FLAWLESS PERFORMANCE Letter to the EDITOR (the VINCENTIAN NEWSPAPER …..JULY 30th 2923
Since I heard the first pong pong ping pong in 1948 in my aunts verandah on ERTHIG RD, BELMONT, POPRT OF SPAIN I have been involved in PAN. That band (I didnt know it at the time), was RISING SUN brought to SVG later that year by the mighty HENRY “CAREY” WILSON IMPRESSARIO SUPREME, I lived in FRENCHES under the pans of COSMOPOLITAN and it was SAMUEL SPARROW DUNCAN (Poorben) who sold me my first pan in 1956 and my mom made him promise before she gave him the $5 to teach me the instrument.. He taught me to play and build PAN. I have played on a lot of stages all over the place like BOSTON, MIAMI, NEW YORK, ANTIGUA, BALTIMORE, and a few others I also built the FIRST COMPLETE STEELBAND in ENGLAND Circa 1963 The MAESTROS ALLSTEEL BAND got them a recording contract, arranged the music taught them to play and even played Bongos on the recording.,,see EMI-MFP1227 recording (still available) a read the cover notes..I say all that to get to this . I stood in front of MY panorama stage in victoria park listening to MY band PANORAMA night 2023 and I was close to tears (of joy).. STARLIFT shone brightly from the very first note and it only got brighter. After 3 or so minutes as far as I was concerned it was NO LONGER A COMPETITION. I am a STARLIFT alumnaii for 40 odd years. Three words came to mind, IMMACULATE, FLAWLESS and MAGNIFICENT. The RIGHT TEMPO, the RIGHT STRUMMING, NO DROP STICK ERRORS, NO DISCORDANCE, NO DISONANCE (these 2 plague many arrangers). They were focussed and didnt come to VICTORIA to shout slogans and jump around like KANGAROO (as TOUCH says) The OLD STARLIFT KILLER INSTINCT CAME TO FORE and KILL they did. NO BAND IN THE HISTORY OF STEELBAND COMPETITION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD HAS EVER BEEN BEATEN BY A 16 POINT SPREAD. I have listened live to ALL THE GREAT BANDS (except DESTINATION TOKYO and PAN AM NORTH STARS) at PANORAMA time and NONE could top this performance. Ive played in STARLIFTS halcyon years (1979 to 1999)and we couldnt top this. TANNIE must have SMILED in his grave. Steelband competition began circa 1948(or 49) in T&T then in 1962 became PANORAMA won by MR TONY WILLIAMS PAN AM NORTH STARS the first 2 years. NEVER HAS THERE BEEN MORE THAN A 4 OR 5 POINT SPREAD OF A BEATING. I hope SOIN HILL learnt a valuable lesson that night. They had a great arranger and a darn good musical arrangement but they simply DIDNT EXECUTE. They spent their time effort and energy doing mummenschanz and mimickry. WE COME TO HEAR YOU, NOT TO SEE YOU MAKE A SPECTACLE OF YOURSELF ON VICTORIA PARK STAGE. ITS NOT THE COMEDY CLUB. E.J. Paddy Corea MUSICIAN./PANIST/ MAS MAKER
PS. RISIG SUN the 2nd band to leave Trinidad spawned ST VINCENTS FIRST steelband CARIBBEAN BOYS. The FIRST steelband to leave Trinidad on tour was RED ARMY 1946 to Guyana. MY STAGE??,,,, I OWNED that stage since 1958 and the 3 years following KING OF THE BANDS I was just into my teens, and in 1960 I took EVERY PRIZE they had to offer, KING OF THE BANDS, 2ND, 3RD and the CONSOLOTION prize, PING PONG SOLOIST, STEELBAND COMPETITION, ,BAND OF THE YEAR, even the CARNIVAL QUEEN was out of my band. NOBODY ELSE HAS DONE THIS. Some of the bands I have played with, PAN INVADERS, STARLIFT, ANTIGUAS HALCYON, METRO STEEL ENSEMBLE, DESPERADOES USA, GOLDEN STARS, CASABLANCA, ICKFORD TOMAZ and his LATIN AMERICAN JAZZ BAND (2 in 1). My PAN INVADERS is the FIRST and only steelband to back up a CALYPSO SINGER(1958 the Mighty Pagan singing MABLE THE FLUTER) on stage in VICTORIA PARK.
the WINNINGEST STEELBAND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS VINCY STARLIFT. 24 CHAMPIONSHIPS under their belt. TANNIE PETERS started this band in 1967 and named it after T&T STARLIFT the pan yard his brother hung out in. This years performance is probably the best PANORAMA performance of any band anywhere. ARRANGER DANTE PANTIN
Just would like to know where are you guys getting the information about the band called North Star steel orchestra from Saint Lucia whose given you all your information cause some Information is it is wrong
Comments
FLAWLESS PERFORMANCE
Letter to the EDITOR (the VINCENTIAN NEWSPAPER …..JULY 30th 2923
Since I heard the first pong pong ping pong in 1948 in my aunts verandah on ERTHIG RD, BELMONT, POPRT OF SPAIN I have been involved in PAN. That band (I didnt know it at the time), was RISING SUN brought to SVG later that year by the mighty HENRY “CAREY” WILSON IMPRESSARIO SUPREME,
I lived in FRENCHES under the pans of COSMOPOLITAN and it was SAMUEL SPARROW DUNCAN (Poorben) who sold me my first pan in 1956 and my mom made him promise before she gave him the $5 to teach me the instrument.. He taught me to play and build PAN.
I have played on a lot of stages all over the place like BOSTON, MIAMI, NEW YORK, ANTIGUA, BALTIMORE, and a few others I also built the FIRST COMPLETE STEELBAND in ENGLAND Circa 1963 The MAESTROS ALLSTEEL BAND got them a recording contract, arranged the music taught them to play and even played Bongos on the recording.,,see EMI-MFP1227 recording
(still available) a read the cover notes..I say all that to get to this . I stood in front of MY panorama stage in victoria park listening to MY band PANORAMA night 2023 and I was close to tears (of joy).. STARLIFT shone brightly from the very first note and it only got brighter. After 3 or so minutes as far as I was concerned it was NO LONGER A COMPETITION. I am a STARLIFT alumnaii for 40 odd years. Three words came to mind, IMMACULATE, FLAWLESS and MAGNIFICENT. The RIGHT TEMPO, the RIGHT STRUMMING, NO DROP STICK ERRORS, NO DISCORDANCE, NO DISONANCE (these 2 plague many arrangers). They were focussed and didnt come to VICTORIA to shout slogans and jump around like KANGAROO (as TOUCH says)
The OLD STARLIFT KILLER INSTINCT CAME TO FORE and KILL they did. NO BAND IN THE HISTORY OF STEELBAND COMPETITION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD HAS EVER BEEN BEATEN BY A 16 POINT SPREAD.
I have listened live to ALL THE GREAT BANDS (except DESTINATION TOKYO and PAN AM NORTH STARS) at PANORAMA time and NONE could top this performance. Ive played in STARLIFTS halcyon years (1979 to 1999)and we couldnt top this. TANNIE must have SMILED in his grave.
Steelband competition began circa 1948(or 49) in T&T then in 1962 became PANORAMA won by MR TONY WILLIAMS PAN AM NORTH STARS the first 2 years. NEVER HAS THERE BEEN MORE THAN A 4 OR 5 POINT SPREAD OF A BEATING.
I hope SOIN HILL learnt a valuable lesson that night.
They had a great arranger and a darn good musical arrangement but they simply DIDNT EXECUTE. They spent their time effort and energy doing mummenschanz and mimickry. WE COME TO HEAR YOU, NOT TO SEE YOU MAKE A SPECTACLE OF YOURSELF ON VICTORIA PARK STAGE. ITS NOT THE COMEDY CLUB.
E.J. Paddy Corea
MUSICIAN./PANIST/ MAS MAKER
PS. RISIG SUN the 2nd band to leave Trinidad spawned ST VINCENTS FIRST steelband CARIBBEAN BOYS. The FIRST steelband to leave Trinidad on tour was RED ARMY 1946 to Guyana.
MY STAGE??,,,, I OWNED that stage since 1958 and the 3 years following KING OF THE BANDS I was just into my teens, and in 1960 I took EVERY PRIZE they had to offer, KING OF THE BANDS, 2ND, 3RD and the CONSOLOTION prize, PING PONG SOLOIST, STEELBAND COMPETITION, ,BAND OF THE YEAR, even the CARNIVAL QUEEN was out of my band. NOBODY ELSE HAS DONE THIS.
Some of the bands I have played with, PAN INVADERS, STARLIFT, ANTIGUAS HALCYON, METRO STEEL ENSEMBLE, DESPERADOES USA, GOLDEN STARS, CASABLANCA, ICKFORD TOMAZ and his LATIN AMERICAN JAZZ BAND (2 in 1).
My PAN INVADERS is the FIRST and only steelband to back up a CALYPSO SINGER(1958 the Mighty Pagan singing MABLE THE FLUTER) on stage in VICTORIA PARK.
the WINNINGEST STEELBAND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS VINCY STARLIFT. 24 CHAMPIONSHIPS under their belt. TANNIE PETERS started this band in 1967 and named it after T&T STARLIFT the pan yard his brother hung out in. This years performance is probably the best PANORAMA performance of any band anywhere. ARRANGER DANTE PANTIN
thickness --- The 1999 entry was a typo.
Just would like to know where are you guys getting the information about the band called North Star steel orchestra from Saint Lucia whose given you all your information cause some Information is it is wrong
Diamond Steel didn't win 1999 North Stars won 1983 1984 1985 and in the 70s as well just your ll know