There was a time in the nineteen fifties and sixties when Southern All Stars was one of the biggest mas bands in Trinidad.Like their counterparts in Port of Spain, the Trinidad All Stars, they would "dutty up de town" with sailors on Carnival Tuesday.Back then, playing sailor mas at Carnival was almost a rite of passage for young men, and All Stars (both of them) were the bands of choice.Starting off clean and orderly on Carnival Tuesday, by late evening there'd be thousands of "dutty" sailors all over town.It was great fun.I hate to sound like an old codger, but I miss those days.From the Cook Album from 1957 "Champion Steelbands of Trinidad" here is a sampling of Southern All Stars.From the liner notes:SOUTHERN ALL STARSrecorded in a swampy vegetable gardenunder a corrugated iron roof.This is a big league band-large In size and bulging with starperformers. They come from San Fernando and are major contendersin every steelband competition. The tenor pan improvisationsusually paralyze judges and audcencesTROPICAL MERINGUESKOKIAANMERINGUE MINORPP SAMBA
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I was present at Roxy theatre when Theo Stephens unleashed his solo ramaje while the band was playing Anna. I remember the crowd erupting in wild cheers, because it was probably the first time a large audience had heard such a virtuoso performance from a steel band tenor man. I myself jumped up on the seat to rave at what I had heard. It would be great if those with the recording could have it aired again.
OOOOOOPPPPPPPSSSSS my bad my bad. My mistake I am talking about SOUTHERN SYMPHONY and the Bornaparte Brothers. You see why this conversation is SOOOOO important to keep the facts straight and tell the story about pan. Even I with all my info can make a mistake. Age is a bi**h. I have no recordings by Sth All Stars (only Southern Symphony) (Theo (Stevens) had a cassette of Anna) Hope one of his relatives read WST and could find it. We were good friends since England 1963. Thanks for correcting me This conversation is absolutely essential. paddy corea
i'm not sure if the Bonaparte brothers were associated with All Stars from Sando.I know that Theo Stevens was a soloist with the band at one time( he was also with free French).
Also , the late Nerlin "Lynn"Taitt was also a menber of Southern All Stars, along with his brother Cedric.
I do not know if this is a coincidence but the Bonaparte Brothers had their own SteelBand " Southern Symphony which I believe was from the La Brea area or thereabouts and they too were Heavyweights in Pan back in the 50's . Southern All Stars were from and still exists in San Fernando . Is it that Neville Bonaparte was associated with both these Bands at some time ? .
I have a Southern All Stars LP recorded at Tavern on the Green. Incredible solos by Neville Bornaparte. It is STILL great listening and the choises were of a wide variety of (types) of music.
old codger or not we all miss those days. It was truly a wonderful time to be young when Carnival was about having a good time and not the obsession with making money and the crass commercialization that has taken over the celebration. Although its great to see the revenue gains, the trade off to accomplish this is enormous and we are poorer because of it.
old codger or not we all miss those days. It was truly a wonderful time to be young when Carnival was about having a good time and not the obsession with making money and the crass commercialization that has taken over the celebration. Although its great to see the revenue gains, the trade off to accomplish this is enormous and we are poorer because of it.
I got a copy of Southern All Stars playing "Anna" with the brilliant solo by Theo Stephens one night at Sesame Flyers camp from, i believe his name is Straker, the past arranger of Highlanders. It is actually a compilation of tunes from the 1950s to 1970s. Trust me you would enjoy it.
Thanks GRJ . Compliments to Southern All Stars and Special Kudos to their Tuner . Man dis is " Real Class ". Would be nice if anyone could name the Players . This is indeed A Champion Band Performance .
Comments
I was present at Roxy theatre when Theo Stephens unleashed his solo ramaje while the band was playing Anna. I remember the crowd erupting in wild cheers, because it was probably the first time a large audience had heard such a virtuoso performance from a steel band tenor man. I myself jumped up on the seat to rave at what I had heard. It would be great if those with the recording could have it aired again.
OOOOOOPPPPPPPSSSSS my bad my bad. My mistake I am talking about SOUTHERN SYMPHONY and the Bornaparte Brothers. You see why this conversation is SOOOOO important to keep the facts straight and tell the story about pan. Even I with all my info can make a mistake. Age is a bi**h. I have no recordings by Sth All Stars (only Southern Symphony) (Theo (Stevens) had a cassette of Anna) Hope one of his relatives read WST and could find it. We were good friends since England 1963. Thanks for correcting me This conversation is absolutely essential. paddy corea
i'm not sure if the Bonaparte brothers were associated with All Stars from Sando.I know that Theo Stevens was a soloist with the band at one time( he was also with free French).
Also , the late Nerlin "Lynn"Taitt was also a menber of Southern All Stars, along with his brother Cedric.
Nerlin Taitt was also a champion soloist.
I got a copy of Southern All Stars playing "Anna" with the brilliant solo by Theo Stephens one night at Sesame Flyers camp from, i believe his name is Straker, the past arranger of Highlanders. It is actually a compilation of tunes from the 1950s to 1970s. Trust me you would enjoy it.
Smoothe Sam.
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