A TRIBUTE TO THE PAN TUNER, Wallace Austin!
And all those who are not recognized for their contributions.
To those who know, I grow up in Morvant,
By Tanty Linda on Plover Street,
Playing Pan with Teenage Serenaders,
And Ebonites in the Carnival heat.
Well today I see on the Internet
How they mention Wallace Austin.
So, I have a few words to add on
About this man and his pan tuning,
By the Corner of Plover and Cicada St.
It used to have a big Tambran’ tree,
And just to the side of the Peschiers house,
He would sink and bun pan wid glee.
In the fiftys, I was a teenager,
And Wallace was a big man to me,
So By now I guess, I don’t want to lie,
He must be two hundred and three.
Through the sun and rain, the heat or cold,
The man never gave up the practice,
It take some mistakes, but I make the point,
The years of experience giving its notice.
Wallace stay in the trench experimenting,
But was also a family man,
And I can’t forget all those pleasant times
In Brooklyn, then smoke mash up his plan.
Well Wallace boy, is long time we ent see,
But I have to say my few pleasantries,
Thanks for the memories from a Morvant friend,
And just enjoy your old age wid ease.
So when they hear your second pans ringing out,
And they hear your bass grumbling,
Tell dem is no joke, yuh inhale plenty smoke,
To have yuh pans and dem happily singing.
Wid One Love! Hollis ‘Flash’ Lashley.
Comments
Greetings: This is what we need today where the youths have respect for the elders and the elders giving back to them their knowledge and guidance. It is an honor to be called Elder, Daddy, Pops. I have been called that and many more and I love it. We must give to receive. Blessings Dr. Lance Seunarine
I am proud to know Wallace Austin. As one of the original members of Esso Tripoli aka. Trinidad Tripoli, which pans were maintained by Alla Gervais, so I know what it is to have your notes locked in, and Wallace is one of the few who can lock a note forever. It is truly a treasure to know him and be able to spend time with him often. also to see his name mentioned here in this manner
Big respect to Wallace Austin,definitely one of the great tuners of T&T...
In 1965 I went to Richplain Diego Martin to a sports meet. There was this band Western Philharmonics set up to play and this man well dressed with a stingy brim coasting a double tenor, sounding out of this world.Inquiries revealed that he was the tuner named Wallace Austin.I spoke of it by Starlift as we had no double tenors and two weeks later two were delivered to the band,work of a master tuner.Recordings of Flamingoes is proof enough.
Madman was the first and only tuner I ever saw use ah "chisel"to grove a pan. He also arrange a tune called "A Gift of Love" for Tripoli, it aint sound nothin like the Gift of Love I know but it was good.
Nice one, Flash ... did you ever know of Madman's brother, so called "Brokofoot" because he walked with terrible limp (due to polio)?
Peter
Wallace and bassman are the last of a dying breed. but they are still both active. Bassman is a hard one
to catch up with. I think for now that he is tuning for Despers USA. Curly/Tahzann.
Wallace is still a maestro in this art form. Blessings brother, keep up the good work.
Wallace and Bassman r the only tuners who could touch my double tenor. By the way Wallace is married to my friends(Kalouti) sister Big up Wallace.
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