a panyard base to prepare for 2016 Panorama, Desperadoes h

Changes in Panorama format

By Verdel Bishop -- Trinidad Express

Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz said Tuesday there have been some changes in the format for the 2016 competition, the most significant being the semi-finals where all conventional bands would face the adjudicato

Pan legend Jit Samaroo has died

By Susan Mohammed

Passed away: Pan icon Jit Samaroo

STEELPAN icon Jit Samaroo has died. Samaroo passed away at his home in D’Abadie shortly before noon on Thursday. He was 65.

Samaroo was the arranger for the Renegades Steel Orchestra for for over

Pantrinbago gets $30 million

By Verdel Bishop -- Trinidad Express

Sweet pan: Members of Supersonic Steel Orchestar performs at Skinner Park in San Fernando during the Panorama preliminaries of the large and medium band catagory last year. -Photo: DEXTER PHILIP

Although Pantri

Memories - Remembering - Dr. Jit Samaroo RIP

When Steel Talks extends condolences to friends and family of the legendary master arranger Dr. Jit Samaroo.

more on Dr. Samaroo

additional comments by global steelpan community

All systems go for Carnival 2016

Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts

January 7, 2016: With exactly 33 days to Carnival 2016, construction is in its final stage for the ‘Home of Carnival’ at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

On Tuesday January 5, 2016, Dr.

Five Star Akil & Desperadoes and Sforzata

96.1 WEFM

 

“It is the best thing to happen for me, for Carnival 2016! When I heard the news that Desperadoes will be playing my song for Panorama, I went on my knees and thanked God,” Five Star Akil said on Monday morning, gushing about the news

First Lady calls for Carnival manufacturing industry

First Lady Reema Carmona is calling for the creation of a manufacturing industry that provides for Carnival exclusively in Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking at the media launch of the Trinidad & Tobago Red Cross Carnival Committee 60th Anniversary, Carm

Destra Garcia will no longer be competing in the International Soca Monarch competition

When the semi-finalists for the annual competition were revealed last night, the singer’s name was conspicuously absent.

When contacted, Garcia said she did not enter.

She said she was tired of the stress of the competition and wants to focus on dev

Laventille honours its own

After a great performance at the Barclay Centre in New York City on Old Year’s Night, international recording artist, pannist, arranger and producer Robert Greenidge flew into Trinidad on Sunday morning.

Greenidge was honoured with an Award of Excell

Plans for the Carnival season - Pan Trinbago launches theme for Panorama 2016 - Excitement & Excellence

Launch of Panorama 2016  at the VIP Lounge, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain... plans for the Carnival season inclusive of Panorama

• Minimum for all participating conventional bands across all categories reduced to 40 players
• Semi finals and fina