I would like to start this Blog and hope that others would add to it so that these performances would be remembered and become known to those interested in Pan Music. Through the years many did "shake" the venues and patrons so lets hear from you. I would like to start with Cavaliers who did this on many occasions but the most vivid are 1966 playing My Brother Your Sister and 1967 playing 67. The excitement those bases created caused the masses to push down the teak fences on both sides of the drag for they just had to be in the action and be hypnotized by the Bell that Bobby was beating. The entire Savannah was under the Cavaliers Spell and for many this was the main item on the agenda.In those days the bands did not cross the stage during the Prelims so you could just imagine how packed those bleachers were. Hair raising just thinking about it. This leads to Starlift playing DuDu Yemi aka Natasha. That final night we were lucky that the Structure of the North Stand especially withstood that impact. It was sheer Brilliance from start to finish and probably the dense rising dust from all those fans just jumping and dancing reached as far as the Sahara. I come out to play by Curepe Scherzando in the semis rocked everyone for whilst they played the entire savannah was also playing . I hope we would be able to hear this performance again. It was Marvelous. The Broadway boys Hatters came to town with " Spree Simon" and just swept every thing in their path from Prelims to Finals. With Stevie at the helm and Iron Man Corey leading the Engine Room you just had to be in that Spree, you just could not resist. Fabulous. Despers " Rebecca" is definitely and all time great. They would have won even if they had only played half of the entire performance. Rebecca was high but their music had us even higher . From Intro to the final note it was sheer Brilliance. Trinidad All Stars " De Final night Band" with their "Woman On The Base" caused a Pan Revolution with this piece that the dominance of the Women in Pan is now Universal. This is another of the all time greats in Pan Music that would continue to be a winner. Dem Hell yard fellas created a Musical Paradise and raised the Bar for Panorama Excellence. You just cannot get enough of this piece, it keeps calling you. Extraordinaire. I now come to The Professor, Fonclaire and" Pan By Storm". This was a performance of a lifetime and another of the all time greats. It was a Major Storm, a category 6 for it created such a Storm Surge that has never been seen since in Panorama. It's a good thing that the Battle Zone is far from the Sea for had it been closer the surge could have flooded the entire area. Powerful from start to finish and clean as ever. Unforgettable. Every one is scared of killer bees and hope never to confront them but you could not escape that Renegades Hive with their Bees Melody , producing the Best and Sweetest Honey ever tasted. They stung continuously and like the Grand Master no one ran.This was a Premier Performance and another of the very great ones with the Benchmark for Sweetness. Lastly I would like to mention City Syncopators playing Poets and Peasants in the festival of 1966. It was such a Grand performance that the adjudicator Professor John Russel said he wished he could have wrapped up their performance in a piece of paper and take it back to England with him. This is another of the all time great Pan Performances as Queens Hall was transformed into one of those big Music halls of Europe with a renowned Symphony playing. Indeed a renowned Pan Symphony was playing for the reception they received was overwhelming and the victory was not only theirs but a bigger one for Pan. It was Unbelievable. These are just a few of the many performances that literally Rocked the entire structure and audience and may have probably prompted the Grand Master to compose his Classical "Earthquake" in which he sang "Dis is not Earthquake yer feeling, is Renegades and Despers playing". Please add to this blog and share with us your experiences so that the world can know more of our Pan , Music and Artiste for there are many out there who would like to know of them. Thanks.
Sherwin, Cavaliers' Mas in Brooklyn was in 1971, but there were earlier earth shakers than that. Cavaliers themselves got on bad '65 and in '67 with Melody Mas and " '67 is the season" by Kitch. WOW!!!
I must say that this blog is one hell of a good idea and it raised a lot of memories. Thank you plenty plenty for this earth-shaker. I remember a lot and some I never knew about. so congrats and keep the thoughts flowing.Surely I do agree with Michael Kernahan about Cavaliers earthquake"Melody Mas' and I remember when Harmonites pull in Allan Gervais, a pan tuner of note from the southland. Solo hit town with about 30 tenors and plenty plenty bass and mash up the drag that rainy Sunday afternoon playing The Wrecker. WOW!!
Thanks for all the contributions as they brought fond memories of the Glory that Pan Music is. I would like to add Antillean All Stars playing Bass Man arranged by Bendix. It was indeed a superb arrangement and performance that had the savannah moving and of course Farrell. North Stars were really guiding stars for their Voices of Spring showed the potential of Pan as an Instrument and the skill of the Panmen. This performance in the 1962 festival was a Master Piece which led to another in the festival of 1966 with their playing of the Test Piece " Intermezzo in E Flat" composed by Inspector Anthony Prospect. It was played in so many different styles and so perfectly executed that the Adjudicator Professor John Russel said that " The Air Sparkles With Electricity When This Band Plays". The crowd Roared. This brings me to another shattering performance that night and it came from Cavaliers playing " Carmen". Queens Hall was witnessing the effects of an Opera and it was full of Power and Intricate skillful movements that the Professor said that" the Arranger of this Band Has the cleanest ear for music he has encountered ".What a performance. These two Bands along with City Syncopators whom I spoke of in my first Blog were the Stars and they brought GLORY to Pan and its Lovers. I hope that some one would post the performances of the Panoramas of the 60s' the first being in 1963 so that the world could get an insight from where we came . I would also love to hear again that Shattering performance of " I Come out to Play" by Curepe Scherzando. I must mention also Blue Diamonds coming through the Savannah on Carnival Monday playing "Don't leave me this Way" . They swept us off our feet and folks were asking " Is that Pan"? Man how I would love to hear this performance again. Thanks again and please contribute. Lets share your delights.
Since the observations seem to have drifted away from Panorama tunes may I offer up All Stars Egyptien Ballet Jouvert morning 1969 in front of Empire Cinema.
I know everyone holds Highlanders "Let every valley be exalted " in high esteem, but can anyone remember Tokyo in 1972 on jouvert morning by the Cathedral playing "Jerusalem"? Man, that was a masterpiece. The sadness is beginning to overwhelm me again as I reflect on what has passed through our steelband world on the pan and is lost forever...
I have seen and heard so many great and earth-shaking performances that it is difficult to pinpoint them all. But one ot two in particular stand out in my mind; that of Despers in 1976 by the big tree in the savannah by Jerningham Avenue at practice. When they struck up PAN IN HARMONY, I was totally blown away. That piece was awesome that night.I simply said to myself winner, winner, winner. I could not help it. This band was sounding like a full-sized church organ. Another earth-shattering experience for me was on jouvert morning in 1971. Desperadoes was on Chacon Street and I was on St. Vincent Street by Independence Square. I wondered what a brass band was doing downtown on jouvert morning. I was so shocked and surpriosed to hear the exqiusite sound of Despers playing Casanovas' ''Feeling Alright". By the same token, Carnival Tuesday night of that same year was another wonderful experience to see and hear Despers on Queen Street with the whole of Laventille in tow. They were playing the Jackson Five's "I want you back". Those days may be gone forever but the experiences still live on in our hearts and they still give goose-pimples.
When Starlift played Du Du Yemi I was in the north stands and at times during the tune you could not even hear what was going on,the responding voices from the audience was thunderous.To my memory the only performances that came close, were Curepe Scherzando(I Come Out To Play),Catelli All Stars (Heat) & Witco Desperadoes (Rebecca)
Comments
I must mention Merrytones. Do you all remember 'Crapaud Revolution' by Shadow and 'Jupiter' by Bally.
Two memorable performances by Merrytones. Nuff said
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