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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.

Global

SOUTH BAND HAS JASON “PEANUTS” ISAAC IN LIMBO

With Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama 2012 just six months away, arrangers are lining up behind bands. Caribbean Airlines Invaders Steel Orchestra expected to make no change, after arranger Arddin Herbert showed maturity with a fourth placing in the 2011 finals. He has redeemed himself and repaid Invaders’ faith in him. And boy, they have kept the faith since Arddin used to wear short pants without jockey shorts. Remember when you was a big man you never used to wear underwear until you reach 18? Remember? Don’t play you don’t know that. I went to school with a girl who used to wear a flour bag drawers. All of you must be saying Pan Buzz is a real macco. Yes! I really like Arddin’s spirited arrangement of “Doh Be On Dat,” a collaboration with Remy “Rembunction” Yearwood. I expect that both men will be coming again with a smasher.

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All is not well at Solo Harmonites Steel Orchestra, where, I think, arranger Yohan Popwell will be given a stay of execution. The jury is still out on his performance so far, although many believe he will strike like a mappipire.... but when? Yohan has promised much, but delivered little. You know Pan Buzz knows everything, even what goes on behind closed doors in people house, all because of my elaborate network of spies that span the pan world.

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Brooklyn-based Jason “Peanuts” Isaac is waiting on a call from a prominent south band. Right now the panist/composer and arranger is in limbo, and cannot commit to a band until he hears from the south bigwig; why treat him this way?  Can we be a bit more professional?
 

South bands have not been doing well for the past three decades, although southerners have kept the faith for years. They really have belly. Jason feels he can deliver, but he cannot wait a lifetime. What’s wrong with south bands, like they need a bush bath in Paradise Cemetery or what? You want to tell me Sando has produced some quality panists and pan arrangers including Lennox “Bobby” Mohammed and Steve Achaiba, Liam Teague, Dennis Smith, Tosca, the Bonaparte brothers, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Milton “Chicken Wire” Austin - and they cannot take a National Panorama?  IS BULLPISTLE THEY WANT all over they body. Who doh hear will have to feel in 2012, as my Grandma will say “they playing up in they coffee.” The wait for southerners has been too long. It like a plum tree in Tobago ...it overbearing. South panmen must rise to the challenge in 2012, or play violin. I done talk.
Now let me make myself clear, don’t keep blaming the judges for south failures......don’t.
 

PAN PEOPLE WAKING UP

I have always had a problem with Pan people and their ‘freeco’ mentality. I could never understand why a man would stand by a gate and have his ‘pardner’ call out: “You. You with the red cap come, come.”  Then he let you in free, although you have money in your pocket; so you buy a beer and bring it for the gateman. No, man, that can’t be right. Then you say you going to patronise the bar, you lowlife. When you do that you killing the Pan. I’ve always advocated that Pan people must put their money where their heart is, not mouth. So that is why I feeling happy like a posey, that enamel container that used to be under Grandma (and Grandpa) bed, when my spies tell me two Pan events made some dollars. The Pan Lovers International Fundraiser, and some private promoter doing a thing. When a Pan event buss, it is real tears. It does be sadder than an Indian movie. I’ve seen promoters hold they head and bawl like 49 Tarzans. Pan people, nothing does gladden my heart like when I eat cooked food, a curry goat with black-eye peas, and when I hear a Pan event score. Bless.
 

NO PAN IN THE MAS

People who know me will tell you I could eat a curry barbed wire and dhal and wash it down with a red Solo and ask for more, and don’t even bat an eyelid when I am defending the Pan. So while I am prepared to give Mr. Patrick Lewis and his organising committee the benefit of the doubt, and offer congratulations on yet another successful Caribfest presentation (I am referring to the Houston, Texas, USA Caribfest held last Sunday), I won’t be so kind when they leave out Pan in the mas. Now - I am not King Dotish, or Ma Backside son. I know these productions cost money like gobar (cow sh-t). You know I does try to educate my readers, and create my own dictionary, so bear with me. I never went to school, I went by the door. Then, too, I went to High School, a school a stilts. Ha! Ha! Ha! I ketch all yuh sleeping with that one. Guys, next time give Pan a play, on the after parade show. My spies tell me you gave even sexy Brazilian dancers a play - and no Pan, not even a one-tune panman. No man, we must do better.  Pan Buzz gives all yuh a bligh this time, you won’t be so lucky the next time!

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Until next week, wherever you are in Pan’s Diaspora, keep on loving The Pan.  You hear?