First Steelpan Recording, 'Lion-Oh' Hell Yard SteelBand & the Roaring Lion1940
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There was a programme on Radio Trinidad called Bring your music and come which featured some of the best know persons in the cultural field. It was well known to brig out lots of historical info about Pan, Calypso, ad dance bands. This was hosted by Winston Maynard who encouraged persons to call in to share there experiences and so a lot of info was passed on. One of the golden rules was never to say this or that was the first, rather among the first or qualify the statement so that there would be little chance of being wrong. Being one of that group, it is suggested we don't say that any event was the first, lest we may have to eat our words.
Teddy Pinheiro
I am curious as to which 'Festival of Britain' Mr Foy Barnes refers to 1946. See a reference from Wikipedia that highlights the history of the Festival. "The first idea for an exhibition in 1951 came from the Royal Society of Arts in 1943, which considered that an international exhibition should be held to commemorate the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition.[2] In 1945, the government appointed a committee under Lord Ramsden to consider how exhibitions and fairs could promote exports.[2] When the committee reported a year later, it was decided not to continue with the idea of an international exhibition because of its cost at a time when reconstruction was a high priority.[2] The government decided instead to hold a series of displays about the arts, architecture, science, technology and industrial design,[3] under the title "Festival of Britain 1951".[4]"
This Festival in 1951 records the first Steelband appearing in London as TASPO ( Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra). Please add to the body of information any history on the 1946 Festival.
Nice information folks!!
Previously I was rolling with Casablanca having the earliest known Steelband recording from 1948 but now I will roll with this.
Hi Brenda, thanks for the clarification. However, because it is pan and it came out of Trinidad, the connotation is that it is the first ever. That's all! Thanks again.
Hi Glenroy, First let me say that I HAVE NO NEED OR DESIRE TO MEASURE OR COMPARE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ALL I AM SAYING IS THAT THERE IS TOO MANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PAN AND WHO DID WHAT WHEN. I do not really understand the last sentence of your comment. What do you mean by has no merit?
Is what I wrote written in French? Is the source I mentioned not credible? I DARE SAY THAT YOU HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE FACTS THAT I PRESENTED. I thought that the forum was about presenting pan information in general. Maybe I was wrong.
When the word came out that the war had ended, at least in Europe, it wasn't too long that the Belmont bands were on the road that very night.I was just 7 years. Not living too far, I went to Belle Eau Road to see the bands.
Apart form bugles, what may be considered kettle drums, the boom base which persons pounded with their close fist, there was one man holding a pan upright his left hand and playing it with his right. The pan was convex with a few notes. What he was playing was just a rhythm on the different notes. The melody, such as it was, came from the voices of the people as they chipped along
Teddy Pinheiro
Very interesting piece of history. I' not to sure if the recording was done as stated. Most of Decca recordings were done at 56 Frederick Street. In any case Sa Gomes had about 4 or 5 locations in the city. Kay also recorded All Stars circa 1957 Rhythm a la oil drum.CRS 015. I say circa because there was considerable time between recording and release, sometimes as much as a year. This bit of info comes from Lord Superior.
Teddy Pinheiro
Foy, I like to give credit where credit is due, and of course Antigua deserves recognition for its place in the history of the steelband, but please do not try to measure up the accomplishments of the steelband movement in Antigua against that of the steelband pioneers of Trinidad.
That exercise has no merit.
Hi Glenroy, I am quite pleased that you remembered the first steelbeand that you heard on the radio was BRUTE FORCE. It boggles my mind that so much of the true history of pan is unknown to the experts. As far as a parallel development in Antigua, let me just throw some facts out there and anyone can judge.
1) First Panorama............ Antigua. This was some time around 1946. HELLS GATE won playing Peanut Vendor. Some sources say that it was in St. Thomas, but actually it was at the Antigua Girls School.
By the time Trinidad had its firtst Panorama, Steelband Competition as it was called, this competition was more tha fifteen years old.
2) First Steelband Association ..........Antigua
George Goddard in his book tells us that the Steelband Association in Antigua was created before the one in Trinidad.
3) First steelband appearing in a movie ..............Antigua
4) First steelband at the Festival of Britain ...........Antigua
When Ellie Mannette took the group to Britain in I think 1952, that was not the first. A band from Antigua went in 1946 and was the only musical invitee from the entire British Commonwealth. George Goddarg's book verifies this fact.
5) First steelband to play in a Hotel in Trinidad................Antigua
George Goddard mentions this in his book. Ellie Manette can corroborate this as he had words with a government official over this matter. He thought that this was a slap in his face, because he did not think a foreign band should play in Trinidad hotels when his band was not allowed to.
These are just a few bits of information that tells me Antigtua cannot be left out of any historical discussions about pan.
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