Blog 2.0

PAN TUNERS IN THE DARK AGES 
 

If I had my way, I will hit every Pan tuner a hot bullpistle; similar to the one Kitch threatened to dispense on the backs of steelband men in the heady days of steelband riots. Now don’t get me wrong. We have long passed that stage. Now when I hear tuners complaining, I wonder if they are still in the Dark Ages. Haven’t they heard about the co-operative effort? Or is it that they so taken up in their own business, that they forget unity is strength?
 

Pan tuners and arrangers are the kings of Pan. I don’t begrudge them for the money they make, especially around Carnival time, Panorama to be exact. Why can’t a few of these get together and form their own co-operative and import their drums, rather than cry every year like an abandoned child? Pepe Francis, President of the British Association of Steelbands (BAS) has already said that drums, designed drums, are available in England (Coventry), Denmark and Holland.
 

He said there are also drums made to order. Pan tuners must take a leaf from the book of the crab; because if the crab don’t walk, the crab don’t eat. So if the National Petroleum machine to make drums stay down for three more months, what will they do? Play with their wiggies.
 

Come on, Pan tuners; wake up and take the bull by the horns; organise yourself, and as my daughter Tamu would say “get with the project.”

Ref:  Steeldrum Shortage

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CONGRATS TO THE ‘OX’
 

Congrats go out to Allan Oxley who has now entered the fray of composing for the Pan. His debut effort “Heavy on Pan - a Tribute to Kitch” is very musical and entertaining and shows what could be achieved with determination. Allan, a keyboardist with Shandileer in its heyday, moves like he has molasses flowing through his veins. Allan has a slow wine now, but the man used to ‘pelt waist’ (or is it waste?) when he was playing the keyboard. Local TV station Channel 4 in Trinidad runs a video which, upon reflection, this former acolyte will be ashamed of. No wonder why he was excommunicated by the Pope and thrown out the Vatican. He always intrigues me for one so talented. There isn’t a thing Allan can’t do musically. This son of a breadfruit is musically gifted. We can expect bigger and better things from this master craftsman. I make no apologies for what is said in this copy...who vex lorse.”

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SEND IN YOUR CHOICES...
 

Pan people, remember: nominations for the third edition of the PAN BUZZ AWARDS are still open. Don’t forget to send in your choices for: Pan Song of the Year, Arranger of the Year, and the Allan Gervais Pan Heroes Award.  Send choices to:  Keithos_6@hotmail.com.

Thanks to the people who enjoyed my analysis of the 2011 NY Panorama, and who still love tha Buzz. Thanks again to Mr. Rannie Babb and his energetic team for hosting the Pan Buzz.

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NEXT WEEK:  “LEXO” UNDER THE GUN
 

Wherever you are in the Pan World; keep loving up The Pan.

Global

PAN BUZZ AWARDS  2011

After much deliberation by our judges’ panel, and endless gulps of black coffee, it is my pleasure to present the Pan Buzz Awards 2011.  First let me thank all those who sent in nominations.

The judges’ decisions are final, and no injunction, cussing or bottle-pelting, will be entertained.

Pan Song of the Year:  It’s Showtime
Arranger of the Year:   Leon “Smooth” Edwards 

Top Ten Pan Songs

1. It’s Showtime -  Edwin Pouchet/Alvin Daniell

2. Pan For Peace -  Kygel Benjamin/Sheldon Reid

3. How We Coming -  Brian “Bean” Griffith/Alvin Daniel

4. Momentum -  Don Clarke/Alvin Daniell

5. Calling Meh - Mark Loquan/Ken Philmore

6. Zhess - Dexter Keane

7. Pan Badjohn - Earl Brooks/Kurt Allen

8. Alien Steelband - Dunstan “Carwash” Lawrence

9. Bamboo Man -  Alston Jack/Chris and Samantha Jack

10. Ruction -  Jason “Peanuts” Isaac

Allan Gervais Pan Heroes Award

No tribute is too great to pay to the Dixielanders, who this year celebrated 60 years of their ground-breaking trip to England. These defenders of the Pan went up against family and friends, putting their college education on the line for pan. They won acceptance for Pan... and panmen.  They are: Hady Lee, Curtis Pierre, Billy Carpenter, Joey Ng Wai, Mervyn Telfer, Miguel Barradas, Trevor Cumberbatch, Alfred Toussaint, Lennox Totesaut, Lennox Langton, Russel Valdez, Michael “Natsi” Constant, Angela Christopher and Sonny Blacks.
 

Other awardees are: Thunderbolt Williams, Sterling Betancourt, Barrie Nanton, Elton “Smokey” John, Cyril “Nick” Boxhill and Zigilee.

International Pan Heroes Award

Terry Noel, Pepe Francis and Andy Narell

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BEST OF LUCK, SEION

Like Duvone Stewart (bptt Renegades), Señor Seion Gomez (pictured) has stepped into the big league on Pan. Seion campaigned in the Second Division of pan (Medium category), but has now been given the tough assignment with the Solo Harmonites.  Yohan Popwell has been given two bites of the cherry, but failed to deliver.  Pan arranging is becoming like football coaching, you either stand, or fall, on your results.

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“BOOGSIE” TO EAT AH FOOD

Len “Boogsie” Sharpe will eat ah food in three categories of Pan next year. He has just been given the assignment with single pan band Carib Woodbrook Playboyz.
 

In Tobago, he will eat some curry crab and dumplings with medium band Our Boys, and his biggest plate will come from his beloved Phase II Pan Groove.

My spies tell me that “Boogsie” has stopped his foolish excursion, and pitbull behaviour with Pan Trinbago, and is getting down to what he does best... music.
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Wherever you are in Pan’s world, keep loving up The Pan.

Global

“GYPSY” MUST ACCOUNT

I hope Pan people are looking at what the Trinidad & Tobago Minister of Culture, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, is doing with taxpayers’ money. Is he giving it away to friends and family?

Winston “Gypsy” Peters must tell John and Jane Public why he is getting down on Pan people, while financing - to the tune of $1.2 million dollars - his son Colin Jackman’s misadventures with soca. The recent International Soca (substitute ‘Comedy’) Awards was a disaster. “Gypsy” must account. HE MUST TELL THE PUBLIC WHY he keep pelting taxpayers’ money behind this event, but on the other hand, pressuring Pan people. My spies tell me he is on a collision course with Panmen over cut-backs in the assistance to small steelbands and single-pan bands.

Over to you, Madame Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
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MUSICAL EARTHQUAKE TO SHAKE T&T

A musical earthquake is about to grip Trinidad and Tobago as over twenty pan songs have fallen from the various studios.  There is a lot of lacourey surrounding Alvin Daniell’s collaboration with Edwin Pouchet. Word is that they are coming with ‘Tempo’ [Gie Dem Tempo].  Pan Buzz is anxious to hear this one, as I rate Maestro’s ‘Tempo’ as the bar. After such a sizzling song, ‘It’s Showtime,’ this year, it will be tough to climb that Everest.

Earl “The Loveman” Brooks is yet to release his bomb. When he last spoke to The Buzz, he promised something special.

Spoke to the brilliant Natasha Joseph of ‘Something Different’ fame; she sits on the sidelines this year. What a disappointment! Natasha rose to stardom with the Panazz Players, and has gone off the boil. However she is back after flying under the radar.

The bogey man, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe has returned to his old self, after waging a venomous, but foolish, campaign against Pan Trinbago honchos.  His tribute to his mentor Pat Bishop should improve his stocks in the Pan fraternity.  My spies tell me he is focused like a laser light, with eyes on the top prize.  I tell you Panorama 2012 is going to be hot, hot, hot.
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“BOLT” loses a leg

Thunderbolt Williams is under the weather these days. The popular Despers Pan personality is stricken with diabetes, and has lost a leg. However the spirit of this indomitable Pan soldier is high, as he looks to make a comeback on the world wrestling stage. Pan Buzz spoke to the pan icon of The Hill (Laventille) and Despers elder - who promised to be in the thick of things for Panorama 2012...with Despers of course.

With a contribution that spans some 50 years to Desperadoes, Thunderbolt is determined not to roll over and die.  “I intend to go as long as the Master says,” he signed off.
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ANNUAL PAN BUZZ AWARDS

Nominations have closed for the Annual Pan Buzz Awards and pretty soon judges will deliberate. Results for all the categories will be given within the first week of December. The judges’ decision is final, and anyone toting feelings will be ignored. The categories are:

• Arranger of the Year

• Pan Song of the Year

• Top Ten Pan Songs

• Allan Gervais Pan Heroes Award

• The International Pan hero Award.
  

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Wherever you are in Pan’s world, keep loving up The Pan.

TWO PAN GREATS FOR BALTIMORE COMIC CON 2011
 

Female pan pioneer Daisy James Mc Clean and Jason “Peanut” Isaac of ‘Pan Redemption’ fame will be special guests at the Baltimore Comic Con to be held this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) at the Baltimore Convention Centre, Downtown Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 

Jason “Peanut” Isaac

Daisy and Jason will be part of the touring caricature exhibition of cultural icons of Trinidad and Tobago in Pan, mas, calypso, dance, chutney and the performing arts. The exhibition is the brainchild of Trinidad Guardian cartoonist Keith “Keithos” Anderson and was shown in Port-of-Spain (2008), and San Fernando (2009).
 

Daisy James Mc Clean (standing, front right) - with Harlem Syncopators

The action starts at 10:00 a.m. each day and finishes at 6:00 p.m.; be sure to drop in and meet and greet these two Pan pioneers.  Jason is best known for his stunning pan compositions ‘Ten Commandments of Pan’ and ‘Pan Redemption.’ Daisy is the oldest living female Pan pioneer and is the co-founder of the Harlem Syncopators, a single-pan band. Jason will be playing several songs, including his own compositions, at the Comic Con.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AWARDEES

A significant award ceremony took place in the Pan world in London recently. The Pan Buzz is happy to report that my heart is always filled with pride when people get awarded for their contributions, however small.
 

Congrats go out to Pan greats Sterling Betancourt, Miguel Barradas, Alfred Toussaint, Lennox Totesaut, Lennox Langton, Russel Valdez, Michael “Natsi” Contant and Angela Christopher.
 

This was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the London Commonwealth Arts and Cultural Foundation, the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission and prime mover Sonny Blacks - a tireless worker for Caribbean Culture.
 

The official function was attended by Pan Trinbago’s President, Keith “Bald Head” Diaz and others. A similar function was held recently at the Shay Shay Tien Restaurant in Newtown, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad for five (the fabulous five) Dixielanders: George Ng Wai, Hady Lee, Mervyn Telfer, Billy Carpenter and Curtis “Wayward” Pierre. They invited Pan Buzz and other members to a scrumptious Chinese food and ‘ole talk’ by narrator Curtis Pierre. These men celebrated 60 years of the visit to London by Dixieland. At the function Dixielanders were in high praise of Sonny Blacks on whose expertise and contacts they had relied on to get settled, and get jobs.

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THANKS AND PRAISES

It’s always good to give thanks and praise to all those who agree, and disagree, with the Pan Buzz. Those who have said wonderful things about the column, still going strong courtesy When Steel Talks (WST). I am having to start responding to members of WST that make sense. Those who wish to bring brawl, and brawl with Pan Buzz, take note. I won’t be engaging you in such nonsense. Time is too short for that. I am just off the boil with the TT $35 million Pan Controversy involving the G-Pan and PHI pan.  Be assured I am working behind the scenes.

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FESTIVAL NOTES

Today, I launch the Festival Notes which will bring you up-to-date on the 2011 National Steelband Music Festival.  Please note it will be the
12^th Steelband Music Festival, Pan Is Beautiful Series.
 

Competition will be held in the various categories: ensembles, duets, single-pan bands and conventional orchestras. The finals will be held on October 27^th at the National Academy for The Performing Arts (NAPA). Panmen, Pan lovers give your support. The last Festival was held in 2008; Sagicor Exodus won.

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On September 1^st, nominations for the PAN BUZZ AWARD (Third Edition) will be opened.  Readers can send in their nominees for the various categories.

• Top Ten Pan Songs/Pan Song of the Year
• Arranger of the Year
• Pan Organization of the Year
• Pan Heroes Awards

A panel of five usually mulls over these awards, and the panel (judges) decision is final, no ole talk, cussing, fussing and fighting will be entered into by the Pan Buzz and/or his associates. Now - nothing is given to winners of the Awards; only ‘mention’ on a global scale, or world stage. In time the Awards, will (hopefully) give a small token based on resources.
 

Now Pan Buzz was threatened and wrongly cussed out by a Pan Song Composer last year who felt his song was good enough to make the Top Ten. I too old to fight with anybody. I will have to call on God to help me. So fellas, have mercy on me please. Last year, When Steel Talks (WST) was voted Organization of the Year.
 

The Pan Buzz Awards will be announced on Friday December 9^th, 2011.

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Until next week, wherever you are in Pan’s Diaspora, keep loving up The Pan.