Pan Trinbago Inc. T.C. will be hosting its inaugural Awards and Gala Function in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Panorama on Friday 22nd February 2013.
This date is very significant as it is the same on which the first Panorama was held in 1963.
The invitation-only gala takes place at Cascadia Hotel & Conference Room, St. Ann’s, at 8:00pm. Dress is formal.
The celebratory event is in honour of the winning Steelbands and Arrangers that have participated in Panorama through the years from 1963 to 2013. Five (5) Tuners of that era will share the honours.
Tribute will also be paid to the first Executive of the National Association of Trinidad & Tobago Steelbandsmen (NATTS) under the Presidency of George Goddard.
The four National Panorama champions i.e. Phase II Pan Groove, Buccooneers, Arima Golden Symphony and San Juan East Side Symphony, and finalists in each of the categories will collect their prizes and trophies.
Several distinguished persons have been invited.
The recipients are:
Bands Arrangers Tuners
City Syncopators Anthony “Tony Williams Anthony “Tony” Williams
Wonderland (Chaguanas) Lennox “Bobby” Mohammed Joseph “Pops” Roseman
City Kids Beverly Griffith Bertram Kellman
Invaders Clive Bradley Herman Guppy Brown
Crossfire Robert Greenidge George “Josey” Richardson
Casablanca Earl Rodney
Cross Winds Rupert Mark
San Juan All Stars Ray Holman
Dixie Harp Herschiell Puckerin
Merrytones Rudy Wells
Starlift Leon ”Smooth” Edwards
Nocturne Steve Achiba
City Symphony Dr.Jit Samaroo
Prodigal Philharmonics Pelham Goddard
Wonderland (Belmont) Len “Boogsie” Sharpe
Renegades Edwin Pouchet
Sundowners Seion Gomez
Sputnicks Terrance “BJ” Marcelle
Desperadoes Duvone Stewart
Steel Stylers
Modern Sunland (St. James)
Tropical Harmony
Metronomes
Hatters
Melody Makers
Gondoliers
Southern Fascinators
Southern All Stars
Guinness Cavaliers
Imperial Tulips
Vibratones
Moonlight Sonata
Southern Melotones
Teenage Symphony
Southern Marines
Fascinators
Blue Stars
Sundowners
Rogues Regiment
Esso Wonder Harps
Our Boys
Casbash
Media/Communications
Comments
Let me fill in the missing pieces and some clarification of Sundowners.
The original Sundowners was captained by Selwyn Dayal and I was the music arranger. The address was at Purcell Street in a garage which belonged to Selwyn's family. After Selwyn left for the U.S.A., the band was moved to my yard at 7 Panco Lane and I became both Captain and Arranger. My next door neighbour Henry Hart who was an employee of Texaco, became our manager and he was able to obtain a great contract from Texaco to sponsor the band so we became Texaco Sundowners.
In 1965 while I was away in England, Scotland and Wales with The Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband, a very ambitious young member (whom I will not name as I do not wish to start something that was 48 years ago and long forgotten) formed a mutiny and removed all the pans from my residence to Vistabella. With some of the members of the band, they formed a pan side and even had the gall to call the band Sundowners.
Thew were however, not able to use the name Texaco as the contract was signed by me and Texaco would not deal with any one but myself. After my return, I was called in by Texaco for some clarification and I informed them as to what had transpired. They gave me two options.
(1) They could handle it legally and recover the pans.
I did not like that idea as it would have made enemies with friends that I had grew up and played with for several years. I would not have been able to accept them back into the band as I would not have been able to trust them anymore.
(2) They offered to have a full new set of pans made and I could start a new band.
That was a good offer except that it took me many years to get Sundowners to where they were and I did not think that I could have started from scratch again to teach new people to play. Also at that time, I had seen a bit of foreign countries and I was getting the itch to live abroad.
Around that same time, my younger brother Raphael Passey, ( now deceased) had started to teach a young group of kids from the area. I had given them a few pans to start and they were making progress. The name of the group was West Stars and I asked Texaco if they would be willing to give the sponsership to this group. They said that they would on condition that I would be a member of that band. West Stars was extremely happy with that as it meant getting one of the biggest sponsors and also an experienced arranger who had been around the block, and so Texaco West Stars was born and Texaco Sundowners died peacefully.
The Sundowners that went to Vistabella, never really made it into the big times. They did get a sponser called Schlomberger for a while, but after I left Trinidad in 1968, I could not really say what happened to that band.
In the 90's, the original captain of Sundowners, returned to Trinidad for some time and he started a single pan band which he again called Sundowners. I don't think that they lasted very long as Selwyn again returned to the U.S.A.
The only Sundowners that was a powerhouse in San Fernando, was the one mentioned above called Texaco Sundowners.This was my band which placed second in the first ever Panaroma, and also placed third in the Music Festival. We also produced a first place winner in the Tenor Solo competition in the Music Festival (Ralph Ryce)
The band also performed in the movie Eighteen on Steel with Invaders and the American Naval Steelband. The band's name also appears in the book 40 Years of the Steelband, written by George Goddard.
Sorry for the long drawn history but it was necessary in order to clarify as to which Sundowners was the successful band that came out of south.
Steve Regis
I have noticed that Sundowners name apears twice on the list I underatand that there was Three sundowners in sanFdo There was a sundowners that came second in the first panorama in 63 the Original Sunsowners there also was a sundowners that qualified for a panorama in the 70's or 80's this sundowners was a remnance of the original sundowners which folded in 64-65 are they acknowledging all bands separately the aranger for the original band was S Regis and the second band was Ray Henry one band was from San Fdo West and the other was from SanFdo East Then there was a Single pan Sundowners in the 90's which also participated in a panorama in port of spain in the 90's I had returned home that year and played with the band in a panorama in P.O.S the leader of that sundowners was Selwyn Dayal who was the First Captain of the original sundowners steel band just giving the history of the Sundowners steelbands of SanFdo " Founding Menber" of the Original Band ""belve"
@Brenda hosang, (et al):
This information was reproduced as provided by Pan Trinbago, Media Communication. It is probably as you've noted, a mistake.
Pan Times
Also, some fairly obscure steelbands are listed ( Casbash , I believe that was Casbah?), How about Hylanders?
I find this comment from Withfield strange. He was the chairman of pan trinbago south sometime ago, does he still represent the region? this info says from the news desk of Pan Trinbago.
I agree with the comments of Steve regis. I remember his tenure with Sundowners Of San Fernando when they were a powerhouse in the South.
Also,I cannot believe that one can compile a steelband list list that doesn't include Solo Harmonites.
And lastly, there are such things as posthumous awards:
Tuners - Rudolph Charles? Allan Gervais? Bertie Marshall?
Steve Regis
I am happy to see that awards are being given out to some long forgotten bands. This awards ceremony is however a surprise since I did not hear of it before.
Since I was both captain and music arranger for Sundowners when we came second to Pan Am North Stars in the first ever Panorama 50 years ago, and followed up with a third place in the Music Festival, I am confused as to who will be receiving the award on behalf of my band.
I know that I live in Canada and it may seem far away but I could still have been contacted and at least have someone there to represent me.
On that note, it is also important to remember that as a member or the Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband that played in the U.S.A., England, Scotland,and Wales in 1965 and also Expo 67, that I played an important role in spreading Steelband music to the world. I guess that unless you live in Trinidad you are obviously forgotten.
CONGRATS ON LEAVING OUT HILLSIDE SYMPHONY IN YOUR LIST.
........Mr. Wallace Austin (tuner)
I don't know of Bobby Mohammed arranging for Wonderland (Chaguanas). I know of Henry "Bendix" Cumberbach.
I was in that band before 1963 and played in the first panorama.
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