Something of an epiphany came to me after the Panorama finals. Steelband arrangers genuinely seem to respect and admire each other. I couldn’t think of any instance where they have made derogatory remarks about their competitors. Apart from the swagger that is typical in a competitive environment, there is a …
Read More »Dear Editor: Phase Two steals Big Five night; should we add a Lil One for the foreigners?
The following letter, designed to ‘offer a few thoughts on the recent Big Five pan concert, staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah last Saturday evening’, was submitted to Wired868 by Earl Best, who asked that we stress that pan music is emphatically NOT one of the several areas in which …
Read More »Daly Bread: We came again; the Big 5 and the future of steelpan
The second edition of the Big 5 concert, comprising prime bands in prime time, took place on the eve of Republic Day. This column is about what such an event demonstrates regarding leadership, management, positive development and self esteem. The event was promoted as We Comin’ Again. The Big 5 …
Read More »On a higher note: Best asks if are we raising the bar for pan’s fans
“You’re going to love me,” she sang, raw emotion inhabiting but not inhibiting her voice. And the crowd roared. “She” is Arielle Cowie, the passionate young singer who performed with Renegades at last month’s International Steelband Foundation’s BIG 5 concert. And she was right; I loved her. As did, as …
Read More »Letter to the Editor: Carnival, Panorama and ketching the spirit
“You don’t have to be an expert to realize that Panorama pieces are saturated with arrangers’ attempts to evoke certain emotions in the listening audience, which, in turn, are designed to elicit particular responses… “Successfully executed and then terminated with a flourish, these figures often have the effect of making …
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