A most memorable Panorama event from a bygone era !

I've been thinking of my most memorable Panorama experiences and the performance by Solo Harmonites in the Panorama preliminaries of 1968 certainly ranks high on that list. The decade of the 1960's saw the greatest advances in the steelband world, and we saw the steelbands grow from the single pan "pan 'round neck" era of … Continue reading A most memorable Panorama event from a bygone era ! →

The Hylanders Steel Orchestra, and their legendary leader, Brtram Lloyd “Bertie” Marshall.

The original Hylanders (also known as Highlanders) was founded in the 1950s by Kim Loy Wong who was the band's tuner, arranger, and manager. After Wong left for the the USA in 1959 , the band's leadership was assumed by Bertie Marshall who became the band's leader and tuner . https://youtu.be/FXxQECwMcPw Kim Loy Wong's Highlanders … Continue reading The Hylanders Steel Orchestra, and their legendary leader, Brtram Lloyd “Bertie” Marshall. →

Examples of a nineteen sixties steel-band “Bomb Tunes” – “Elizabethan Serenade”, “Salut d’Amour” by Silver Stars

A good bomb tune was either a classical piece , a show tune or a pop tune. Not necessarily a popular piece , but a usually familiar tune , with an arrangement that made you jump , but also listen and marvel. The type of tune you would never expect to hear in calypso tempo … Continue reading Examples of a nineteen sixties steel-band “Bomb Tunes” – “Elizabethan Serenade”, “Salut d’Amour” by Silver Stars →

The original all female steelband – Girl Pat Steel Orchestra

The Girl Pat Steel Orchestra was most likely the first all female steel orchestra , since the steelband was formed between the years 1951 - 1952 at the home of Hazel Henley at No 79 Picton Street, Newtown, Trinidad. She was an accomplished musician who played the piano and formed the band with some of … Continue reading The original all female steelband – Girl Pat Steel Orchestra →

Where does the steelband go from here?

What can the future hold for the steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago? Where do we go from here? Where we go from here depends on what options we think are available for the Steelband, and most of us are inside a"pan bubble", so we see "through a glass darkly " as the Bible says. For … Continue reading Where does the steelband go from here? →

Memories of Larry (Bird)

Because of my job coming out of the army,I moved to New England in the mid seventies , in time to enjoy the entire Larry Bird career. I was working in the data area at the New Boston Satellite Tracking Station in New Hampshire , and most of what we did was highly classified, but … Continue reading Memories of Larry (Bird) →

“Is De Pan in Me” ( Lord Kitchener ) – The perfect steelpan calypso.

In my opinion ,Lord Kitchener's " Is de Pan in Me" is the perfect steelpan calypso. As a matter of fact , I think it should be some sort of a pan players anthem. Apart from the sweet and exciting melody , the Grand Master's lyrics tell a story that is all too familiar … Continue reading “Is De Pan in Me” ( Lord Kitchener ) – The perfect steelpan calypso. →

A Classic Steel-band Carnival Parade – Trinidad Carnival 1956

To me, as a Trinidadian born in a certain era, this is the best and most meaningful piece of street theater ever recorded on audio. In 1956, a brash young singer who called himself the Mighty Sparrow was just about to establish his dominance of the calypso world that would last decades.We were being introduced … Continue reading A Classic Steel-band Carnival Parade – Trinidad Carnival 1956 →