Sundowners Steel Orch 1950's.
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I remember this and how because of hearing so much classical music on the radio in those days I knew the music. The exultation I felt at hearing this steelband playing it brought me to tears then as it is doing so now. Thanks for the memory an the re-visiting of that deep joy. I truly love the steelband especially those days of creating and fine tuning the instruments.
Thanks for the info Glenroy and Steve...You have refreshed my memories of days gone. Teenage symphony was the first steelband I was "allowed " to play ole mas with! I used to pass in front their panyard on my way to school every day. I have to get that book.
And BTW guys, I don't know if you all remember this, but most of those military mas bands of that era maintained strict, almost military discipline on the parade route until the reached the savannah, or judging point.
They bands even had "MPs" etc. to enforce this, and some of the bands were even in columns like the real military.
Obviously , it was carnival, so there was some latitude, but for the most part everyone went along with the "rules".
It was when the got off stage, after the band had paraded before the judges that "everything turn old mas" as the saying goes, and the madness and crazy behavior we associate with sailor mas began.
If you saw rows and rows of sailors or seabees hugging each other, shoulder to shoulder, moving alternately from from left to right, it was way too smooth a dance motion to be considered "drunken", IMHO.
GRJ my brother just phoned to say that like me he never knew that the sideways movements of the rows of Sailors simulated the motion of the seas for as kids we always thought that it was the movements of "Drunken Sailors" with their lips red from Charlies and Cast wine. He said he had a good laugh about it. Thanks for the info. ( Smile).
And of course, Gondoliers of Mucurapo Street were the precursors of the famed Guinness Cavaliers.
Gondoliers was the "Market boys' band.
I don't know how it happened , but Gondoliers became a power in Sando when the Mohammed family got involved with the band.
Bobby's father was the manager , if I remember correctly
Bobby started arranging for Gondoliers. Gondoliers was a top military mas band in Sando in those days, and I remember the year after President Kennedy was assassinated they played a "Tribute to President Kennedy " mas.
That year , the Mighty Sparrow had a great calypso, "The death of Kennedy" - "A Texas gunman shoot him in he head and he dead".
Guinness Gondoliers had a powerful arrangement (I'm sure it was a Bobby Mohammed arrangement, even though he was a teen), and I saw then make a military presentation on stage at Skinner Park that was pretty authentic.
Any way that was the band we (Southern Marines) clashed with in 1963. South was not known for many steelband clashes , so I'd bet that was the worst one.
Like I said Gondoliers had a pretty tough image.
I've always felt that the clash had something to do with the eventual split that created Guiness Cavaliers.
Steve, That name Arthur Bayer sounds familiar, seems like he was in Sunland or one of those bands from Belmont
Continuing with quotes from "South Steel Bands and Panmen"= The first PanWoman in the South was Vida from Pearl Harbour. From Free French came Theo "Black James"Stephen one of Trinidad's Greatest Panmen who was a member of TASPO that visited England while still comparatively a boy. Many other bands emerged as the music improved and among them were "Rising Sun" of Jarvis Street led by Victor Barker, "Texas" from Mon Repose led by Boysie Perry, "Southern Marines" from Marabella led by Milton Lions, "Hatters" of Broadway led by"Bigger" Brathwaite and the "Cocoa Boys" of La Brea led by Belgrove Bonaparte. Many other Bands sprang up from various Districts in South.Some were " Destroyers" of Coffee Street, "Sea Bees" from Skinner Street, "Gondoliers" from Mucurapo Street, "Sundowners" from Purcell Street and "Rogues Regiment" from Irvin Park area. Still in existence and commanding respect from all the new bands was " Free French", the last of the original bands of South.Ruling the Steelband domain then for expert Panmanship were Nerlin Taitt Of Seabees, Ping Pong Solo winner and Arthur Bayer of Destroyers who was Gifted with versatility.( To be continued).
Guys this is just the beginning of the book I'm quoting from so as I go along I'll inform as to what is written, so stay tuned.
Hey Glenroy The Bomb tune wedding day at Troldhaugen was recorded in the panyard just before the carnival that year It was recorded by tnt redifusion by anouncer friend of mine by the name of Jim Wong it used to be played on redifusion every day for a while so there is a recording somewhwre in the archives in tnt I used to have a tape copy of it together with all sundowners music that i recorded at the time But I was a darm Fool and throw them away when I was going to school in canada now I am kicking myself in the but. "belve"
I have a couple pans at home and I played and recorded most of the sundowners music of old which should be on YouTube soon
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